Originally published on June 13, 2022 (Episode 268)
Introduction
In early December 1777, Joseph Plumb Martin and his comrades in the Continental Army sat down to a Thanksgiving “banquet” mandated by the Second Continental Congress. Years later Martin would recall, with biting irony, that each man received only a half gill of rice and a spoonful of vinegar. Far from simple miserliness, this faux feast reflected bankruptcy and the logistical collapse of the Continental Army’s supply system.
In Feeding Washington’s Army: Surviving the Valley Forge Winter of 1778 (University of North Carolina Press, 2022), Ricardo A. Herrera describes what he calls “the slow moving, staggering debacle” of Continental logistics, showing that while amateurs study tactics, professionals study logistics. Yet beyond the professional lessons, Herrera’s story reveals the human struggle to sustain an army in the darkest days of the Revolution.
About the Guest
Ricardo A. Herrera is a retired Professor of Military History, US Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania. His research focuses on early American military history, leadership, and logistics.
For Further Investigation
Ricardo A. Herrera, Feeding Washington’s Army: Surviving the Valley Forge Winter of 1778 (University of North Carolina Press, 2022)
Wayne K. Bodle, Valley Forge Winter: Civilians and Soldiers in War (Pennsylvania State University Press, 2002)
Benjamin H. Newcomb, “Washington’s Generals and the Decision to Quarter at Valley Forge,” Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography 117, no. 4 (Oct 1993)
Ricardo A. Herrera, “‘[T]he zealous activity of Capt. Lee’: Light-Horse Harry Lee and Petite Guerre,” The Journal of Military History 79, no. 1 (January 2015)
Valley Forge National Historical Park and the Valley Forge Muster Roll
Related episodes:
Episode 110: John Buchanan on Nathanael Greene and the Southern Campaign
A two-hour conversation with Ryan Cole on “Light-Horse Harry” Lee
💬 Listen & Discuss
How do armies survive when supply systems collapse? What does Valley Forge teach us about endurance and leadership in times of scarcity? Share your thoughts in the comments — and pass this episode along to someone who loves Revolutionary history.
