Rise Up and Relive the American Revolution

Over the course of six long, grueling years (from 1775 to 1781), the American Revolution involved engagements at sites as far north as Quebec, Canada, and as far south as Savannah, Ga. But a number of the 1776-77 actions took place near Philadelphia.

These dramas can be easily relived, thanks to parks that have been established at the sites where they took place. All you need are the will and a few hours of free time (musket and tricorn hat are optional).

Late in 1776, General George Washington and his Continental Army of some 2,400 soldiers went to an area called New Hope, Pa. Desperate for some success against the British, they then crossed the ice-packed Delaware River on Christmas night in 1776. This involved transporting some 30 men per boat and getting 200 horses and 18 cannons ferried across the river on flat-bottomed rafts in dark and sleet. But they made it.

They then won a stunning victory against surprised Hessian mercenaries helping the British in Trenton, N.J. Moving quickly, they also beat back the British in Princeton, N.J., a few days later.

These victories recharged their spirits and renewed hope for achieving independence from Great Britain.

The place where Washington and his men engaged in this courageous, successful venture can be visited today at Washington Crossing State Park. The park is about 25 miles northeast of Philadelphia, in historic Bucks County, Pa.

The park, about 500 acres in size, displays some of the boats that Washington and his soldiers used to cross the Delaware. Old McKonkey’s Ferry Inn—where Washington ate before the crossing—is also located in the park. The park also contains the Thompson-Neely House, which was in existence when Washington passed through.

Washington Crossing State Park and its buildings are open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. More information is available by calling (215) 493-4076.

Then fight the distressing Battle of Brandywine with General Washington. It’s a good thing that Washington and his troops had some success in late 1776 because September 1777 was a real disappointment.

Reaching Philadelphia, the capital of the newly formed United States, was the goal of British General William Howe. As Howe and his men started marching toward Philadelphia, Washington was confident that he could stop them. On September 9, he placed his troops along the Brandywine River to guard the main fords. However, Howe and his soldiers had formulated a clever, deceptive plan, and they implemented it on September 11.

Some of Howe’s men met Washington and his troops. Most, however, crossed the river much farther upstream, then came down and surprised Washington and his men. Washington and his men had to retreat, and two weeks later Howe and his soldiers entered Philadelphia unopposed.

The Battle of Brandywine can be relived today at the Brandywine Battlefield State Park, which is west of Philadelphia on Route 1, near Chadds Ford, Pa. The park contains both Washington’s reconstructed headquarters and a visitors center, where the battle is retold in a film. The visitors center also contains uniforms, weapons, and other artifacts from the battle.

The park is open Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. More information is available by calling (610) 459-3342.

The Brandywine Valley, where the park is located, is likewise worth visiting. One of its star attractions is is the Brandywine River Museum, housed in a 19th-century grist mill not far from the battlefield. This museum is internationally known for its collection of works by three generations of Wyeths and its outstanding collections of American illustrations and landscape painting.

Now take a breather with George Washington at Fort Washington. On Oct. 4, 1777, Washington moved his army of 12,000 soldiers to an area north of Philadelphia called Whitemarsh. Believing it was an easily defendable position, he had a fort built there.

On December 5, 1777, General Howe marched his soldiers from Philadelphia and tried to engage Washington and his men in battle. Washington, however, had made a good decision because he knew his position was strong, and only local skirmishes took place. On December 8, Howe and his troops retreated to Philadelphia.

The area where Washington built the fort and staved off Howe and his men is called Fort Washington State Park, about two miles from Pennsylvania Turnpike Exit 26.

Finally, gear up to help Washington get through that brutal Valley Forge winter. On December 11, 1777, Washington moved his 12,000 soldiers out of Whitemarsh toward Valley Forge. He thought that the valley would be a good place to care for his troops during the winter months. But many things went wrong.

It took the soldiers eight days to make the 13-mile trek from Whitemarsh to Valley Forge. As the Marquis de Lafayette, who had joined the American cause in August 1777, wrote: “The unfortunate soldiers were in want of everything; they had neither coats nor hats nor shirts nor shoes. Their feet and their legs froze until they were black, and it was often necessary to amputate them.”

During January and February 1778, many of the soldiers died from starvation, dysentery, or typhus. However, the men’s three months of excruciating suffering were followed by three months of relative abundance that improved their morale considerably. For example, wagons began arriving with clothing and food, and a baking company of some 70 men arrived from Philadelphia. France entered the war on the side of the Americans. And a Prussian, Baron Friedrich von Steuben, arrived to help Washington transform the amateur American soldiers into professionals capable of beating the British.

Valley Forge Historical Park, which is about a 30-minute drive northwest of Philadelphia, can be visited today. Washington’s original stone headquarters (a former farmhouse) has been restored and furnished, and log huts have been reconstructed. ▪