The Material World of the Revolutionary War Soldier at Valley Forge Revisited

Abstract

This chapter by Jesse West-Rosenthal examines the Revolutionary War soldiers’ material culture at Valley Forge. Much has been written of the suffering that these soldiers endured during that harsh winter, but this chapter provides insight into routines that both kept soldiers busy and helped them perform important and necessary tasks for the military effort. Archaeological explorations at the Washington Memorial Chapel, including a camp kitchen, provided evidence that soldiers kept busy by casting musket balls, by maintaining weaponry and clothing, and, interestingly, by re-purposing musket balls into gaming pieces.