Meet Martha Washington
Although she’s commonly thought of as rather frumpy, and as a lady who spent countless hours visiting the soldiers and knitting stockings for the men, the truth about Lady Washington is far more interesting. Martha Washington was a spiffy dresser, assertive, and definitely a woman of independent means. The varied activities of this “worthy partner” at the encampments during the Revolutionary War and throughout the presidential years may surprise you, too.
Present But Not Accounted For: Women at the 1777-1778 Valley Forge Encampment
Over 400 women camped at Valley Forge during the winter of 1777-78. This presentation will introduce you to the women who traveled with the Continental Army, those with Washington’s military family, and the wives of the officers, such as Martha Washington, Lucy Knox, and Catharine Greene. Through the women at camp, you discover a Valley Forge encampment that you never knew existed.
Love Letters from Valley Forge
The soldiers at the Valley Forge encampment of 1777-1778 were determined, courageous soldiers. Many of them were also lonesome, as beloved wives and cherished families had been left behind. Through the letters written from the soldiers to home about such topics as health problems, life in a hut, and the war, you will get to know the men of the Continental Army. These were not cookie-cutter soldiers, but men who loved their country and loved their families and would serve, until, as one soldier wrote, “death part us.”
Wives, Widows, and Wariors - Women During the American Revolution
Even before independence was declared, American women boycotted British goods. Once the war began, women tended to farms and businesses while their husbands were away, went door-to-door raising money for the troops, and wrote pamphlets exhorting the cause of freedom. Some women worked as tavern owners, jail keepers, or blacksmiths to support their families during the Revolution. Others served the army as spies and couriers. A few women fought as soldiers. And, although he did not acknowledge this, General Washington needed women with the army to keep his soldiers fed, clean, and healthy – and in the field.
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