 On the evening of December 12, Washington's army crossed the Schuylkill River at Swede's Ford using makeshift wagon bridges and proceeded down Swedeland Road to Gulph Mills, where they remained from December 13 till December 19.In recognition of the American victory at the Battle of Saratoga, December 18 was celebrated as day of "Thanksgiving and Praise" (and was, in fact, the first national holiday for the thirteen colonies).On December 19, the army marched west on Gulph Road to their winter quarters at Valley Forge.