"The Hardships of the Camp"
Hundreds of letters and documents written at Valley Forge have been published in collections that represent the best-remembered men of the Revolution. There are also documents of uncounted numbers by lesser officers and staff functionaries that have never been published, or have been printed long ago and are no longer readily available.
The intent of this effort is to present a selection of these, in the fourth of such volumes, to allow greater understanding and appreciation of the Valley Forge Encampment. This collection of documents indicates the critical importance of forage for the army's transport animals, as well as bringing to light the sectionalism that later contributed to the outbreak of the Civil War. Oddly, the actions of the enemy army, occupying Philadelphia barely twenty miles away, are rarely remarked upon, and little real animosity seems to be directed their way.
Documents are arranged chronologically, and the original spelling and punctuation has been retained. A descriptive note at the foot of each entry gives the source location of each document, and identifies the writer and recipient the first time each individual appears. The author scoured the National Archives and more than 20 other state archives, university libraries, and historical societies in his search for these rare papers.
An index to full-names, places and subjects adds to the value of this work.
Joseph Lee Boyle
(2003), 2008, 5.5" x 8.5", paper, index, 210 pp.
ISBN: 9780788422881
101-B2288
