The Winter at Valley Forge 1777-1778

[Rakkasan187]

The birth of the US Army NCO Corps started at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania during the winter of 1777-1778. General Washington marched his Army to Valley Forge and faced harsh weather conditions, disease, cold, hunger and a severe lack of morale. A Prussian Officer in Europe had heard about the "Revolution" and offered assistance. Baron Friedrich Wilhelm August Heinrich Ferdinand Steuben or Baron Von Steuben met General Washington at Valley Forge in February 1778. General Washington appointed Von Steuben as the Army's first Inspector General. Von Steuben helped train and shape the Continental Army into an effective fighting force.

The Non-Commissioned Officer Corps of the United States Army can thank Von Steuben for establishing the first regulation: Regulations for the Order and Discipline of the Troops of the United States also known as the Blue Book.

This exhibit shows a militiaman arriving at Valley Forge before receiving any formal training and a Continental Army Infantry Sergeant circa 1779 carrying the symbol of NCO authority and Leadership, the Halberd. Used for rank and file formation discipline and in some cases close quarters combat, the halberd is a centuries old weapon to identify an NCO's Authority and Leadership...

This is our first exhibit that tells a sequential time line history of the development of the US Army NCO Corps. Supporting this exhibit is also an original copy of Baron Von Steuben's "Blue Book"...

In addition to this REV War Exhibit we have another exhibit directly across from this one that highlights Molly Pitcher, The Badge of Military Merit and basic rank structure during the Rev War...

Trying to get some of the exhibit photos out there for all to see so if you are ever at Fort Bliss, Texas you can stop in and see what we have..

Hope you enjoy..

Smitty

[ScottG]

  Top notch! I am inspired and motivated to up the standard's of our exhibits. Thanks Smitty! Keep up the great work.  Scott

[Rakkasan187]

With this exhibit, we used excess fence material from our Civil War exhibit and built what looks like a perimeter fence or wall. We initially were going to build the side of one of the wood huts at Valley Forge but did not have materials or time. (We had to be ready for V.I.P) tours in a few days time. This project only took us 2 days to complete. Once the wall was hung we put down gravel and other small rocks. We found some artificial snow at one of the local hobby shops and spread that on the ground to give the winter effect. We had an old bench and wood bucket that added to the display.

The last thing we wanted to do was give the impression of the harsh winter conditions so the mannequin sitting has burlap wrapped around his feet and we had some firewood that we burned a little with a torch and for the last touch we ran an extension cord under the rock to an outlet and plugged in a flickering orange fire lightbulb that we found at a Halloween store to give the camp fire some belief that it was actually burning..

So again just some imagination and a little experimenting and we have developed another exhibit. Some of the visitors tell us that by looking at the figures with the snow and fire, they can actually "feel" the cold...

Smitty 

[Scarecrow]

Smitty,

Another great exhibit.  We are fortunate on this Forum to have two great museum curators like yourself and Scott G.  "Keep em coming", would also love to see pictures of the 1812 original uniform.  Thanks again.

[M1Ashooter]

Been to Valley Forge as well as Morristown.  Your display looks great.