March to Valley Forge

General George Washington and his officers, wearing cloaks and seated on horseback, oversee a long line of poorly clothed soldiers marching through the snow on their way to Valley Forge in this 1883 painting by William B. T. Trego. Trego completed this painting, which became an iconic image memorializing the Revolutionary War, for an art competition held by the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. However, after reviewing the only four submissions to the contest, the jury determined that no entry was of high enough quality to receive first or second prize and instead awarded Trego third prize and a silver medal. Despite challenging the decision in court, Trego never received the cash prize designated for the first-place competitor.