Valley Forge National Park

Don, Carole, Allan and Jeanne took Saturday to explore Valley Forge National Park. We went to the Visitors Center, picked up a map of the park, attended a movie that explained life in Valley Forge in the winter of 1977 and brief review of the battles of the Revolutionary War. We observed a live interpretive setup of the camp in Valley Forge. All the characters were in costume of the day. We were able to interact with them. The American Patriot officers and enlisted men were joined by French and Indians primarily, with some Dutch and Germans helping in the fight. They explained the problems in communications with the different groups. They showed and demonstrated the use of many weapons of the day (muskets, rifles, blunderbuss, long large caliber rifles and different size canons and mortar). A surgeon explained the different instruments and medicines and bandages that were used to treat the soldiers and how they handled amputations and treated gangrene. He said about 55% survived amputation. The casualty rate was 10:1. More people died of sickness and disease compared to ones killed in battle. About 1/3 of the forces were not fit to work because of lack of shoes and clothing and food. Each state supplied their soldiers. Some states supplied much better than others. The lingner was a woman who helped out in writing letters, drawing pictures (there were no cameras), and taking dictation. Other women in the camp did cooking, laundry, cleaning, and building fires. There was about one woman to every 10 men. The women were wives of some of the soldiers. We saw many monuments and trenches and earthworks. There must have been 100 deer in the park, at least what we could see. They were everywhere. The trees were in full bloom (white and pink dogwoods and redbuds).