The Pursuit of History: Forging the Continental Army
May 19, 2023 | Valley Forge National Historical Park, Pennsylvania | SOLD OUT
In the spring of 1776, the delegates gathered at the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia faced a momentous choice. All thirteen of their colonies were free of royal governors and the king’s military. Was this the right time to break off from the British Empire? Some respected leaders argued that the colonies might still gain autonomy within the system. Others wondered if the people were ready for republican government. And since the British army and navy were sure to return, how could this collection of states maintain their independence?
Event Program
Presenters and Topics
The Winter that Won the War
Phillip S. Greenwalt, MA, is a 15-year veteran of the National Park Service and is currently the Chief of Interpretation and Education at Catoctin Mountain Park, Maryland. He is the co-founder of Emerging Revolutionary War and a full-time historian with Emerging Civil War. He is the author or co-author of five books on the American Revolution and American Civil Wars, including The Winter that Won the War: The Winter Encampment at Valley Forge, 1777–1778.
His book, The Winter that Won the War: The Winter Encampment at Valley Forge, 1777–1778, is included in the optional book package available when you register. If you bring your book with you, he will sign it Friday.
The Leadership of General Washington
Mark Edward Lender, PhD, earned his doctorate in American History from Rutgers University. He is Professor Emeritus of History at Kean University, from which he retired as Vice President for Academic Affairs in 2011. He is the author or co-author of eleven books and many articles and reviews in early American social, military, and institutional history. His latest books are Cabal! The Plot against General Washington (2019), and Fort Ticonderoga, the Last Campaigns: The War in the North (2022). His scholarship has won awards for writing and research, among them the Society for Military History’s Distinguished Book of the Year Award (2017) and a Distinguished Writing Award from the U.S. Army Historical Foundation, both for Fatal Sunday: George Washington, the Monmouth Campaign, and the Politics of Battle. He was also a finalist for the 2017 George Washington Literary Prize. In 2018 he held a Research Fellowship at the Smith National Library at George Washington’s Mount Vernon. Mark helped establish the Crossroads of the American Revolution National Heritage Area as their First Vice President and he wrote the teacher training materials adopted by Morristown National Historical Park. He is a recipient of the Richard J. Hughes Award, the highest honor bestowed by the New Jersey Historical Commission for contributions to New Jersey history.
His book, Cabal! The Plot against General Washington, is included in the optional book package available when you register. If you bring your book with you, he will sign it Friday.
The Military Discipline instilled by Baron von Steuben
Richard Bell, PhD, is Professor of History at the University of Maryland and author of the book Stolen: Five Free Boys Kidnapped into Slavery and their Astonishing Odyssey Home, which was a finalist for the George Washington Prize and the Harriet Tubman Prize. He has held major research fellowships at Yale, Cambridge, and the Library of Congress and is the recipient of the National Endowment of the Humanities Public Scholar award and the 2021 Andrew Carnegie Fellowship. He serves as a Trustee of the Maryland Center for History and Culture and as a fellow of the Royal Historical Society. He is the author of a forthcoming book on Baron von Steuben. Twitter: @R_J_Bell
Women at the Valley Forge Encampment
Nancy K. Loane, EdD, the author of Following the Drum: Women at the Valley Forge Encampment, has also published several articles about Valley Forge and written for the Journal of the American Revolution. Following the Drum received the Book of the Year Award from the Revolutionary War Round Table of Philadelphia. Nancy has spoken at the Library of Congress, Colonial Williamsburg, the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown, the David Library of the American Revolution, and the Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge as well as given about 250 other presentations throughout the country. Her talks, all based on primary research, focus on the Valley Forge encampment itself as well as the women at camp, Martha Washington, the soldiers’ letters from Valley Forge, Baron de Steuben, and several of her favorite women of the Revolutionary era. Nancy also served as an advisor on Valley Forge National Historical Park’s orientation film.
She was a seasonal park ranger at Valley Forge National Historical Park, served many years as a board member of the Valley Forge Park Alliance, and currently volunteers at the park. An honorary life-time member of the Society of the Descendants of Washington’s Army at Valley Forge, she has also participated in four archaeological digs at Valley Forge. Nancy, a Pennsylvania Commonwealth Speaker, has been interviewed on several radio shows, the Pennsylvania Cable Network, and C-Span. She was also featured in the “Martha Washington” segment of a TV series about our nation’s First Ladies.
Her book, Following the Drum: Women at the Valley Forge Encampment, is included in the optional book package available when you register. If you bring your book with you, she will sign it Friday.
On the Ground at Valley Forge
Aboard a coach and on foot, guide Ken Gavin takes us through Valley Forge, placing it in the context of the American Revolution, describing the factors behind the choice to encamp at Valley Forge, and the critical events that transpired that winter. His program will explore the complex military, political, economic, and social elements of the Valley Forge story. He will place Valley Forge in the broader context of the American Revolution; explain the factors behind the choice to encamp at Valley Forge; explore the many critical events that transpired during that winter; and delve into the historiographical evolution of Valley Forge as well how it developed as an historic site visited by nearly 2 million people each year. The depth of this two-hour tour by bus and on foot will far surpass any tour participants may have taken.
For the past 15 years, Ken Gavin has worked as an interpretive guide at Valley Forge National Historical Park. He also served as a historical advisor for the park’s official introductory film. In addition to his background as a speaker, he possesses 20 years of experience in the realm of living history and serves as commander of the recreated Spencer’s Additional Regiment of the Continental Line. A strong believer in historic education and preservation, Ken has served on the boards of several museums and historic sites, including the Grand Army of the Republic Museum and Library and the Princeton Battlefield Society, and he is an independent consultant advising historic sites and other non-profits regarding interpretive programming, site management, communications, and crisis navigation.
Schedule + Registration
Limited to 40 participants — SOLD OUT
We’re looking forward to a great day in May. Note: Now that the 40 spots are claimed, that’s it. There will be no increase and there are no plans to repeat this event at Valley Forge.
Date and Time
Friday, May 19. Doors open at 8 am. Please arrive by 8:30 am. Program begins at 8:45 am. Ends with dinner.
Locations
All events are held in and around Valley Forge National Park and The library at Washington Memorial Chapel at 2000 Valley Forge Park Road. Evening dinner will be held at the General Warren Inn, Malvern, PA, about seven miles from the park. (See details, below.)
Registration
$395 per-person for the all-day event—including presentations, tour, food, and beverages (throughout the day), as well as an evening dinner at the General Warren Inn. You will also receive a “The Pursuit of History: Forging the Continental Army” embroidered jacket. For more information, see What to Expect and What’s Included in the Message from the Founders.
Lodging, if needed, is the responsibility of each participant. We have secured special rates at two area hotels for attendees.
Organizer
The Pursuit of a History, LLC, is the non-profit organization behind the groundbreaking History Camp. This is the first Pursuit of History Weekend and pioneers a completely new format, carefully curated for a small number of individuals and unlike any history event you’ve attended. Learn more in this message from the founders.
Book Package (Optional)
There is an optional book package available when you register that includes Phillip Greenwalt’s, Mark Lender’s, and Nancy Loane’s books. (The book package is priced below the current price on Amazon and your books are shipped at no additional charge.)
Event Locations
Washington Memorial Chapel
On June 19, 1903, the 125th anniversary of the evacuation of the Continental Army from Valley Forge, the cornerstone for the Washington Memorial Chapel was laid. We will meet in the library and hold most of our discussions here.
Washington Memorial Chapel
2000 Valley Forge Park Road, King of Prussia, PA 19406
Valley Forge National Historical Park
Explore history where it happened—tour Valley Forge National Historical park with expert guides Ken Gavin, Bill Troppman, and NPS Rangers.
Main Park Entrance
1400 North Outer Line Drive, King of Prussia, PA 19406
Transportation Information: nps.gov/vafo/planyourvisit/directions
The General Warren Inn
Built by George Ashton, a prominent member of St. Peter’s Church, General Warren Inn was owned by the Penn family at the time of the American Revolution. Operated by Peter Mather as the Admiral Warren during the Revolution, the tavern gave Warren Avenue its name. Mather, a Tory, was credited with informing the British of the position of General Anthony Wayne’s troops before the Paoli Massacre in September 1777. A community was built around the Warren Inn in the late 1700s. Here a blacksmith, wheelwright, and general store served as a crossroads stop along the Lancaster Turnpike. The present General Warren Inn was built in 1831 after a fire destroyed the original.
Description Source: East Whiteland Township
The General Warren Inn
9 Old Lancaster Road, Malvern, PA 19355
Forging the Continental Army 2023 Title Sponsor
Thank you to Lorna Hainesworth for her generous financial support of The Pursuit of History: Forging the Continental Army, History Camp Valley Forge, and Touring Revolutionary Philadelphia.
Interested in becoming a Sponsor?
Contact us to learn more about how you can support the mission of The Pursuit of History, LLC, the non-profit organization behind The Pursuit of History Weekends, History Camp, History Camp Discussions, and America’s Summer Roadtrip whose online and in-person programs engage adults with history.
“‘The Pursuit of History: Forging the Continental Army’ will be a ‘must see” event for all history loving Americans. Presentations by leading experts and audience participation are the hallmark of every ”History Camp” program. I’ve been honored to participate in these intellectually stimulating programs over the years, and each time I left with enduring friendships and a deeper understanding of the past. I know of no better way for those who love to learn about American history than to engage with the nation’s premier historians, visit the sites where history was made, and enjoy the company of those who share your passion for the past! This new event, ‘The Pursuit of History: Forging the Continental Army,’ should be all that and more with a small group exploring a critical time in our Revolution.”
— Stephen F. Knott, professor emeritus in the National Security Affairs Department at the U.S. Naval War College and the author of five books, including Washington and Hamilton: The Alliance That Forged America and Alexander Hamilton and the Persistence of Myth.
Continuing in Autumn 2026 with The British Empire Strikes Back
Even as the Continental Congress and thirteen state governments moved toward independence, the British government planned to bring those territories back under control. A massive military force arrived off New York in the summer of 1776. In a series of major battles the British army under General Sir William Howe drove General George Washington’s Continental troops out of the city, then down through New Jersey. By late 1776 the Congress was evacuating Philadelphia, American soldiers’ enlistments were coming to an end, and Washington feared that the war might be lost.
We’ll examine those military developments by visiting battlefields and hearing from experts in military history.
The Pursuit of History for America’s 250th
From Rebellion in New England (1774 Cambridge in 2024) to A Farewell to Arms (1783 New York City in 2033), join the most respected authorities in the field as we travel to two cities every year to understand not just what happened 250 years ago but why it happened.
This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity is limited to 40 attendees and each event usually sells out within days. Those who have attended previous Pursuit of History Weekends have the first opportunity to register.
View the entire series of programs through 2033 >
Sign-up for our weekly Pursuit of History | History Camp mailing to be notified. We also include updates on our weekly History Camp Author Discussions and our annual History Camp Boston.
Supporting The Pursuit of History
Contact Lee Wright, President of The Pursuit of History to learn more about how you can support the mission and programs of The Pursuit of History, the non-profit organization behind The Pursuit of History Weekends, History Camp, and weekly History Camp Discussions.