Surviving the Winters - (Campaigns and Commanders) by Steven Elliott

About the Book

Documenting the growth of Washington and his subordinates as military administrators, Surviving the Winters offers a telling new perspective on the commander's generalship during the Revolutionary War. At the same time, the book demonstrates that these winter encampments stand alongside more famous battlefields as sites where American independence was won.

Book Synopsis

George Washington and his Continental Army braving the frigid winter at Valley Forge form an iconic image in the popular history of the American Revolution. Such winter camps, Steven Elliott tells us in Surviving the Winters, were also a critical factor in the waging and winning of the War of Independence. Exploring the inner workings of the Continental Army through the prism of its encampments, this book is the first to show how camp construction and administration played a crucial role in Patriot strategy during the war.

As Elliott reminds us, Washington's troops spent only a few days a year in combat. The rest of the time, especially in the winter months, they were engaged in a different sort of battle--against the elements, unfriendly terrain, disease, and hunger. Victory in that more sustained struggle depended on a mastery of camp construction, logistics, and health and hygiene--the components that Elliott considers in his environmental, administrative, and operational investigation of the winter encampments at Middlebrook, Morristown, West Point, New Windsor, and Valley Forge. Beyond the encampments' basic function of sheltering soldiers, his study reveals their importance as a key component of Washington's Fabian strategy: stationed on secure, mountainous terrain close to New York, the camps allowed the Continental commander-in-chief to monitor the enemy but avoid direct engagement, thus neutralizing a numerically superior opponent while husbanding his own strength.

Documenting the growth of Washington and his subordinates as military administrators, Surviving the Winters offers a telling new perspective on the commander's generalship during the Revolutionary War. At the same time, the book demonstrates that these winter encampments stand alongside more famous battlefields as sites where American independence was won.

Review Quotes

"Elliot's work provides an excellent study into the importance of the Continental Army's winter quarters to the outcome of the war, as well as their unique place in military history. Well researched and well written."--On Point, Army Historical Foundation


"Elliott crafts a valuable analysis of [Washington's] winter encampments, revealing a history of institutional creation and evolution. He demonstrates how each winter shaped the subsequent year's campaign, casting new light on commanders' decisions at the beginning and end of a year's fighting season. Thanks to his analysis of winter quarters, key transitions in the Revolutionary War now make more sense and appear in a new light. This is a strikingly new study set within the familiar arc of the Revolutionary War. Surviving the Winters convincingly demonstrates that Washington's winter encampments were more than a backdrop for enduring suffering. They were key sites of leadership, innovation, and institution-building."--North Carolina Historical Review


"Typically, armies occupied winter quarters from December through June. Continental troops under Washington's command were no different. Their story, however, with the notable exception of Valley Forge, has not been studied in appreciable depth. Steven Elliott has corrected this gap in our awareness. In his analysis, Elliott satisfactorily links evolving American strategy and operations to the selection of long-term encampments. He takes us into the mind of Washington as the commanding general balanced competing requirements. The text is clear and persuasive...I recommend Surviving the Winters to any student of the Revolution."--Journal of America's Military Past


"Reminding us that the armies of the Revolutionary War spent little time in battle, and much in camp, in this insightful book Dr. Elliott discusses how the Continental Army learned to shelter itself...This is an essential read for anyone studying the Revolutionary War and for anyone with an interest in Eighteenth century military practice."-- New York Military Affairs Symposium, NYMAS Review