Feeding Washington's Army

Surviving the Valley Forge Winter of 1778

By: Ricardo A. Herrera

Narrated by: Adam Verner

In this major new history of the Continental Army's Grand Forage of 1778, award-winning military historian Ricardo A. Herrera uncovers what daily life was like for soldiers during the darkest and coldest days of the American Revolution: the Valley Forge winter. Here, the army launched its largest and riskiest operation—not a bloody battle against British forces but a campaign to feed itself and prevent starvation or dispersal during the long encampment. Herrera brings to light the army's herculean efforts to feed itself, support local and Continental governments, and challenge the British Army.

Highlighting the missteps and triumphs of both General George Washington and his officers as well as ordinary soldiers, sailors, and militiamen, Feeding Washington's Army moves far beyond oft-told, heroic, and mythical tales of Valley Forge and digs deeply into its daily reality, revealing how close the Continental Army came to succumbing to starvation and how strong and resourceful its soldiers and leaders actually were.

©2022 The University of North Carolina Press (P)2022 Tantor

Review

Informative but the waiting was redundant. Biographies of the participants in the Grand Forage included.

Brilliant book by a brilliant historian

I learned a ton. Fascinating for logisticians with a passion for our historic role.

The tension between ideology and the need for practical effects (food to troops) reminds me of the logistics struggles of the Confederacy and (ideological Greek tragedy) and the early war fighting struggles of the Red Army (practicality success story).