What advantage did the British have over the Patriots during the war as noted in the biography, A Young Patriot?

The British had the advantage of warm quarters and ample food during cold winter months. Murphy describes the places where the Continental Army wintered, especially Valley Forge, made notorious by the numerous American soldiers who died from exposure, starvation, and disease. Joseph's experiences make vivid the huts that soldiers built, the privations they suffered, and the desperation they felt as survival was a day-to-day struggle. It is no wonder that when Joseph and some fellow soldiers are sent searching for a deserter, they spend their time enjoying the food and hospitality they find at various homes, never actually finding the deserter.