Reasons To Stay In The Valley Forge

The third reason I will re-enlist is that the congress will help. We were talking to the congress maybe about clothes and maybe even food (Powell 149). I don’t know why they want to help now. They didn’t want to earlier. This reason is causing me to re-enlist because we would get more help and maybe even clothes. “We have experienced little less than a famine in camp,” Washington wrote to Patrick Henry the following February.

World War 1 was the First World War. Men from all over the world fought for the country we live in today in this society. For the people who had fought for this country are remembered as the heroes of today. WW1 was a tough time for troops and families.

During the winter of 1777 - 1778 the Patriots were in Valley Forge. Tons of soldiers suffered from disease, starvation, and frostbite. Most of them even died. The conditions were horrible for the soldiers and they were dying out. So would I have quit? I probably would have quit at Valley Forge.

With all of these soul-shattering, life-changing conditions, it is less of a war and more of a test of strength for the soldiers, here at Valley Forge. Some men were going home and not returning. Other men just completely deserted. Even George Washington’s position was uncertain, the members of congress didn’t trust him. Life at Valley Forge was obviously horrible, and the ugly truth is that it wouldn’t get much better. Cold was one problem, smoke was another. Hopefully, the soldiers will have the courage to make it through this devastating time. Lack of food, living conditions, and horrid climate are some reasons of why a soldier would quit Valley Forge.

Sickness hangs heavy in the air with the stench of death. Soldiers walk by me in tattered clothes, some missing shoes and toes. As I lay on the ground of my hut, trying to sleep, that another poor soldier had to build, I shiver and huddle in a ball to try to keep my body heat toward me in an attempt to keep me somewhat warm. The Continental Army made their winter camp in a town called Valley Forge, located eighteen miles out of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. During the winters of 1777 and 1778, there was freezing weather and a couple thousand of sick soldiers and dead soldiers (Busch, 147). Many soldiers are not re-enlisting or are deserting before their nine-month re-enlistment has ended. General Washington, desperate to keep an army together to fight the war against Britain has asked us soldiers look into our hearts and ask ourselves the following question: Will you quit? To quit would be to not re-enlist. I have decided to not re-enlist for three reasons which are high chances of illness, horrible lodging and weather, and sparse food and clothing.

Thomas Paine said in The American Crisis, “These are the times that try men’s souls.” (153). He was right. It is the winter of 1777-1778 in Valley Forge, 18 miles from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and conditions are awful. We have little to no food, there are many diseases such as smallpox and dysentery, and frostbite is taking many limbs. Our doctors are ineffective and nearly blind from smoke. Many of my fellow soldiers are not re-enlisting when the end of their nine months comes. The question for those of us left is, are we going to be like those men and quit, or will we re-enlist to fight? My initial enlistment ends on March 1. I must decide whether I will re-enlist or not re-enlist. For me, it will not be that hard, because I have already decided. I will stay and help my comrades. I have a chance to move up in rank, they need every man, and General George Washington is staying.

Because of Because of illness, harsh conditions, and overworking and jealousy I would not stay at Valley Forge. That's like saying you would rather stay outside in the zombie apocalypse than inside a safe haven. You’d rather die than be alive. You just wouldn’t do it, and that's why I won’t

On “Feb. 1, 1778, 3989 people were sick so they are going to leave so more food for us.(Bush 154). If people leave, that mean that we get more food. We also have “huts” to live in.(background). We can be warm instead of freezing in the winter night. We also have chimneys and a fireplace in the huts.(background). We have even more warmth in the huts. We at least survived the winter, the hardest time of the year.(background). The winter is the harshest time of the year and we obviously survived through the winter. This is causing me to re-enlist because there are good conditions in the camp.There are some great conditions at the camp so that is why I am staying.

“Smoked out of my senses.” The soldiers senses are getting messed up. The way everyone is getting sick; about 2,898 people got sick at Valley Forge in December. Lots of soldiers are getting sick but not as many as in February. Around 3,989 people got sick at valley forge in February. There was way more soldiers sick in February than in December. I do not want to get sick and die is a reason why I am not re-enlisting. No way am I getting sick because the other soldiers are getting sick and not reporting for

Dr. Waldo said, “Heartily wish myself at home, my skin and eyes are almost spoil’d with continual smoke.” Dr. Waldo wants to go home too and he is the doctor so he should probably be one of the most loyal soldiers to Washington. The summer soldiers are going home. (Paine 153) It is not like the summer soldiers did not help fight in the war and I also served my nine month enlistment. “But he who stands now, deserves the love and thanks of man and women.” (Paine 153) I stand now and served my time so even though I am not re-enlisting I still deserve thanks. “There were no beds, just straw on the mud floor. Cold was one problem; smoke was another.” (Roden 141) I want to go back to my own bed in my own warm, smoke free house without having to deal with the hardships at Valley Forge. This reason is causing me to not re-enlist because I do not like Valley Forge and I just want to be back at my own home. Valley Forge is really harsh and I want to be away from all of the

A major reason for my choice of leaving was because of the illness and death rate. The immense outbreaks forced General Washington to make small camps for the sick who had the same illness. According to Document A, out of 8,000 total people, 3,989 people fell ill at Valley Forge. That was almost half of the camp getting sick. On top of that, 2,500 of those ill people died over the winter at Valley Forge. That meant that 31% of

The documents A and C prove that only 14% died of sickness. there were about 12,000 of us to start with, and only about 1,800- 2500 died from December to June. Therefore, that leaves just about 9,500 of us left. However, with all the people that abandoned the Continental Army leaves us with just about 8,000 of us. In document C which is a passage from a doctor’s diary. He was one of the army’s doctors. His name was Dr. Albigence Waldo. Therefore, that proves that there was medical care.

There was a man named Dr. Waldo, he was a surgeon for the Patriots. He says these things in document C; “I am sick”, “Poor food”, “Cold weather”, “Vomit half my time”, and “soldier has bare feet”. These things would want to make you and me quit, right? Yes, it would but even with those terrible things, he and many others still didn’t quit. So if he can stick with it, then so can me and you! Also, the soldiers were miserable but, they had “Spirit of Alacrity” which is cheerful willingness (Doc. C). Of course there were tough time, it’s winter! The soldiers had to suffer with not a lot of supplies but the soldiers knew that soon enough, it was all going to be over. After winter come spring and summer where there are good conditions. So if I stay positive just like the others, then I know not to quit and continue fighting for

While General Washington gets support from congress, the army needs it. Many soldiers lye sick and die, others have their dead or infected limbs severed. This is Valley Forge in the winter of 1777-1778. Valley Forge was 18 miles out of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Some soldiers are overconfident in the war and some are underconfident. My service time is almost over. I have concerns about my family especially my aging mother. Will you re-enlist for the army. I will re-enlist facing these facts, the army is running low on soldiers, Americans should have freedom from Britain, and the army is receiving support from congress.

During the Civil many soldiers have been separated from their wives and children since they were compelled to join the Union and Confederate armies. 620,000 American casualties would never see their families since they were forced to join the Union and Confederate armies at a young age. This reminds me of the time my father was enforced to join the army during the Gulf War. During that time, the United States had the right to draft young men for the army. My father would tell me stories of how scared he was to leave his family and would never see them again in his life. The recruiters informed my dad that he had one day to pack his belongings, my dad decided to move to Mexico and live there so he would never join the army. In conclusion, I’ve