Valley Forge (in PA) was the winter encampment for the army after the British occupied Philly. The battle was at Trenton (NJ, against the Hessians) on Xmas after "Washington crossed the Delaware river. May be a lot of things but not "cunning". The french were not at Valley Forge.

Believe the only battle the french were in was the last one, Yorktown. The french fleet cut off escape by sea, landed an army to the south, Washington to the north, surrounding Cornwallis. Financial aid was more due to Franklin - he was in Paris, Lafayette was not.

@1 I was gonna say, "Cue the 'Hamilton' references," but you have already beat me to it. :)