PRAYING AT VALLEY FORGE: LEGEND,

TRADITION, OR A FACT.

SYMBOL OF FAITH

HISTORICAL FACTS I1777Jan. 3 Washington victorious at PrincetonJan. 6-May 28 Washington winters in Morristown, NJApr. 27 Benedict Arnold's troops force a British retreat at Ridgefield, Connecticut.May 20 Treaty of DeWitt's Corner, SC: Cherokees lose most of their land east of the mountainsJune 14 Flag ResolutionJuly 5 St. Clair surrenders Fort Ticonderoga to the BritishJuly 27 Lafayette arrives in PhiladelphiaAug. 6 The Redcoats, with Iroquois support, force the patriots back at Oriskany, NY, but then have to evacuateAug. 16American Militia under General Stark victorious at the Battle of Bennington, VT (actually fought in Walloomsac, New York,several miles to the west)Aug. 23British withdraw from Fort Stanwix, NY, upon hearing of Benedict Arnold's approachAug. 25British General Howe lands at Head of Elk, Maryland

HISTORICAL FACTS IISept. 11 The British win the Battle of Brandywine, PennsylvaniaSept. 16 Rain-out at the Battle of the Clouds, PennsylvaniaSept. 19 Burgoyne checked by Americans under Gates at Freeman's Farm, NY. This is part of the "Battles of Saratoga."Sept. 21 Paoli Massacre, PASept. 26 British under Howe occupy PhiladelphiaOct. 4 Americans driven off at the Battle of GermantownOct. 7 Burgoyne loses second battle of Freeman's Farm, NY (at Bemis Heights). This is part of the "Battles of Saratoga."Oct. 17 Burgoyne surrenders to American General Gates at Saratoga, NYOct. 22 Hessian attack on Fort Mercer, NJ repulsedNov. 16British capture Fort Mifflin, PennsylvaniaDec. 5-7 Americans repulse British at Whitemarsh, PennsylvaniaDec. 19 Washington's army retires to winter quarters at Valley Forge

FACTS VALLEY FORGE:

CONTINENTAL ARMY MILITARY CAMP (WINTER 1777-1778)

STARVATION AND DISEASE KILLED 2500 REVOLUTIONARIES.

1 OUT OF 3 HAD SHOES.

FACTS

HUTS WERE MADE WITH WOOD COLLECTED FROM MILES AWAY.

FIRECAKE: TASTELESS MIXTURE OF FLOUR AND WATER.

PEPPER HOT SOUP WITH TRIPE BROTH.

FACTS

NO BLANKETS. TYPHOID, TYPHUS,

SMALLPOX, DYSENTERY AND PNEUMONIA.

MALNUTRITION LACK OF MILITARY

EFFICIENCY, MORALE, AND DISCIPLINE.

FACTS

MARTHA WASHINGTON ARRIVED AT THE CAMP ON FEB 10, 1778 AND CREATED THE SEWING CIRCLE OF WOMEN TO KNIT, CRAFT AND PATCH SOCKS, SHIRTS AND TROUSERS.

FACTS

WINTER 1777, AMERICAN PUBLIC CRITIZED WASHINGTON FOR HIS INABILITY TO ADVANCE THE WAR EFFORT.

THE PRAYING

WITNESSES ISAAC POTTS

MARQUIS DE LAFAYETTE

PETER MUHLENBERG

Reverend NathanielSnowden’s Journal

I tied my horse to a sapling & went quietly into the woods & to my astonishment I saw the great George Washington on his knees alone, with his sword on one side and his cocked hat on the other. He was at Prayer to the God of the Armies, beseeching to interpose with his Divine aid, as it was ye Crisis, & the cause of the country, of humanity & of the world.Such a prayer I never heard from the lips of man. I left him alone praying. I went home & told my wife. I saw a sight and heard today what I never saw or heard before, and just related to her what I had seen & heard & observed. We never thought a man c’d be a soldier & a Christian, but if there is one in the world, it is Washington. She also was astonished. We thought it was the cause of God, & America could prevail.

HISTORICAL FACTS III 1778

Feb. 6 The United States and France sign the French AllianceMarch 7 British General William Howe replaced by Henry ClintonMay 20 Battle of Barren Hill, Pennsylvania. Lafayette with 500 men and about 50 Oneida Indians successfully evade British onslaughtJune 18 British abandon Philadelphia and return to New YorkJune 19 Washington's army leaves Valley ForgeJune 28 The Battle of Monmouth Court House ends in a drawJuly 4 George Rogers Clark captures Kaskaskia, a French village south of St. LouisAug. 8 French and American forces besiege Newport, RIDec. 29 The redcoats occupy Savannah

HISTORICAL FACTS IV1779Feb. 3 Maj. Gen. Moultrie defeats British detachment at Port Royal Island, SCFeb. 14 Patriots Andrew Pickens and Elijah Clarke beat Loyalists at Kettle Creek, GAFeb. 23-24 American George Rogers Clark captures Vincennes (in what is now Indiana) on the Wabash in the Western campaignMarch 3 British Lt. Col. Jacques Marcus Prevost defeats Americans under Gen. John Ashe at Brier Creek, GAMay 11-13 Maj. General Augustin Prévost (brother of Jacques, see above) breaks his siege when American forces under Maj. Gen. Lincoln approachesJune 20 Stono River, SC, Maj. Gen. Lincoln inflicts extensive British casualties in indecisive battleJune 21 Spain declares war on Great Britain

HISTORICAL FACTS VJuly 8 Fairfield, CT, burned by BritishJuly 11 Norwalk, CT, burned by BritishJuly 15-16 American "Mad" Anthony Wayne captures Stony Point, NYAug. 19 "Light Horse" Harry Lee attacks Paulus Hook, NJAug. 29 Newtown, NY, after two massacres, American forces burn Indian villagesSept. 23 John Paul Jones, aboard the Bonhomme Richard, captures British man-of-war Serapis near English coastSept. 28 The Tappan Massacre ("No Flint" Grey kills 30 Americans by bayonet)Oct. 9 American attempt to recapture Savannah, GA failsNov.-June 23, 1780 Washington's 2nd winter at Morristown, NJ (the harshest winter of the 18th century)

Thanksgiving ProclamationIssued by President George Washington, at the request of Congress, on October 3, 1789

Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday,the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by

the people of these States to the service of that greatand glorious Being who is the beneficent author of

all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that wemay then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincereand humble thanks for His kind care and protection

of the people of this country previous to theirbecoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies

and the favor, able interpositions of His providencein the course and conclusion of the late war.

BROTHERS FROM THE COSMOPOLITAN TENTH AT

FEDERAL HALL IN NYC.

IF IT IS A LEGEND OR A

TRADITION WHY IS THIS

ENGRAVING OF PRAYING AT

VALLEY FORGE AT FEDERAL

HALL?