During the winter of 1777, General George Washington and 12,000 poorly-fed, ill-equipped Continental soldiers suffered through starvation, disease, and exposure at their winter camp at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. By the end of February 1778, over 2,500 of his men had died. Which is the BEST explanation for why Washington selected Valley Forge as the location for his army's winter camp? A) Washington chose the site in the hope of striking up an alliance with the Shawnee Indians on the western frontier. B) Washington chose the site because the neighboring farms and towns would offer access to food, shelter, and supplies for his men. C) Washington selected this location because of its proximity to ports on Lake Erie where his men could be resupplied by the French. D) Washington chose the site because it allowed him to defend the Continental Congress which was then meeting in York, Pennsylvania following the British capture of Philadelphia.