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Phillip Greenwalt
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The Winter that Won the War: The Winter Encampment at Valley Forge, 1777–1778 (Emerging Revolutionary War Series) Kindle Edition

by Phillip S. Greenwalt (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.1 out of 5 stars 30 ratings
“[Serves] as both a helpful concise history text and as a phenomenal field guide to modern Valley Forge and its surroundings.” —The Colonial Review
 
An Army of skeletons appeared before our eyes naked, starved, sick and discouraged . . . Gouverneur Morris recorded these words in his report to the Continental Congress after a visit to the Continental Army encampment at Valley Forge as part of a fact-finding mission. Morris and his fellow congressmen arrived to conditions far worse than they had expected. After a campaigning season that saw the defeat at Brandywine, the loss of Philadelphia, the capital of the rebellious British North American colonies, and the reversal at Germantown, George Washington and his harried army marched into Valley Forge on December 19, 1777. What transpired in the next six months prior to the departure from the winter cantonment on June 19, 1778 was truly remarkable.
 
A stoic Virginian, George Washington solidified his hold on the army and endured political intrigue; the quartermaster department was revived with new leadership from a former Rhode Island Quaker; and a German baron trained the army in the rudiments of being a soldier and military maneuvers. Valley Forge conjures up images of cold, desperation, and starvation. Yet Valley Forge also became the winter of transformation and improvement that set the Continental Army on the path to military victory and the fledgling nation on the path to independence. In The Winter that Won the War, historian Phillip S. Greenwalt takes the reader on campaign in the year 1777 and through the winter encampment, detailing the various changes that took place within Valley Forge that ultimately led to the success of the American cause.
 
“Compelling. . . . wonderfully written. . . . Readers will come away better understanding the challenging duties, hardships, and stubbornness that transformed the army of these common soldiers of different ethnicities and immigrant groups, with African Americans and Native Americans among them, into a capable fighting force.” —The NYMAS Review
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  1. Part of series
    Emerging Revolutionary War
  2. Print length
    193 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    Savas Beatie
  5. Publication date
    July 21, 2021
  6. File size
    25.9 MB
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Serving as both a helpful concise history text and as a phenomenal field guide to modern Valley Forge and its surroundings, Greenwalt’s research and careful attention to landmarks provide valuable insight to both the tourist and student of the American Revolution."
The Colonial Review

"The Winter that Won the War does not disappoint. It is a succinct history that summarizes the major events and characters that molded the American army into the fighting machine that eventually won the war. It is a must-read for anyone wanting an overview of the American army at Valley Forge."
Collected Miscellany

This is a compelling and important story, in a wonderfully written book. Readers will come away better understanding the challenging duties, hardships, and stubbornness that transformed the army of these common soldiers of different ethnicities and immigrant groups, with African Americans and Native Americans among them, into a capable fighting force which would ultimately win independence for the colonists. Greenwalt has written a tightly woven account of these critical events that can help people learn more about the experience and rebirth of the Continental Army over the winter of 1777-1778.
The NYMAS Review

About the Author

Phillip S. Greenwalt is the co-founder of Emerging Revolutionary War and historical editor for the Emerging Revolutionary War Series. He is also a full-time contributor to Emerging Civil War. Phillip is the co-author of A Single Blow: The Battles of Lexington and Concord and the Beginning of the American Revolution, April 19, 1775, with Robert Orrison and three books in the Emerging Civil War Series. He is currently a park ranger for the National Park Service.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B097S2K6HC
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Savas Beatie (July 21, 2021)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ July 21, 2021
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 25.9 MB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 193 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.1 out of 5 stars 30 ratings

About the author

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Phillip Greenwalt

Phillip Greenwalt

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Phillip S. Greenwalt graduated from George Mason University with a M.A. in American History and also has a B.A. in history from Wheeling Jesuit University. He started with the National Park Service as a historical interpreter intern at Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park. Before becoming a Supervisory Park Ranger of the Shark Valley District of Everglades National Park, he was a Historian-Park ranger at George Washington Birthplace National Monument and Thomas Stone National Historic Site.

He is a full-time contributor to the blog Emerging Civil War and co-founder of the Emerging Revolutionary War blog.

Besides the interest in American History, he is an avid Baltimore Orioles baseball and Maryland athletics fan.

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4.1 out of 5 stars
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Expertly Researched & Masterfully Written
5 out of 5 stars
Expertly Researched & Masterfully Written
In reading this work it becomes instantly clear that Mr. Greenwalt masterfully knows the details that encompass this piece of American history. He writes with both precision and passion. This author has the rare gift of crafting prose that works on multiple interest levels. The Winter That Won The War is expertly researched, which any history aficionado will appreciate. The writing style, succinct chapter layouts, and thoughtful reveal of the people and places involved, make the book inviting to anyone with curiosity in delving deeper than the baseline knowledge and timeline of the Valley Forge encampment. Mr. Greenwalt takes a piece of history from 245 years ago and chapter by chapter develops the leading events, physical setting, players, decisions, hardships, strokes of luck, and triumphs of the Continental Army. The story alone is impressive, and Greenwalt’s writing marries the military history with the human condition. The themes of struggle, regrouping and overcoming odds will always be relatable, as well as relevant. By the end of the book it is clear that collectively surviving this uncomfortable experience unified the Continental Army both in military prowess and mental determination. The Winter That Won The War is a bold and accurate title, as this written work outlines how crucial the Valley Forge encampment was to the trajectory of the American Revolution.
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Jonathan Del Collo
    5.0 out of 5 stars As Advertised
    Reviewed in the United States on January 2, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    Great Book! Good shipping and book in excellent condition. Thanks!
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  • Plume
    3.0 out of 5 stars Pretty basic, good primer for a tour of the place but not much detail
    Reviewed in the United States on March 10, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    This is more of a traveler's guide to Valley Forge than a study. Pretty thin and lots of photos. If you want to really dig into the subject, look at other books. You can probably gleam as much from websites as what this book offers.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Pax Johnson
    2.0 out of 5 stars Not for the research academic....
    Reviewed in the United States on May 3, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    So I wanted to use this book as a source for a major research project (I am a Master's Student in Historical Archaeology) and it was not at all what I was expecting. The information he does give solid, but he doesn't have citations or endnotes about where he got his information.
    The language and pace is fine for readers looking for a quick read about the events at Valley Forge, but he leaves detailed discussion for other authors to tackle.
    Overall, this book doesn't add to scholarship on the topic at all, it merely glosses over the history of events.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • L. Brendel
    5.0 out of 5 stars Expertly Researched & Masterfully Written
    Reviewed in the United States on January 26, 2022
    In reading this work it becomes instantly clear that Mr. Greenwalt masterfully knows the details that encompass this piece of American history. He writes with both precision and passion.

    This author has the rare gift of crafting prose that works on multiple interest levels. The Winter That Won The War is expertly researched, which any history aficionado will appreciate. The writing style, succinct chapter layouts, and thoughtful reveal of the people and places involved, make the book inviting to anyone with curiosity in delving deeper than the baseline knowledge and timeline of the Valley Forge encampment.

    Mr. Greenwalt takes a piece of history from 245 years ago and chapter by chapter develops the leading events, physical setting, players, decisions, hardships, strokes of luck, and triumphs of the Continental Army. The story alone is impressive, and Greenwalt’s writing marries the military history with the human condition. The themes of struggle, regrouping and overcoming odds will always be relatable, as well as relevant.

    By the end of the book it is clear that collectively surviving this uncomfortable experience unified the Continental Army both in military prowess and mental determination. The Winter That Won The War is a bold and accurate title, as this written work outlines how crucial the Valley Forge encampment was to the trajectory of the American Revolution.
    Customer image
    L. Brendel
    5.0 out of 5 stars
    Expertly Researched & Masterfully Written

    Reviewed in the United States on January 26, 2022
    In reading this work it becomes instantly clear that Mr. Greenwalt masterfully knows the details that encompass this piece of American history. He writes with both precision and passion.

    This author has the rare gift of crafting prose that works on multiple interest levels. The Winter That Won The War is expertly researched, which any history aficionado will appreciate. The writing style, succinct chapter layouts, and thoughtful reveal of the people and places involved, make the book inviting to anyone with curiosity in delving deeper than the baseline knowledge and timeline of the Valley Forge encampment.

    Mr. Greenwalt takes a piece of history from 245 years ago and chapter by chapter develops the leading events, physical setting, players, decisions, hardships, strokes of luck, and triumphs of the Continental Army. The story alone is impressive, and Greenwalt’s writing marries the military history with the human condition. The themes of struggle, regrouping and overcoming odds will always be relatable, as well as relevant.

    By the end of the book it is clear that collectively surviving this uncomfortable experience unified the Continental Army both in military prowess and mental determination. The Winter That Won The War is a bold and accurate title, as this written work outlines how crucial the Valley Forge encampment was to the trajectory of the American Revolution.
    Images in this review
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  • David Marshall
    5.0 out of 5 stars Worth the purchase and a delight to read.
    Reviewed in the United States on August 11, 2021
    The Winter that Won the War encompasses 1777-1778 and does what most other books from this series have done. They give an excellent introduction of the Valley Forge Encampments with terrific information, along with readable maps and clear driving instructions around the battlefield. This series has been invaluable, and The Winter Encampment at Valley Forge is no exception. Phil Greenwalt brings the same well researched point of view to this crucial time period in the Revolutionary War which he has done in his previous titles in the Emerging Revolutionary and Civil War Series.

    Philip Greenwalt is the co-founder of the Emerging Revolutionary War and series editor for the Emerging Revolutionary War Series. He is also a contributor to Emerging Civil War. He is the co-author of one other book for Emerging Revolutionary and three titles for Emerging Civil War Series: : Bloody Autumn: The Shenandoah Valley Campaign of 1864, Calamity in Carolina: The Battle of Averasboro and Bentonville, March 1865, Hurricane from the heavens: The Battle of Cold Harbor, May 26-June 5, 1864, A Single Blow: The Battles of Lexington and Concord and the Beginning of the American Revolution, April 19, 1775.
    He started with the National Park Service as a historical interpreter intern at Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park before becoming a Supervisory Park Ranger of the Shark Valley District of Everglades National Park. He was a Historian-Park Ranger at George Washington Birthplace National Monument and Thomas Stone National Historic Site.

    Greenwalt does an excellent job proving to enthusiasts why this was the winter that won the war. He provides armchair generals with why Valley Forge still matters to us today and explanations why many stories and myths were created or embellished about the Continental Army and General George Washington. Also in the Winter that Won the War are four enlightening appendices written by two other contributing historians and Greenwalt that enhance the readers experience concerning the defense of the Delaware River, the winter encampment at Wilmington, Delaware, what the brave American soldiers of the Continental endured, and my favorite, Valley Forge in American memory.

    This tome works on two fronts, as all other Emerging Civil War books have done. Not only is it enlightening, but it also offers a driving schedule for those who want to tour the battlefield. The strength of this series is that tourists can take them along when they travel to Valley Forge and visit by automobile or tramp the eight stops. Each tour stop is accompanied by clear directions, GPS coordinates, and a description of the events that transpired around that particular area. Although the amount of analysis at each stop is somewhat limited, the information is clear and concise. Each page includes either a picture of the battlefield sites or a picture of important churches, statues, memorials, homes, and markers from the war which gives readers a more visual idea of what happened here. Cartographer Edward Alexander produced a series of six clear, succinct, and detailed maps that appear throughout that are excellently drawn and quite simple to comprehend.

    This book is the perfect aide to anyone visiting the battlefield who have not been before. The narrative of the campaign is the distinction which Greenwalt brings to all of his works and I found The Winter that Won the War most interesting. It seemed that Valley Forge, over many other places for me, come alive. There was so much going on, so much confusion being thrown around the field that it just jumped out of the page. Overall, the book is quite revealing and a great aide to grasping the struggle that transpired for this army.

    This is a compelling and emotionally powerful story. A wonderfully written book about and extremely important event in history. As Mark Maloy indicated in his appendix, “Valley Forge holds a treasured place in the memory of the American people”. In more recent time, U.S. President Ronald Reagan called the image of George Washington praying at Valley Forge, the “ most sublime image in American history". Greenwalt asserts that there are no contemporary accounts of anyone having seen Washington pray openly at Valley Forge, and the story originated with Mason Locke Weems, better known for creating the Washington chopping down a cherry tree down as a child, likely created by him to highlight Washington’s Christian virtue. He further argues that the prayer at Valley Forge story was used by many Christians to demonstrate his personal religious beliefs and the lord’s official blessing on the cause of American independence. Readers will come away with a knowledge of the resolve, the hardships, the challenging duties, and stubbornness that transformed this army to victory that won the struggle and ultimately independence for the colonists.

    I highly recommend this book to enthusiasts which analyzes why this was the winter that won the war. Greenwalt provides armchair generals with the reason Valley Forge still matters to us today and provides an explanation why many stories and myths were created or embellished about the Continental Army and General George Washington. There are many who have told me that this time period during the Revolutionary War is quite confusing however Greenwalt has written a clear and wonderful introductory volume that details the hardships experienced by common soldiers of many ethnicities and immigrant groups including African Americans and Native Americans. His monograph provide a clear understanding how people like George Washington, Marquis de Lafayette, Baron von Steuben, Alexander Hamilton, Charles Lee, Anthony Wayne, and Nathanael Greene built a unified professional army that ultimately defeated the British.

    This excellent historian has written a winning tapestry during a critical time period in American History that is a springboard for more people to learn about the survival of the Continental Army in 1777-1778. Greenwalt has done a masterful job of making encampments come alive.
    One person found this helpful
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