Between December 12–19, 1777, Gen. George Washington and his Continental Army encamped in the towering hills of Gulph Mills, Pennsylvania, fifteen miles from Philadelphia. Known as the threshold to Valley Forge, the Gulph Mills Encampment is often forgotten or minimized, falling between the more famous military engagements of the Philadelphia Campaign and the well-known experience of the army at Valley Forge. Yet, the Gulph Mills Encampment was a pivotal microcosm of the Revolutionary War and the issues that confronted the Continental Army, the Continental Congress, state governments and the American citizens who suddenly found themselves on the front lines of the war. This encampment included military encounters with the British; little food, clothing, and shelter for the troops; the celebration of the new nation’s first Thanksgiving; and tough decisions by Washington, including the momentous one to make Valley Forge the army’s winter quarters. Drawing largely from writings and documents from soldiers, generals, local residents, the Continental Congress, the British Army, the Pennsylvania General Assembly and Benjamin Franklin and his colleagues who were in France seeking support from the French king, Louis XVI, historian Sheilah Vance discusses her new book highlighting the Gulph Mills Encampment and reveals the fascinating details of Washington’s and the Continental Army’s last stand before and as they moved into winter quarters at Valley Forge.
About the Speaker
Sheilah Vance, Esq. grew up on Rebel Hill in Gulph Mills, Pennsylvania, and currently resides in Washington, D.C. She has written and presented extensively about the Philadelphia Campaign in the Revolutionary War. She is the author of many articles and books surrounding the Revolution including “Valley Forge’s Threshold: The Encampment at Gulph Mills,” published in the Journal of the American Revolution; the award-winning novel, Becoming Valley Forge; and the e-book, Six Days in December: General George Washington’s and the Continental Army’s Encampment on Rebel Hill and Gulph Mills, December 12–19, 1777. As an experienced attorney who holds a Juris Doctorate from Georgetown University Law Center, she practices law in Pennsylvania and the District of Columbia, specializing in education law and providing trusted counsel to educational institutions nationwide. Before her legal career, Vance worked as a journalist, primarily covering education-related topics. Her passion for history and education shines through her writing and legal work.