his camp was accessible with some difficulty, but the approach on his
front was on ground nearly on a level with his camp. It is indeed
difficult to give an adequate description of his misery in this
situation. His army was destitute of almost every necessary of
clothing, nay, almost naked, and very often on short allowance of
provisions; an extreme mortality raged in his hospitals, nor had he any
of the most proper medicines to relieve the sick. There were perpetual
desertions of parties from him of ten to fifty at a time. In three
months he had not 4,000 men and these could by no means be termed
effective. Not less than 500 horses perished from want and the severity
of the season. He had often not three days' provisions in his camp and
at times not enough for one day. In this infirm and dangerous state he
continued from December to May, during all which time every person
expected that General Howe would have stormed or besieged his camp, the
situation of which equally invited either attempt. To have posted 2,000
men on a commanding ground near the bridge, on the north side of the
Schuylkill, would have rendered his escape on the left impossible;
2,000 men placed on a like ground opposite the narrow pass would have
as effectually prevented a retreat by his rear, and five or six
thousand men stationed on the front and right of his camp would have
deprived him of flight on those sides. The positions were such that if
any of the corps were attacked they could have been instantly
supported. Under such propitious circumstances what mortal could doubt
of success? But the British army, neglecting all these opportunities,
was suffered to continue at Philadelphia where the whole winter was
spent in dissipation. A want of discipline and proper subordination
pervaded the whole army, and if disease and sickness thinned the
American army encamped at Valley Forge, indolence and luxury perhaps
did no less injury to the British troops at Philadelphia. During the
winter a very unfortunate inattention was shown to the feelings of the