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120-760: The Shenandoah Valley ( / ˌ ʃ ɛ n ə n ˈ d oʊ ə / ) is a geographic valley and cultural region of western Virginia and the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia in the United States. The Valley is bounded to the east by the Blue Ridge Mountains , to the west by the eastern front of the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians (excluding Massanutten Mountain ), to the north by the Potomac River , to

240-457: A "dangerous mutiny" fomenting, because of the lack of provision. Washington continued with a dire warning to Congress: "unless some great and capital change suddenly takes place in that line, this Army must inevitably be reduced to one or other of these three things, Starve, dissolve, or disperse, in order to obtain subsistence in the best manner they can." While Washington dealt with serious circumstances, he may have exaggerated slightly to obtain

360-496: A Prussian drill master who had recently arrived from Europe, instituted a rigorous training program for the troops. He drilled the soldiers, improving their battle and formation techniques. Under Steuben's leadership, the Continentals practiced volley fire, improved their maneuverability, standardized their march paces, exercised skirmishing operations, and drilled bayonet proficiency. These new efforts to train and discipline

480-414: A broader floodplain may result. Deposition dominates over erosion. A typical river basin or drainage basin will incorporate each of these different types of valleys. Some sections of a stream or river valleys may have vertically incised their course to such an extent that the valley they occupy is best described as a gorge , ravine , or canyon . Rapid down-cutting may result from localized uplift of

600-402: A catastrophe." In a letter to his wife Adrienne , Lafayette described the huts as "small barracks, which are scarcely more cheerful than dungeons." The Continental Army that marched into Valley Forge consisted of about 12,000 people, including soldiers, artificers, women, and children. Throughout the winter, patriot commanders and legislators faced the challenge of supplying a population

720-533: A cirque glacier. During glacial periods, for example, the Pleistocene ice ages, it is in these locations that glaciers initially form and then, as the ice age proceeds, extend downhill through valleys that have previously been shaped by water rather than ice. Abrasion by rock material embedded within the moving glacial ice causes the widening and deepening of the valley to produce the characteristic U or trough shape with relatively steep, even vertical sides and

840-450: A clog upon every movement." Yet women on the whole proved invaluable, whether on the march or at an encampment like Valley Forge. They often earned income either by laundering clothes or by nursing troops, which kept soldiers cleaner and healthier. In turn, this made the troops appear more professional and disciplined. Lucy Flucker Knox , Catharine Littlefield "Caty" Greene , and other senior officers' wives journeyed to Valley Forge at

960-535: A concentration of soldiers at Valley Forge, Washington ordered nearly 2,000 soldiers to encamp at Wilmington, Delaware. He posted the army's mounted troops at Trenton, New Jersey , and additional outposts at Downingtown and Radnor , Pennsylvania, among other places. In the two winter encampments prior to Valley Forge, the Continental army had sheltered themselves in a combination of tents, constructed huts, civilian barns and other buildings. Valley Forge marked

1080-553: A formal ceremony consisting of a rapid and sequential firing of guns down the ranks. Continental officer George Ewing wrote that "the troops then shouted, three cheers and 'Long live the King of France!' after this…three cheers and shout of 'God Save the friendly Powers of Europe!'…and cheers and a shout of 'God Save the American States!'" Each soldier received an extra gill of rum (about four ounces) to enjoy that day, and after

1200-534: A free black woman who worked as a laundress at Washington's Headquarters . Hannah Till's legal owner Reverend John Mason lent her out to Washington, but Hannah secured an arrangement whereby she eventually bought her freedom. By Spring 1778, Wappinger , Oneida and Tuscarora warriors who were on the side of the Patriots, with prominent Oneida leader Joseph Louis Cook of the St. Regis Mohawk among them, had joined

1320-535: A general policy" to prevent such intelligence from reaching the British. The outlook for the army's situation improved when a five-man congressional delegation arrived on January 24. The delegates consisted of " Francis Dana of Massachusetts, Nathaniel Folsom of New Hampshire, John Harvie of Virginia, Gouverneur Morris of New York, and Joseph Reed of Pennsylvania." According to historian Wayne Bodle, they came to understand through their visit "how vulnerable

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1440-463: A half pounds of flour or bread, one pound of salted beef or fish, or three-quarters pound of salted pork, or one and a half pounds of flour or bread, a half pound of bacon or salted pork, a half pint of peas or beans, and one gill of whiskey or spirits. In practice, however, the army could not reliably supply the full ration. Perishable foods began to rot before reaching the troops because of poor storage, transportation problems, or confusion regarding

1560-519: A limited water supply for cooking, washing, and bathing. Dead horse remains often lay unburied, and Washington found the smell of some places intolerable. Neither plumbing nor a standardized system of trash collection existed. To combat the spread of contagion, Washington commanded soldiers to burn tar or "the Powder of a Musquet Cartridge " in the huts everyday, to cleanse the air of putrefaction. On May 27, Washington had ordered his soldiers remove

1680-594: A narrow valley with steep sides. Gill is used to describe a ravine containing a mountain stream in Cumbria and the Pennines . The term combe (also encountered as coombe ) is widespread in southern England and describes a short valley set into a hillside. Other terms for small valleys such as hope, dean, slade, slack and bottom are commonly encountered in place-names in various parts of England but are no longer in general use as synonyms for valley . The term vale

1800-555: A quicker response from the Continental Congress. That winter was not particularly harsh at Valley Forge, but many soldiers remained unfit for duty, owing to the disease, lack of proper clothing and uniforms ("naked" referred to a ragged or improperly attired individual). Years later, Lafayette recalled that "the unfortunate soldiers were in want of everything; they had neither coats, hats, shirts, nor shoes; their feet and legs froze till they had become almost black, and it

1920-432: A relatively flat bottom. Interlocking spurs associated with the development of river valleys are preferentially eroded to produce truncated spurs , typical of glaciated mountain landscapes. The upper end of the trough below the ice-contributing cirques may be a trough-end . Valley steps (or 'rock steps') can result from differing erosion rates due to both the nature of the bedrock (hardness and jointing for example) and

2040-600: A shawl in thanks, which is displayed at Shako:wi, the museum of the Oneida Nation near Syracuse, New York . Many Oneida believe that after the war, George Washington named the Shenandoah River and valley after his ally. Despite the valley's potential for productive farmland, colonial settlement from the east was long delayed by the barrier of the Blue Ridge Mountains . These were crossed by explorers John Lederer at Manassas Gap in 1671, Batts and Fallam

2160-465: A slower rate than that of the main valley floor; thus the difference in the two valleys' depth increases over time. The tributary valley, composed of more resistant rock, then hangs over the main valley. Trough-shaped valleys also form in regions of heavy topographic denudation . By contrast with glacial U-shaped valleys, there is less downward and sideways erosion. The severe downslope denudation results in gently sloping valley sides; their transition to

2280-427: A valley between its sides is referred to as the valley floor. The valley floor is typically formed by river sediments and may have fluvial terraces . The development of a river valley is affected by the character of the bedrock over which the river or stream flows, the elevational difference between its top and bottom, and indeed the climate. Typically the flow will increase downstream and the gradient will decrease. In

2400-510: A variety of transitional forms between V-, U- and plain valleys can form. The floor or bottom of these valleys can be broad or narrow, but all valleys have a shoulder. The broader a mountain valley, the lower its shoulders are located in most cases. An important exception is canyons where the shoulder almost is near the top of the valley's slope. In the Alps – e.g. the Tyrolean Inn valley –

2520-670: A watercourse only rarely. In areas of limestone bedrock , dry valleys may also result from drainage now taking place underground rather than at the surface. Rift valleys arise principally from earth movements , rather than erosion. Many different types of valleys are described by geographers, using terms that may be global in use or else applied only locally. Valleys may arise through several different processes. Most commonly, they arise from erosion over long periods by moving water and are known as river valleys. Typically small valleys containing streams feed into larger valleys which in turn feed into larger valleys again, eventually reaching

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2640-435: A week, without any kind of flesh, and the rest for three or four days. Naked and starving as they are, we cannot enough admire the incomparable patience and fidelity of the soldiery, that they have not been ere this excited by their sufferings, to a general mutiny or dispersion. Strong symptoms, however, discontent have appeared in particular instances; and nothing but the most active efforts every where can long avert so shocking

2760-420: A year later at Valley Forge, smallpox broke out again. An investigation uncovered that 3,000–4,000 troops had not received inoculations, despite having long-term enlistments. So, Washington ordered inoculations for any soldiers vulnerable to the disease. A precursor to vaccination (introduced by Edward Jenner in 1798), inoculation gave the patient a milder form of smallpox with better recovery rates than if

2880-535: Is Interstate 81 , which parallels the old Valley Turnpike ( U.S. Route 11 ) and the ancient Great Path of the Native Americans through its course in the valley. In the lower (northern) valley, on the eastern side, U.S. Route 340 also runs north-south, starting from Waynesboro in the south, running through the Page Valley to Front Royal , and on to Harpers Ferry, West Virginia , where it exits

3000-405: Is a tributary valley that is higher than the main valley. They are most commonly associated with U-shaped valleys, where a tributary glacier flows into a glacier of larger volume. The main glacier erodes a deep U-shaped valley with nearly vertical sides, while the tributary glacier, with a smaller volume of ice, makes a shallower U-shaped valley. Since the surfaces of the glaciers were originally at

3120-661: Is a popular tourist destination, drawing 1.3 million visitors in 2011. In 1777, Valley Forge consisted of a small proto-industrial community located at the juncture of the Valley Creek and the Schuylkill River . In 1742, Quaker industrialists established the Mount Joy Iron Forge in Valley Forge. Capital improvements made by John Potts and his family over the following decade permitted

3240-440: Is now Martinsburg, West Virginia . In the late 1720s and 1730s, Quakers and Mennonites began to move in from Pennsylvania . They were tolerated by the natives, while " Long Knives " (English settlers from coastal Virginia colony ) were less welcomed. During these same decades, the valley route continued to be used by war parties of Seneca (Iroquois) and Lenape en route from New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey to attack

3360-620: Is of unknown Native American origin. It has been described as being derived from the Anglicization of Native American terms, resulting in words such as Gerando, Gerundo, Genantua, Shendo and Sherando. The meaning of these words is of some question. Schin-han-dowi , the "River Through the Spruces"; On-an-da-goa , the "River of High Mountains" or "Silver-Water"; and an Iroquois word for "Big Meadow", have all been proposed by Native American etymologists . The most popular, romanticized belief

3480-501: Is only 50 meters (160 ft) deep while the main fjord is around 1,300 meters (4,300 ft) at the same point. Glaciated terrain is not the only site of hanging streams and valleys. Hanging valleys are also simply the product of varying rates of erosion of the main valley and the tributary valleys. The varying rates of erosion are associated with the composition of the adjacent rocks in the different valley locations. The tributary valleys are eroded and deepened by glaciers or erosion at

3600-708: Is that the name comes from a Native American expression for "Beautiful Daughter of the Stars". Another legend relates that the name is derived from the name of the Iroquoian chief Sherando (Sherando was also the name of his people), who fought against the Algonquian Chief Opechancanough , ruler of the Powhatan Confederacy (1618–1644). Opechancanough liked the interior country so much that he sent his son Sheewa-a-nee from

3720-488: Is the word cwm borrowed from Welsh . The word dale occurs widely in place names in the north of England and, to a lesser extent, in southern Scotland. As a generic name for a type of valley, the term typically refers to a wide valley, though there are many much smaller stream valleys within the Yorkshire Dales which are named "(specific name) Dale". Clough is a word in common use in northern England for

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3840-629: Is used in England and Wales to describe a wide river valley, usually with a particularly wide flood plain or flat valley bottom. In Southern England, vales commonly occur between the outcrops of different relatively erosion-resistant rock formations, where less resistant rock, often claystone has been eroded. An example is the Vale of White Horse in Oxfordshire. Some of the first human complex societies originated in river valleys, such as that of

3960-597: The Capitol Limited route. Amtrak also runs the Cardinal through the valley along the old Virginia Central. Several localities in the valley operate public transportation systems, including Front Royal Area Transit (FRAT), which provides weekday transit for the town of Front Royal; Page County Transit , providing weekday transit for the town of Luray and weekday service between Luray and Front Royal; and Winchester Transit , which provides weekday transit for

4080-693: The Battle of Brandywine , a key battle during the British Army's Philadelphia campaign , which sought to capture Philadelphia. Unable to defend Philadelphia, Washington led his 12,000-man army into winter quarters at Valley Forge, located approximately 18 miles (29 km) northwest of Philadelphia. At Valley Forge, the Continental Army struggled to manage a disastrous supply crisis while simultaneously retraining and reorganizing their units in an effort to mount successful counterattacks against

4200-542: The Continental Army 's first large-scale construction of living quarters. While no accurate account exists for the number of log huts built, experts estimate a range between 1,300 and 1,600 structures. There are no known contemporary images of the Valley Forge cantonment. The correspondence of General Washington and other soldiers’ letters and notebooks are the only accounts of what took place. Brigadier General Louis Lebègue de Presle Duportail selected grounds for

4320-656: The Latin terms for 'valley, 'gorge' and 'ditch' respectively. The German term ' rille ' or Latin term 'rima' (signifying 'cleft') is used for certain other elongate depressions on the Moon. See also: Valley Forge Valley Forge was the winter encampment of the Continental Army , under the command of George Washington , during the American Revolutionary War . The Valley Forge encampment lasted six months, from December 19, 1777, to June 19, 1778. It

4440-504: The Nile , Tigris-Euphrates , Indus , Ganges , Yangtze , Yellow River , Mississippi , and arguably the Amazon . In prehistory , the rivers were used as a source of fresh water and food (fish and game), as well as a place to wash and a sewer. The proximity of water moderated temperature extremes and provided a source for irrigation , stimulating the development of agriculture . Most of

4560-652: The Potomac , the Valley cultural region contains 10 independent cities: The central section of the Shenandoah Valley is split in half by the Massanutten Mountain range, with the smaller associated Page Valley lying to its east and Fort Valley within the mountain range. The Shenandoah Valley contains a number of geologically and historically significant limestone caves: The word Shenandoah

4680-659: The Thirteen Colonies . About 30% of Continental soldiers at Valley Forge did not speak English as their first language. Many soldiers and commanders hailed from German -speaking communities, as with Pennsylvania-born Brigadier General Peter Muhlenberg . Still others spoke Scottish- or Irish-Gaelic , and a few descended from French-speaking Huguenot and Dutch-speaking communities in New York . Local residents sometimes conversed in Welsh . Several senior officers in

4800-628: The Tidewater with a large party to colonize the valley. Sheewa-a-nee drove Sherando back to his former territory near the Great Lakes . According to this account, descendants of Sheewanee's party became the Shawnee . According to tradition, another branch of Iroquoians, the Senedo , lived in present-day Shenandoah County. They were exterminated by "Southern Indians" ( Catawba or Cherokee ) before

4920-543: The Valley Pike or Valley Turnpike) began as the Great Warriors Trail or Indian Road, a Native road through common hunting grounds shared by several tribes settled around the periphery, which included Iroquoian , Siouan and Algonquian -language family tribes. Known native settlements within the Valley were few but included the Shawnee occupying the region around Winchester, and Tuscarora around what

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5040-668: The first civilizations developed from these river valley communities. Siting of settlements within valleys is influenced by many factors, including the need to avoid flooding and the location of river crossing points. Numerous elongate depressions have been identified on the surface of Mars , Venus , the Moon , and other planets and their satellites and are known as valles (singular: 'vallis'). Deeper valleys with steeper sides (akin to canyons) on certain of these bodies are known as chasmata (singular: 'chasma'). Long narrow depressions are referred to as fossae (singular: 'fossa'). These are

5160-683: The Americans at Valley Forge. Most served as scouts , keeping an eye out for British raiding parties in the area, and in May 1778, they fought under Lafayette at Barren Hill . In the oral history of the Oneida people, a prominent Oneida woman named Polly Cooper brought "hundreds of bushels of white corn " to hungry troops, teaching them how to process it for safe consumption. During the Revolutionary War, most Native American tribes sided with

5280-475: The Blue Ridge at Swift Run Gap and reached the river at Elkton, Virginia . Settlers did not immediately follow, but someone who heard the reports and later became the first permanent settler in the Valley was Adam Miller (Mueller), who in 1727 staked out claims on the south fork of the Shenandoah River, near the line that now divides Rockingham County from Page County. The Great Wagon Road (later called

5400-472: The British Army destroyed property and confiscated supplies and food, inspiring growing enmity among the area's civilians. Meanwhile, small-scale cooperative operations between the Continental Army and the New Jersey Patriot militia harassed and exhausted British forces. The armies clashed on the morning of June 28, beginning the Battle of Monmouth , where Continental Army soldiers under

5520-435: The British and Iroquois allies. According to Oneida oral tradition, during the harsh winter of 1777–1778 at Valley Forge , where the colonials suffered, Chief Skenando provided aid to the soldiers. The Oneida delivered bushels of dry corn to the troops to help them survive. Polly Cooper, an Oneida woman, stayed some time with the troops to teach them how to cook the corn properly and care for the sick. General Washington gave her

5640-560: The British in order to protect their traditional homelands from the encroachment of American settlers. However, several tribes, including the Oneida, sided with the Patriots due in part to ties with American settlers, such as Presbyterian minister Samuel Kirkland . The Seven Nations of Canada and the Iroquois at what would be the Six Nations Reserve , who were mostly emigrants from the colony of New York, were brought to

5760-499: The British. During the encampment at Valley Forge, an estimated 1,700 to 2,000 soldiers died from disease, possibly exacerbated by malnutrition. In 1976, in recognition of the enormous historical significance of Valley Forge in American history, Valley Forge National Historical Park was established and named a national historic site , which protects and preserves over 3,500 acres of the original Valley Forge encampment site. The park

5880-548: The Clouds five days later, on September 16, several hundred soldiers under General Wilhelm von Knyphausen raided the supply magazine at Valley Forge on September 18. Despite the best efforts of Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Hamilton and Captain Henry "Light Horse Harry" Lee , the two Continental Army officers decided to evacuate the supplies at Valley Forge, and British soldiers captured supplies, destroyed others, and burned down

6000-549: The Confederates through the use of scorched-earth tactics. The Valley, especially in the lower northern section, was also the scene of bitter partisan fighting as the region's inhabitants were deeply divided over loyalties, and Confederate partisan John Mosby and his Rangers frequently operated in the area. A series of newspaper mergers, ending in 1914, established the Daily News-Record of Harrisonburg as

6120-459: The Continental Army originally came from France , Prussia , Poland , Ireland , and Hungary . Although Native American and African American men served the Continental Army as drovers, wagoners, and laborers, others fought as soldiers, particularly from Rhode Island and Massachusetts . The smallest of the states, Rhode Island had difficulty meeting recruitment quotas for white men, spurring Brigadier General James Mitchell Varnum to suggest

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6240-466: The Continental Army's performance on the battlefield. Valley Forge long occupied a prominent place in U.S. storytelling and memory. The encampment in Pennsylvania later became a historic national park where many efforts were taken to preserve and capture the meaning and feelings many had behind the location’s historic significance and well-known myths; this perceived enduring atmosphere regarding

6360-667: The Continental Congress also believed that the army might be able to launch a winter campaign. Interested parties suggested other sites for an encampment, including Lancaster, Pennsylvania and Wilmington, Delaware . Following the inconclusive Battle of Whitemarsh from December 5–8, however, increasing numbers of officers and politicians began to appreciate the need to defend the greater Philadelphia region from British attack. Considering these questions, an encampment at Valley Forge had notable advantages. Valley Forge's high terrain meant that enemy attacks would be difficult. Its location allowed for soldiers to be readily detached to protect

6480-584: The Crown 's valuable possessions in the West Indies . The British also feared a French naval blockade of Philadelphia , leading Clinton to abandon it for New York City , a loyalist stronghold. On June 18, Washington and his troops marched after them, with the remainder vacating Valley Forge one day later, exactly six months after the Continental Army arrived in Valley Forge. As they marched through south and central New Jersey on their way to New York City ,

6600-676: The Enemy has never as yet been adapted by the Commander in Chief." The most organized threat to Washington's leadership was the so-called Conway Cabal . The cabal consisted of a handful of military officers and American politicians who attempted to replace Washington with Major General Horatio Gates as the head of the Continental army. The movement was nominally led by Thomas Conway, a foreign Continental army general and critic of Washington's leadership. A series of leaks and embarrassing exposures in

6720-524: The Scandinavian ice sheet during the various ice ages advanced slightly uphill against the lie of the land. As a result, its meltwaters flowed parallel to the ice margin to reach the North Sea basin, forming huge, flat valleys known as Urstromtäler . Unlike the other forms of glacial valleys, these were formed by glacial meltwaters. Depending on the topography , the rock types , and the climate ,

6840-796: The Shenandoah Valley encompasses eight counties in Virginia and two counties in West Virginia: The antebellum composition included four additional counties that are now in West Virginia as well as four additional Virginia counties: The cultural region includes five more counties in Virginia: Between the Roanoke Valley in the south and Harpers Ferry in the north, where the Shenandoah River joins

6960-530: The Valley Forge encampment, mostly at general hospitals located in six different towns. Valley Forge had the highest mortality rate of any Continental Army encampment, and even most military engagements of the war. Despite the mortality rate, Washington did curb the spread of smallpox , which had plagued the Continental Army since the American Revolution had begun in 1775. In January 1777, Washington had ordered mass inoculation of his troops, but

7080-477: The Valley against three numerically superior Union armies. The final two were the Valley Campaigns of 1864 . First, in the summer of 1864, Confederate General Jubal Early cleared the Valley of its Union occupiers and then proceeded to raid Maryland, Pennsylvania, and D.C. Then during the autumn, Union General Philip Sheridan was sent to drive Early from the Valley and once-and-for-all deny its use to

7200-511: The actual valley bottom is unclear. Trough-shaped valleys occur mainly in periglacial regions and in tropical regions of variable wetness. Both climates are dominated by heavy denudation. Box valleys have wide, relatively level floors and steep sides. They are common in periglacial areas and occur in mid-latitudes, but also occur in tropical and arid regions. Rift valleys, such as the Albertine Rift and Gregory Rift are formed by

7320-490: The army also improved morale among the soldiers. Initially, France remained reluctant to directly involve themselves in the war against Great Britain. In part, they worried that revolutionary fervor might spread into their own empire (which it did by 1789), but they also did not think the American colonists could win. However, the October 1777 surrender of British General John Burgoyne 's army at Saratoga won for Americans

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7440-580: The army's proposal. Mifflin heeded Dewees' concerns but established a magazine at Valley Forge anyway. After the British landed at the Head of Elk in present-day Elkton, Maryland , on August 25, 1777, the British Army maneuvered out of the Chesapeake basin and headed north as part of the Philadelphia campaign . Following the Battle of Brandywine on September 11, 1777, and the abortive Battle of

7560-475: The arrival of white settlers. Another story dates to the American Revolutionary War . Throughout the war, Chief Skenandoa of the Oneida , an Iroquois nation based in New York , persuaded many of the tribe to side with the colonials against the British. Four Iroquois nations became British allies and caused many fatalities and damage in the frontier settlements west of Albany . Skenandoa led 250 warriors against

7680-466: The assistance they needed from other foreign powers. France and the United States subsequently signed a treaty on February 6, 1778, creating a military alliance between the two countries. In response, Great Britain declared war on France five weeks later, on March 17. On May 6, having already received word of the French alliance, Washington ordered the Continental Army to perform a Grand Feu de Joie ,

7800-634: The backcountry of the South . The Valley Turnpike Company improved the road by paving it with macadam prior to the Civil War and set up toll gates to collect fees to pay for the improvements. After the advent of motor vehicles, the road was refined and paved appropriately for their use. In the 20th century, the road was acquired by the Commonwealth of Virginia , which incorporated it into the state highway system as U.S. Route 11 . For much of its length,

7920-407: The backcountry of the South. This was in contrast to the chiefly English immigrants who had settled the Virginia Tidewater and Carolina Piedmont regions. Along with the Ulster Scots many Irishmen arrived in the Shenandoah valley, usually after their indentured service was up. These Irishmen usually had converted to Protestantism or kept their faith secret. In the 18th-century Thirteen Colonies and

8040-436: The behest of their husbands. On December 22, Martha Washington predicted that her husband would send for her as soon as his army went into winter quarter, and that "if he does I must go." Indeed, she did, traveling in wartime with a group of slaves over poor roads, reaching her destination in early February. Washington's aide-de-camp Colonel Richard Kidder Meade met her at the Susquehanna ferry dock to escort her into

8160-412: The blood from their feet, and almost as often without provisions as with; marching through frost and snow and at Christmas taking up their winter quarters within a day's march of the enemy, without a house or hut to cover them till they could be built, and submitting to it without a murmur is a mark of patience and obedience which in my opinion can scarce be paralleled." The Valley Forge encampment became

8280-471: The brigade encampments and planned the defenses. Afterwards, brigadier generals appointed officers from each regiment to mark out the precise spot for every officer and all enlisted men's huts. Despite commanders' attempts at standardization, the huts varied in terms of size, materials, and construction techniques. Military historian John B. B. Trussell Jr. writes that many squads "dug their floors almost two feet below ground level," to reduce wind exposure or

8400-554: The brink of war by the Anglo-American conflict. Poor organization was a major challenge facing the Continental Army during the Valley Forge winter. Two years of war, shuffling leadership, and uneven recruitment resulted in irregular unit organization and strength. During the Valley Forge encampment, the army was reorganized into five divisions under Major Generals Charles Lee , Marquis de Lafayette, Johan de Kalb , and William Alexander "Lord Stirling" , with Brigadier General Anthony Wayne serving in place of Mifflin. Unit strength and

8520-503: The city of Winchester . In addition, Shenandoah Valley Commuter Bus Service Archived May 11, 2008, at the Wayback Machine offers weekday commuter bus service from the northern Shenandoah Valley, including Shenandoah County and Warren County , to Northern Virginia ( Arlington County and Fairfax County ) and Washington . Origination points in Shenandoah County include Woodstock . Origination points in Warren County include Front Royal and Linden . The Shenandoah Valley serves as

8640-514: The command of General Charles Lee engaged the British in approximately five hours of continuous fighting in a ferocious heat. That evening, British General Sir Henry Clinton moved the British Army out of Freehold , and resumed their march to Manhattan . Both sides claimed elements of victory. The British Army completed its march to New York City, while the Continental Army had forced a battle and performed admirably on an open field. The standardized training instilled at Valley Forge had improved

8760-472: The countryside. Proximity to the Schuylkill River could facilitate supply movements down the river. Wide, open areas provided space for drilling and training. On December 19, Washington conducted his 12,000-man army to Valley Forge to establish the encampment. The encampment was primarily situated along the high, flat ground east of Mount Joy and south of the Schuylkill River. In addition to

8880-628: The daily newspaper of the Shenandoah Valley. In the late 20th century, the Valley's vineyards began to reach maturity. They constituted the new industry of the Shenandoah Valley American Viticultural Area . In 2018, a series of strikes and protests were held in Dayton 's Cargill plant. Transportation in the Shenandoah Valley consists mainly of road and rail and contains several metropolitan area transit authorities. The main north-south road transportation

9000-670: The distant Catawba in the Carolinas, with whom they were at war. The Catawba in turn pursued the war parties northward, often overtaking them by the time they reached the Potomac. Several fierce battles were fought among the warring nations in the Valley region, as attested by the earliest European-American settlers. Later colonists called this route the Great Wagon Road ; it became the major thoroughfare for immigrants' moving by wagons from Pennsylvania and northern Virginia into

9120-455: The encampment. Over the next six months, Martha hosted political leaders and military officials, managing domestic staff within the confined space of Washington's Headquarters . Martha was one of many important women at Valley Forge. She also organized meals and kept spirits high during the rough times at the encampment. Valley Forge had a high percentage of racial and ethnic diversity, since Washington's army comprised individuals from each of

9240-477: The end of December 1777 Washington had no way to feed or to adequately clothe the soldiers. Washington chose the area partly for its strategic benefits, but wintertime road conditions impeded supply wagons on route to the encampment. That winter, starvation and disease killed more than 1,000 soldiers and perhaps as many as 1,500 horses. The men suffered from continual, gnawing hunger and cold. Washington ordered that soldiers' rations include either one to one and

9360-492: The enlistment of slaves for his 1st Rhode Island Regiment . Over a four-month period in 1778, the Rhode Island General Assembly allowed for their recruitment. In exchange for enlisting, soldiers of the 1st Rhode Island Regiment gained immediate emancipation, and their former owners received financial compensation equal to the slave's market value. They bought freedom for 117 enslaved recruits before

9480-612: The expansion of the Earth 's crust due to tectonic activity beneath the Earth's surface. There are many terms used for different sorts of valleys. They include: Similar geographical features such as gullies , chines , and kloofs , are not usually referred to as valleys. The terms corrie , glen , and strath are all Anglicisations of Gaelic terms and are commonly encountered in place-names in Scotland and other areas where Gaelic

9600-586: The fall and winter of 1777 and 1778 dissolved the cabal, and Washington's reputation improved. Increasing military efficiency, morale, and discipline improved the army's well being, along with a better supply of food and arms. The Continental Army had been hindered in battle because units administered training from a variety of field manuals, making coordinated battle movements awkward and difficult. They struggled with basic formations and lacked uniformity, thanks to multiple drilling techniques taught in various ways by different officers. Baron Friedrich von Steuben ,

9720-513: The first time Washington ordered the Continental Army primarily to concentrate into a more permanent post, which required them to construct their own shelters. This strategic shift encouraged a whole new host of problems for the American Patriots . Washington later wrote of the march into Valley Forge, "To see men without clothes to cover their nakedness, without blankets to lay on, without shoes by which their marches might be traced by

9840-443: The flow slower and both erosion and deposition may take place. More lateral erosion takes place in the middle section of a river's course, as strong currents on the outside of its curve erode the bank. Conversely, deposition may take place on the inside of curves where the current is much slacker, the process leading to the river assuming a meandering character. In the lower valley, gradients are lowest, meanders may be much broader and

9960-446: The forges and other buildings. Political, strategic, and environmental factors all influenced the Continental Army 's decision to establish their encampment near Valley Forge , in the winter of 1777–1778. The site was selected after George Washington conferred with his officers to select a strategic location that would prove most advantageous to the Continental Army. On October 29, 1777, Washington first presented his generals with

10080-569: The independent United States, while interethnic marriage among Catholics remained a dominant pattern, Catholic-Protestant intermarriage became more common (notably in the Shenandoah Valley where intermarriage among Ulster Protestants and the significant minority of Irish Catholics in particular was not uncommon or stigmatized), and while fewer Catholic parents required that their children be disinherited in their wills if they renounced Catholicism, it remained more common among Catholic parents to do so if their children renounced their parents' faith than it

10200-427: The land surface or rejuvenation of the watercourse as a result for example of a reduction in the base level to which the river is eroded, e.g. lowered global sea level during an ice age . Such rejuvenation may also result in the production of river terraces . There are various forms of valleys associated with glaciation. True glacial valleys are those that have been cut by a glacier which may or may not still occupy

10320-496: The law allowing them to do so was repealed, but these free African American Soldiers continued to enlist in the military. By January 1778, nearly 10% of Washington's effective force consisted of African-American troops. Commanders brought servants and enslaved people with them into the encampment, usually black people. Washington's enslaved domestic staff included his manservant William Lee , as well as cooks Hannah Till and her husband Isaac. William Lee had married Margaret Thomas,

10440-517: The mud-and-straw chinking from huts "to render them as airy as possible." Outbreaks of typhoid and dysentery spread through contaminated food and water. Soldiers contracted influenza and pneumonia, while still others succumbed to typhus , caused by body lice . Although the inconsistent delivery of food rations did not cause starvation, it probably exacerbated the health of ailing soldiers. Some patients might have suffered from more than one ailment. In total, about 1,700–2,000 troops died during

10560-502: The new army could be to logistical disruption, owing to its size, its organizational complexity, and its increasing mobility." Washington and his aides convinced them to implement recommended reforms to the supply department. In March 1778, Congress also appointed Nathanael Greene as Quartermaster General , who reluctantly accepted at Washington's behest. One of the Continental Army's most able generals, Greene did not want an administrative position. Yet he and his staff better supplied

10680-550: The newer Interstate 81 , constructed in the 1960s, parallels the old Valley Pike. Along with the first German settlers, known as " Shenandoah Deitsch ", many Scotch-Irish immigrants came south in the 1730s from Pennsylvania into the valley, via the Potomac River . The Scotch-Irish comprised the largest group of non-English immigrants from the British Isles before the Revolutionary War , and most migrated into

10800-460: The number of logs required for construction. In addition, some huts had thatched straw roofs, while others consisted of brush, canvas, or clapboards. On February 16, 1778 from Valley Forge, Washington reached out to George Clinton , then governor of the Province of New York , for support, writing, "for some days past, there has been little less, than a famine in camp. A part of the army has been

10920-463: The ocean or perhaps an internal drainage basin . In polar areas and at high altitudes, valleys may be eroded by glaciers ; these typically have a U-shaped profile in cross-section, in contrast to river valleys, which tend to have a V-shaped profile. Other valleys may arise principally through tectonic processes such as rifting . All three processes can contribute to the development of a valley over geological time. The flat (or relatively flat) portion of

11040-764: The old Manassas Gap Railroad and the Norfolk and Western and Chesapeake Western . There are also more modern lines that run the length of the valley parallel to the Valley Pike and U.S. 340. The rail lines are primarily used for freight transportation, though Maryland Area Rail Commuter (MARC) trains utilize the old B&O line from stations in Martinsburg , Duffields , and Harper's Ferry to Washington Union Station in Washington, D.C. , and vice versa. Amtrak utilizes Harpers Ferry and Martinsburg as well along

11160-420: The patient had acquired the disease naturally. The procedure provided lifetime immunity from a disease with a roughly 15–33% mortality rate. In June 1778, when the Continental Army marched out of Valley Forge, they had completed "the first large-scale, state-sponsored immunization campaign in history." By continuing the inoculation program for new recruits, Washington better maintained military strength among

11280-436: The power of the moving ice. In places, a rock basin may be excavated which may later be filled with water to form a ribbon lake or else by sediments. Such features are found in coastal areas as fjords . The shape of the valley which results from all of these influences may only become visible upon the recession of the glacier that forms it. A river or stream may remain in the valley; if it is smaller than one would expect given

11400-516: The question of where to quarter the Continental Army in the winter of 1777–1778. In addition to suggestions from his officers, Washington also had to contend with the recommendations of politicians. Pennsylvania state legislators and the Second Continental Congress expected the Continental Army to select an encampment site that could protect the countryside around the revolutionary capital of Philadelphia . Some members of

11520-520: The regular, Continental Army troops throughout the remainder of the war. While each hut housed a squad of twelve enlisted soldiers, sometimes soldiers' families joined them to share that space as well. Throughout the encampment period, Mary Ludwig Hays and approximately 250–400 other women had followed their soldier husbands or sweethearts to Valley Forge, sometimes with children in tow. Washington once wrote that "the multitude of women in particular, especially those who are pregnant, or have children, are

11640-446: The same elevation , the shallower valley appears to be 'hanging' above the main valley. Often, waterfalls form at or near the outlet of the upper valley. Hanging valleys also occur in fjord systems underwater. The branches of Sognefjord are much shallower than the main fjord. The mouth of Fjærlandsfjord is about 400 meters (1,300 ft) deep while the main fjord nearby is 1,200 meters (3,900 ft) deep. The mouth of Ikjefjord

11760-623: The same year, and Cadwallader Jones in 1682. The Swiss Franz Ludwig Michel and Christoph von Graffenried explored and mapped the Valley in 1706 and 1712, respectively. Von Graffenried reported that the Indians of Senantona (Shenandoah) had been alarmed by news of the recent Tuscarora War in North Carolina . Governor Alexander Spotswood 's legendary Knights of the Golden Horseshoe Expedition of 1716 crossed

11880-730: The setting for the 1965 film Shenandoah and its 1974 musical adaptation . Both stories follow the Anderson family during the Civil War. An associated song by James Stewart titled "The Legend of Shenandoah" was a very minor hit in 1965, reaching #133 on the Billboard Bubbling Under the Hot 100 chart. One of the most famous cultural references to the area does not mention the valley itself: West Virginia's state song , " Take Me Home, Country Roads " by John Denver , contains

12000-550: The shoulders are quite low (100–200 meters above the bottom). Many villages are located here (esp. on the sunny side) because the climate is very mild: even in winter when the valley's floor is filled with fog, these villages are in sunshine . In some stress-tectonic regions of the Rocky Mountains or the Alps (e.g. Salzburg ), the side valleys are parallel to each other, and are hanging . Smaller streams flow into rivers as deep canyons or waterfalls . A hanging valley

12120-493: The size of a colonial city. In May and June 1777, the Continental Congress authorized the reorganization of the supply department. Implementation of those changes never fully took effect, because of the fighting surrounding Philadelphia. Consequently, the supply chain had broken down even before the Continental Army arrived at Valley Forge. In large part, supplies dried up through the neglect of Congress so that by

12240-849: The size of its valley, it can be considered an example of a misfit stream . Other interesting glacially carved valleys include: A tunnel valley is a large, long, U-shaped valley originally cut under the glacial ice near the margin of continental ice sheets such as that now covering Antarctica and formerly covering portions of all continents during past glacial ages. Such valleys can be up to 100 km (62 mi) long, 4 km (2.5 mi) wide, and 400 m (1,300 ft) deep (its depth may vary along its length). Tunnel valleys were formed by subglacial water erosion . They once served as subglacial drainage pathways carrying large volumes of meltwater. Their cross-sections exhibit steep-sided flanks similar to fjord walls, and their flat bottoms are typical of subglacial glacial erosion. In northern Central Europe,

12360-399: The small community to expand its ironworks , establish mills, and construct new dwellings for the village's residents. Valley Forge was surrounded by rich farmland, where mainly Welsh Quaker farmers grew wheat, rye, hay, Indian corn , and other crops, and raised livestock, including cattle, sheep, pigs, and barnyard fowl. Settlers of German and Swedish descent also lived nearby. In

12480-855: The south by the James River , and to the Southwest by the New River Valley . The cultural region covers a larger area that includes all of the Valley plus the Virginia Highlands to the west and the Roanoke Valley to the south. It is physiographically located within the Ridge and Valley Province and is a portion of the Great Appalachian Valley . Named for the river that stretches much of its length,

12600-442: The summer of 1777, the Continental Army 's quartermaster general, Thomas Mifflin , decided to station a portion of the Continental Army's supplies in buildings around the forges because the region had a variety of structures and was a secluded location surrounded by two hills. Fearing such a concentration of military supplies would become a target for British raids, the forge's ironmaster, William Dewees Jr., expressed concerns about

12720-475: The supplies' whereabouts. Other rations became lost or captured by the enemy. Traveling to market proved dangerous for some vendors. When combined with the Continental Army's lack of hard currency, prices for perishable goods inflated. Therefore, during the first few days of constructing their huts, the Continentals primarily ate firecakes , a tasteless mixture of flour and water cooked upon heated rocks. In his memoir, Joseph Plumb Martin wrote that "to go into

12840-560: The terms of service became more standardized, improving the Continental Army's efficiency. Washington enjoyed support among enlisted soldiers, but commissioned officers and congressional officials were not as enthusiastic. During the winter encampment at Valley Forge, Washington's detractors attacked his leadership ability in both private correspondence and in public publications. One anonymous letter in January 1778 disparaged Washington: "The proper methods of attacking, beating, and conquering

12960-408: The troops at a time when the weather and road conditions began to improve. The Schuylkill River also thawed, allowing the Continental Army to more easily transport convoys from the main supply depot at Reading . Maintaining cleanliness was a challenge for the Continental Army . Scabies and other deadly ailments broke out because of the filthy conditions in the encampment. The Continental Army had

13080-469: The troops' dismissal, Washington and other officers drank many patriotic toasts and concluded the day "with harmless Mirth and jollity." As empires, both France and Great Britain had territory around the world that required protection. Sir Henry Clinton replaced General Sir William Howe as British Commander-in-Chief of Land Forces in North America, and had to divert troops from Philadelphia to

13200-407: The upper valley, the stream will most effectively erode its bed through corrasion to produce a steep-sided V-shaped valley. The presence of more resistant rock bands, of geological faults , fractures , and folds may determine the course of the stream and result in a twisting course with interlocking spurs . In the middle valley, as numerous streams have coalesced, the valley is typically wider,

13320-407: The valley at the present day. Such valleys may also be known as glacial troughs. They typically have a U-shaped cross-section and are characteristic landforms of mountain areas where glaciation has occurred or continues to take place. The uppermost part of a glacial valley frequently consists of one or more 'armchair-shaped' hollows, or ' cirques ', excavated by the rotational movement downslope of

13440-610: The valley into Maryland. Major east-west roads cross the valley as well, providing access to the Piedmont and the Allegheny Mountains . Starting from the north, these routes include U.S. Route 50 , U.S. Route 522 , Interstate 66 , U.S. Route 33 , U.S. Route 250 , Interstate 64 , and U.S. Route 60 . CSX Transportation operates several rail lines through the valley, including the old Baltimore and Ohio Railroad , Virginia Central Railroad . Norfolk Southern operates

13560-540: The verge of declaring war on the Virginia Colony as a result, when Governor Gooch paid them the sum of 100 pounds sterling for any settled land in the Valley that was claimed by them. The following year at the Treaty of Lancaster , the Iroquois sold all their remaining claim to the Valley for 200 pounds in gold. The few Shawnees who still resided in the Valley abruptly headed westward in 1754, having been approached

13680-489: The wild woods and build us habitations to stay (not to live) in, in such a weak, starved and naked condition, was appalling in the highest degree." Resentment swelled within the ranks towards those deemed responsible for their hardship. On December 23, Washington wrote Henry Laurens , the President of the Continental Congress. Washington related how his commanders had just exerted themselves with some difficulty to quell

13800-421: The words "Blue Ridge Mountain, Shenandoah River " in the first verse. 38°30′N 78°51′W  /  38.500°N 78.850°W  / 38.500; -78.850 Valley At lower latitudes and altitudes, these glacially formed valleys may have been created or enlarged during ice ages but now are ice-free and occupied by streams or rivers. In desert areas, valleys may be entirely dry or carry

13920-637: The year before by emissaries from their kindred beyond the Alleghenies . The Shenandoah Valley was known as the breadbasket of the Confederacy during the Civil War and was seen as a backdoor for Confederate raids on Maryland , Washington , and Pennsylvania . Because of its strategic importance it was the scene of three major campaigns. The first was the Valley Campaign of 1862 , in which Confederate General Stonewall Jackson defended

14040-548: Was in the rest of the U.S. population. Governor Spotswood had arranged the Treaty of Albany with the Iroquois (Six Nations) in 1721, whereby they had agreed not to come east of the Blue Ridge in their raiding parties on tribes farther to the South. In 1736, the Iroquois began to object, claiming that they still legally owned the land to the west of the Blue Ridge; this led to a skirmish with Valley settlers in 1743. The Iroquois were on

14160-425: Was often necessary to amputate them." On January 7, Christopher Marshall related how "ten teams of oxen, fit for slaughtering, came into camp, driven by loyal Philadelphia women. They also brought 2,000 shirts, smuggled from the city, sewn under the eyes of the enemy." While these women provided crucial assistance, most people remained relatively unaware of the Continental Army's plight—"an unavoidable result of

14280-414: Was once widespread. Strath signifies a wide valley between hills, the floor of which is either level or slopes gently. A glen is a river valley which is steeper and narrower than a strath. A corrie is a basin-shaped hollow in a mountain. Each of these terms also occurs in parts of the world formerly colonized by Britain . Corrie is used more widely by geographers as a synonym for (glacial) cirque , as

14400-459: Was the third and harshest of the eight winter encampments that Washington and the Continental Army endured during the war. Three months prior to the encampment at Valley Forge, in September 1777, the Second Continental Congress was forced to flee the revolutionary capital Philadelphia to escape what they perceived was an imminent British attack on the city following Washington's defeat in

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