U.S. Symbol of Fortitude Lives at Valley Forge : Gently rolling hills and surrounding battlefields evoke memories of the Revolutionary War.

When George Washington arrived here with his ragtag Continental Army of 12,000 in the winter of 1777, they were a sorry lot indeed. His soldiers, some of them 12-year-olds with their mothers in attendance, need only have been as “tall as a musket,” with at least two teeth opposite each other for biting off firing primers for their muskets.

No heroic battles were fought at Valley Forge, yet it became a symbol of epic American fortitude and perseverance as thousands died during the next six months of typhus, typhoid, pneumonia and dysentery, often subsisting on firecake, a horrid mix of flour and water cooked on a shovel. They lived in hastily built log huts, 12 to a billet.

Washington’s adversary, Sir William Howe, had defeated him at nearby Brandywine, fought a standoff at Germantown and took the then-capital of Philadelphia. With winter snows setting in, Washington was looking for a site to regroup and retrain his troops, many of whom were accompanied by their wives, who lived in the cabins with them and worked for 24 cents a day.

The job of training fell to Baron Friedrich von Steuben, who arrived in Valley Forge in February 1778 after having been cashiered by the Prussian and later German armies. In little more than two months, von Steuben’s relentless, hands-on, drill-sergeant tactics had whipped Washington’s men into a force capable of pursuing the British when they left Philadelphia to attack New York, engaging them successfully in New Jersey at the Battle of Monmouth.

The War of Independence was not over, but Washington’s Grand Army, after six months of suffering, sacrifice and renewal, was now worthy of its name.

Valley Forge, about six square miles of gently rolling hills covered with maple, oak, dogwood, cedar, pine and buttonwood (sycamore), is thick with deer and only 18 miles from Philadelphia. Apart from its inspiring lesson in history, the area is sprinkled with 18th-Century homes, churches, farms and other memories of the era and its heritage.

Just a few minutes’ drive to the south lies the Brandywine Battlefield, with its restored headquarters of Washington and Lafayette as well as the Brandywine River Museum, a century-old grist mill housing the art of three generations of Wyeths. Six miles farther brings one to Winterthur Museum and Gardens, the world’s largest collection of American decorative arts, with silver tankards by Paul Revere and Duncan Phyfe furniture housed in 200 rooms.

How long/how much? Give the Valley Forge National Historical Park and its many sights a full day, and leave at least two more for sights in the Brandywine River Valley. Lodging costs are very reasonable, dining the same.

Getting settled in: King of Prussia (two miles away) is the nearest town to the park, with a good choice of accommodations. The Holiday Inn is a large and sprawling place just across the street from one of the largest shopping malls in the country. Attractive bedrooms are spacious, with queen-size beds and the usual motel amenities. Next door is a three-story fitness center (complimentary membership) with a Finnish sauna and indoor Olympic pool and jogging track. The buffet breakfast gives you a wide choice of such as Belgian waffles with fresh berries, half a dozen types of omelets and freshly squeezed juices.

Comfort Inn, a very modern, simple-but-comfortable hotel with decidedly business-executive overtones, has large beds in oversized rooms, complimentary continental breakfasts, and remote TV and VCRs in bedrooms. There is also a New Wave Cafe in the lobby area with a two-page menu of Stouffer frozen foods to be purchased and cooked in convenient microwave ovens. Food prices are all in the $3.50 range, and it’s a great place for families.

The Stouffer Valley Forge Hotel is a handsome, restful and spread-out place done in soothing desert colors, each bedroom having a balcony that looks out on the central pool-garden courtyard, golf course or Valley Forge landscape. Free coffee and a newspaper arrive with your wake-up call, and there are also lighted tennis courts, a Nautilus-equipped workout room and a fitness trail for joggers.

Regional food and drink: Valley Forge is close enough to Philadelphia to share its affection for the hoagy sandwich, known elsewhere as a sub or po’boy. This also goes for Philly’s unique soft pretzels, always liberally smeared with mustard. Good Italian restaurants have spread from the nearby metropolis, and there is also a large Pennsylvania Dutch community, with its wonderful fresh fruit and vegetables and marvelous desserts.

Good local dining: Baron’s Inne (499 N. Gulph Road, King of Prussia), built in the 19th Century and named for von Steuben, tends to be a bit dressy in the evenings, with velvet draperies over lace curtains, hurricane lamps on tables and old prints on the walls. At dinner, try the pheasant sausage with a lingonberry and port sauce ($7), or the escargot en croute for the same price. Then move on to the Wiener schnitzel or broiled scallops with sorrel, chervil and citrus, both $17.50. Many such dishes are also available at lunchtime with much lower prices.

Lulu Wellington’s (795 W. DeKalb Pike, King of Prussia) is a restaurant-bar in the roadhouse mold, with lots of kitsch about: faux-Tiffany lamps, stained glass, Deco pictures on walls, a few fresh flowers, plenty of the other type. Yet we had the very best crab-meat Wellington in puff pastry ($5.25) and a local version of Philly’s renowned cheesesteak (grilled beef with peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms and cheese on French bread) for $5.95. Steaks and fresh seafood are the specialties here, with an excellent selection of both.

The Kennedy-Supplee Mansion (across from the Visitors Center, Valley Forge Park), built in 1852, is a stately hilltop Italianate home, with solid-silver doorknobs, intricately sculptured ornamental ceilings, huge mirrors, lovely chandeliers and lush draperies. It’s really something to see, and the roaring fireplace in the ladies lounge is certainly a bit unusual. The dinner menu’s veal Provencal, rack of lamb roasted with Dijon mustard, tournedos with roasted garlic and a cognac-and-shallots butter sauce are all in the $24 range, while the luncheon menu is less varied and also much less costly.

On your own: After half a day at Valley Forge Park browsing its log-cabin campsites and going through the Potts House headquarters of Washington, drive over to nearby Mill Grove. Built in 1762 and once the home of John James Audubon, it is now the Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary where 181 species of birds have been sighted. Exhibits include the double-elephant folio of the Birds of America, with 435 hand-colored engravings made in 19th-Century England.

Now drive to the hilltop studio-residence of the late Wharton Esherick, considered the dean of American craftsmen, who has his sculptured works and furniture in the Metropolitan Museum, Whitney Museum and other major museums around the world.

Just 20 miles south, one finds Longwood Gardens, with its 350 acres of formal gardens, conservatories and magnificent fountain displays. From June 15 until Sept. 5, a sound-and-light show accompanies the fountains, along with classical music concerts.

This is handicraft country, and locals and visitors look forward to the summertime folk festivals.

GUIDEBOOK

Discovering Valley Forge

Getting there: Fly United, American, TWA, Northwest, Delta or Continental to Philadelphia. An advance-purchase, round-trip fare will cost $498. From there, best bet is to rent a car for the 18-mile drive to Valley Forge.

Where to stay: All hotels are in nearby King of Prussia, including the Holiday Inn (260 Goddard Blvd.; $89 double, $63 weekends); Comfort Inn (550 W. DeKalb Pike; $85 double, $49 weekends), and Stouffer Valley Forge (480 N. Gulph Road; $120-$150 double, $79-$89 weekends).

For more information: Call the Valley Forge Visitors Bureau at (800) 441-3549, or write (Box 311, Norristown, Pa. 19404) for a visitors’ guide that includes attractions, hotels and restaurants as well as upcoming events.