Winter in Wartime
Bad weather and impassable roads made the Winter a difficult time for 18th and 19th century armies. Military leaders during this period — including the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, and the Civil War — tried to avoid military operations during this trying season. Yet, even when not on active campaign, soldiers struggled against the weather and the boredom of life in winter quarters to try and bring some semblance of home and comfort to the holiday season. And, of course, there were those rare instances in which Americans had to wage war against the enemy and the elements.
Explore the battles and activities that carried soldiers through the bleak months.
Winter at Valley Forge
Learn more about the Continental Army’s famed winter encampment at Valley Forge.
Winter Encampments
Civil War winter encampments, where the soldiers lived during the winter months, is described in the following article with quotes and photos from...
Valley Forge Encampment
On December 2, 1777, General George Washington wrote to Joseph Reed about the issue of where to encamp the Continental Army for the upcoming winter of...
Morristown Winter Encampment
While the Continental Army’s encampment at Valley Forge in the winter of 1777-1778 is one of the most well-remembered events in American history...
The Effects of Weather on 18th Century Warfare
Weather played an incredibly important role in 18th-century warfare. In an age before industrialization, the weather played a decisive role in how...
Valley Forge: "Why are we sent here to starve and Freeze?"
Albigence Waldo was a surgeon in the Continental Army and kept a diary during the winter at Valley Forge.