George Washington’s Winter Encampments and the Winning of American Independence

Many Americans are familiar with the story of George Washington’s Continental Army struggling through the cold, snow, and hunger of the Valley Forge winter. In New Jersey, the Morristown winter of 1780 is remembered as having been even worse than Valley Forge. Aside from weather and supply problems, however, little has been written on how these camps were planned, built, and maintained. At this presentation on Thursday, December 8, 7:00 pm, discover the story of Washington’s winter encampments, from Valley Forge and Morristown, to less renown camps at Middlebrook in New Jersey and Redding in Connecticut. Presented by Dr. Steven Elliott, lecturer in the Department of History at Rutgers University–Newark and author of Surviving the Winters: Housing Washington’s Army during the American Revolution.

Please email hopeprogs@mcl.org to register to receive link to program.