A Camp Comes to Life

While the Continental Army moved on Washington's orders, it survived with the help, support, and labor of women. Known as "camp followers," these women—mostly wives and daughters of soldiers—were officially recognized members of the military community.

Their work in the "city of canvas" or the massive, temporary military encampments established by the Continental Army during the American Revolution was the difference between a functional army and a total collapse from hunger and disease.

As soon as the march ended, women brought the camp kitchens to life. These were shallow pits dug into the earth where fires were maintained around the clock. Women took the army’s raw, often meager rations—like salt pork and hard bread—and processed them into communal meals.

In the 18th century, more soldiers died from filth-borne illness than from combat. Women served as the army’s primary defense against this threat. As professional laundry workers, they boiled heavy wool and linen uniforms to kill lice and bacteria.

These women were not "hangers-on"; they were governed by military law and earned army rations in exchange for their work. They served as nurses in field hospitals, mended clothing that was falling to pieces, and maintained the domestic structure of the camp.

Ultimately, the resilience and tireless labor of these women ensured the army's survival, keeping the troops alive long enough to be transformed into the unified, professional fighting force that eventually secured American independence.