{"id":176,"date":"2026-10-08T12:35:39","date_gmt":"2026-10-08T12:35:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/hist-1776\/?page_id=176"},"modified":"2026-10-08T14:23:27","modified_gmt":"2026-10-08T14:23:27","slug":"toward-valley-forge-campaign-of-1777","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/hist-1776\/course-syllabus\/toward-valley-forge-campaign-of-1777\/","title":{"rendered":"Toward Valley Forge –Campaign of 1777"},"content":{"rendered":"

Enlistment<\/strong><\/h3>\n

“One of the above-mentioned squads, wanting to procure a man, the lieutenant told them that he thought they might persuade me to go for them, and they accordingly attacked me, front, rear and flank.  I thought, as I must go, I might as well endeavor to get as much for my skin as I could.” (p. 41)<\/p>\n

Uncle Sam<\/strong><\/h3>\n

“Uncle Sam was always careful to supply us with these articles [arms and equipment], even if he could not give us anything to eat, drink, or wear.” (p. 42)<\/p>\n

Vaccination<\/strong><\/h3>\n

“I was soon after this transaction ordered off, in company with about 400 others of the Connecticut forces, to a set of old barracks a mile or two distant in the Highlands to be inoculated with the smallpox.” (p. 43)<\/p>\n

Twisted ankle<\/h3>\n

“I was obliged to hop on one foot all the way (upwards of five miles), not being able in the whole distance to procure a stick to assist me, though I often hobbled to the fences on each side of hte road in hopes to obtain one.” (pp. 46-7)<\/p>\n

Hunger<\/h3>\n

“I had now to travel the rest of the day, after marching all the day and night before and fighting all the morning.  I had eaten nothing since the noon of the preceding day, nor did I eat a morsel till the forenoon of the next day, and I needed rest as much as victuals.” (p. 49)<\/p>\n

Dark humor<\/h3>\n

“Here I had the good luck (or rather bad luck, as it turned out in the end) to find an ox’s milt, which had escaped the hogs and dogs.  With this prize I steered off to my tent, threw it upon the fie and broiled it, and then sat down to eat it without either bread or salt.  I had not had it long in my stomach before it began to make strong remonstrances and to manifest a great inclination to be set at liberty again.  I was very willing to listen to its requests, and with eyes overflowing with tears at parting with what I had thought to be a friend, I gave it a discharge.” (p. 50)<\/p>\n

Resentments<\/h3>\n

“Great men get great praise, little men nothing.” (p. 63)<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Battles \/ Campaigns<\/h3>\n