Valley Forge: A Frail Thin Ribbon Of Hope Poem by Terence George Craddock

at Valley Forge a thin frail ribbon of hope still flutters
in face of hard winds lash suffering adversity Winter wars
cruel feeble supplies savaged faith independence dreams

at Valley Forge in 1777-78 victory
was won first over winter adversity
exposure disease malnutrition starvation
were bitter freezing snow ice adversity

ill-equipped poorly fed a feeble army
staggered into Valley Forge security
bloody raw footprints testified marked
blood path where shoeless limped weary

one in four shoeless moans sorry sad state
an afflicted American Continental Army
an army equipped with freedom belief
dreams withstood terrible bitter winter

an army suffers terrible conditions
stayed course withstood horror winter
an infant American Continental Army
dared dream freedom during ice winter

inadequate supplies soldiers
received little meat
bread to sustain bodies

soldiers starvation suffered
sole nourishment sometimes
fed fed firecake tasteless

a mixture of flour and water
occasionally pepper pot
soup a dish of black

pepper-flavored tripe broth
would be supplemented
instead of fed firecake

Washington despaired
so severe conditions
were at times

Washington said 'that
unless some great
and capital change

suddenly takes place...
this Army must
inevitably... starve,

dissolve, or disperse,
in order to obtain
subsistence in the best

manner they can.'
a grim fate dread dire
hung over Valley Forge

even worse no supplies
desperate needed fresh
drinkable clean water

snow a water source
was limited found but
small in amounts

a layer of snow
often too thin to be successfully
collected melted

into drinking water
temperatures terrible
variable alternating

freezing melting snow
ice weather made it
impossible to keep dry

living in inadequate
shelter short food water
caused disease to fester

conditions dispiriting
cruel inflicted
upon men livestock

Washington's Chief of Artillery
wrote report animals
fared no better

General Henry Knox wrote
hundreds of horses
either starved to death

or died of exhaustion
700 horses had died
by the end of that winter

action is needed Washington
must act Act now cannot wait
cannot wait for help supplies
from Continental Congress

Washington acts appointed
a new resourceful talented
Quartermaster General

as Quartermaster General
Washington appoints
resolute Nathanael Greene

to take charge of supplies
Washington's ablest most
supporting trusted general

in doings thus Washington
signaled severe supply situation
was a more serious threat
to his army's survival than Howe's

army Greene finds
caches of food clothing
desperately needed

determinedly hauled
supplies to Valley Forge
for troops horses

Valley Forge severe
shortages of food water
clothing supplies

clothing wholly inadequate
in need of survival clothing
many suffering soldiers died
soldiers wounded in previous

battles from exposure died cold starving
long marches had destroyed shoes blankets
were scarce need was great tattered garments

seldom replaced uniforms
clothing supplies depleted
worst shortages crisis caused

nearly 4,000 men to be listed
as unfit for duty in testing times
extreme emergency sometimes

nature provides as nature will
in the spring of 1778 according
to records locals fisherman lore
fish shad spawning migrations

in spring early summer up Schuylkill River
provided desperate troops Valley Forge
with moderate food supplies an army survives

thrives with not just weapons but food supplies


Terence George Craddock (Afterglows Echoes Of Starlight)
Copyright © Terence George Craddock