Kathleen Coulter, MSed
This presentation will examine the challenges to George Washington’s leadership of the Continental Army while at Valley Forge from 1777–1778. Washington dealt decisively with multiple challenges, including supplying the Army (on their way to the winter encampment as well as feeding the Army while it was there), maintaining his Officer Corps (there were many that were leaving the Army due to lack of pay), keeping his job as Commander of the Army (this challenge was known as the Conway Cabal), and preparing the Army to fight the next campaign (with the help of Baron Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben). Significantly, this earned him greater confidence from his subordinate officers and soldiers, secured his position as Commander of the Army, and gained critical political support from members of the Second Continental Congress.