"Henry Woodman, after many years of urging, wrote his history of Valley Forge. His home was now near Doylestown, Bucks county, Pa. It was in 1850 that he wrote, and for the Doylestown Intelligencer. It appeared in the shape of letters for thirty-two consecutive weeks, from April 30 to December 3. There is internal evidence that the history at that time awakened national interest. ... Woodman was requested to print it in book form, but never did so. ... The book as now published is authorized by the Woodman family."
The text is arranged within three main sections: Before the Encampment includes the Original Settlement and the Forge, Howe and Burgoyne, and more; The Encampment Proper includes Arrival of the Army, Soldiers as Beasts of Burden, Hospitals, The Forts, "Benevolent Females," From War to Peace, and much more; and Subsequent to the Encampment includes The Headquarters after the War, An Indian Tale, East of Valley Creek, and much more. The Author's Valedictory and a Biography of Edward Woodman complete this work.
In the third edition, some errors of grammar and some of fact have been corrected. "This edition is much more profusely illustrated, and misplacement of illustrations has been rectified. ... A Table of Contents and an Index have also been added, as well as a list of Illustrations."