Would anyone really want to go back to a place where there is barely any food, the living conditions are horrible, the risk of getting sick so great, and a high probability of dying even without the war beginning? This is the question that many faced during the terrible winters of 1777 and 1778. George Washington’s army was camped at Valley Forge, eighteen miles northwest of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where the British were camped in warm quarters and ate good and plentiful food. In contrast, American revolutionary soldiers had to battle disease, starvation, and the freezing cold even before they had to fight their enemy. If you were a revolutionary soldier facing these conditions, and your time to re-enlist came up, would you re-enlist or stay on, or would
Leaving Valley Forge Valley forge was a camp in the winter with bad conditions that made a lot of soldiers sick, George Washington trained the remaining soldiers. People staying will end up sick or dead. In the document Estimate of Illness and death (Document A) it shows the estimate or people dying from December 1777 - February 1778. It says in December - June there were 1800 to 2500 illnesses. Since they were not in the best conditions there were more deaths.
As opposed, to the revolutionary soldiers as they were not organized, properly trained, nor healthy. Showing that fighting in this war took some real bravery. However, the one thing they had that the British did not was a reason to fight simply put will power. On page 172 the text portrays that the soldiers knew they were outnumbered and the chances of winning were almost non existent. Although, they stood their ground and fought
Valley Forge: Would You Have Quit? In the winter of 1777 and 1778, George Washington commanded several thousand patriot soldiers to spend the winter at Valley Forge, 18 miles outside of Philadelphia. It was not an easy time for the soldiers. The huts they built were cold and crowded.
In every soldier 's heart, it’s just as cold and sad as the snow around them. General George Washington took thousands of men across the Delaware River to Valley Forge which was eighteen miles from Philadelphia, in which the men wait. But Washington needs men to fight. And winter is coming brutal and with no mercy, are you going to stay and fight? Or leave to go back to a normal life?
The war the colonists had been fighting against Britain has gone to a slow; they were waiting for winter to be over to fight in the warm rays of the sun in summer. They stayed in a camp in called,”Valley Forge” Most soldiers left because of the bad treating and don’t know what to do. The ones that stayed got sick or died. Quitting Valley Forge for most wasn’t much of a thought of leaving or staying. Most left because of sickness and death that swept throughout the camp of valley forge.
I was only a young boy when I was forced to be one of the Continental soldiers, this was one of the coldest winter I’ve ever experienced…… It was on December 9th, 1777, when General Washington and we, the Continental Army, had to build a winter camp at a place that in the future, killed thousands of soldiers, and the name of this place is Valley forge. This place is about 20 mis away from Philadelphia. But here’s the problem, my enlistment is up in one month, my friends wants me to stay so we can fight for liberty and freedom, but I don’t think I’m able to afford the cost of dying,I thought long about this, but I choose to leave….. (Waldo 141) Starting from the first day we arrived at Valley Forge, my life never had been better, instead, it’s
Valley forge was a winter camp for for soldiers to train. But the conditions at the camp were horrible with bad housing, food, weather, and clothing. Many quit due to those harsh conditions. If I were at Valley Forge I would have definitely quit. 50% of the soldier got diseases and 1,800 to 2,500 died.
It’s spring now and the winter was terrible let me tell you. There were 10 people dying every day from starvation or freezing to death or disease it was terrible. When we were marching there from the last battle we heard that there was going to be food there for 8 months turns out there was only food for 8 days. General Edwin and a bunch of other soldiers and commanders asked if they could leave and George had to let them go he just asked them if they would come back in the Spring ready to go. Hundreds of soldiers deserted valley Forge and went back home to their families.
The first two years of the war did not go well for us. It’d been that way since 1775, when “he” had taken command, George Washington. He and his troops had withdrawn from Boston and retreated from New York City. George was unable to stop the British army when General Howe marched his army into the national capital of philadelphia. Like much of america, philadelphia
Valley Forge is a camp for the Continental Army. It is 20 miles North of Philidelphia. It contains 2,ooo soldiers. Many are sick for malnutrition and poor clothes. Many are choosing to leave.
It said the soldiers who leave will be shamed by our new country, but the ones who stay will receive the eternal thanks from the men and women of America. On top of that if the soldiers leave the militia, they came a long way for nothing. One of the quotes from The Crisis says “These are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country;”. Thomas Paine is saying that the real soldiers will tank through the hard times and the weak ones will quit.
As they traveled around, soldiers often thought back to their comforts: home, family, friends, or loved ones. This letter is valuable because it depicts the thoughts, emotions, and cultural characteristics of a very normal Civil War soldier. William F. Testerman,
You may now think that being emotionally suppressed is horrible but another thing a soldier has to conquer is not being physically healthy. The reason why I say not being is because once you go to war you don’t come back the same the way you left. No matter what. Death and injuries is a part of battle. “World War II has caused Americans soldiers 291,557 deaths and about 670,846 were wounded” (Causalities in World War II).
“ We need to get moving men... “ bellowed Sergeant Bruce Wilder… As they started to move they could already hear the gunshots and the war. And they were 9 miles from it. The nerves were getting stronger and stronger.” No worries men you’ll make it out and survive, in the end…