Valley Forge DBQ

The Battle of Valley Forge was the turning point of the Revolutionary War. Although no actual military battle was waged here, George Washington’s Continental Army faced some physical and mental battles of their own in this Pennsylvania town. It was here at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania where the Continental Army Soldiers of the Revolutionary War chose to go after being defeated in the Battle of Germantown in October 1777. During this winter, Washington’s troops came to this encampment to recuperate and train for future battles with the British. The winter of 1777-78 was terribly cold, bitter, and harsh. These conditions made things very difficult for General Washington’s military unit. The unit’s morale and physical strengths were severely tested throughout this challenging and historical time.

Valley Forge is where George Washington spent the winter with his colonial troops. It was a cold and painful winter, but the soldiers that survived in camp gained much needed training. This training was a valuable asset to the colonists. If I had been a soldier at Valley Forge I would have stayed there. For example in the Estimates of Illness and Deaths at Valley Forge(Doc A) it states that only 1,800 people died in the camp. This is only a ten percent of the population at the camp, which was 12,000. This means that you have a small chance of dying if you lived there. Another example is in The American Crisis(Doc D) it states that if you leave now you will increase the odds of us losing and increase chance of Britain winning. What this means

The climate at Valley Forge is horrible. The soldiers are constantly freezing. They have a choice between freezing cold, or smoke. The huts that the soldiers stay in have a fireplace but they don’t have a chimney so all of the smoke is trapped in the hut and they can barely breath. The soldiers get smoke in their lungs and it is horrible. Sadly, it is either smoke in the lungs, or freezing to death. The soldiers choose smoke. Either way they have to suffer. In document c and b it shows the cold, it said it was a big factor in the war. Smoke is yet another reason a soldier would quit Valley

I’m standing in the center of our camp at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. The British are 20 miles away in Philadelphia. Men surround me, shivering, starving, and covered in their own vomit. I know I do not want to be a part of this madness. The winter of 1777-1778 has been rough enough already. I’ve been here for 8 months, and in 1 more month I can choose to re-enlist, or go home. My decision has already been made. Although George Washington is trying his best, his monotonous words will not be enough to keep me in this graveyard. I refuse to risk my health and in all likelihood die from the sickness and disease going around camp. I refuse to starve, be frigid, live in smolder-filled huts, and remain unclothed and unhealthy. I refuse to die under these circumstances. I am going to leave Valley Forge in one

As the American Revolution was in full swing, soldiers were being recruited and fighting for their freedom from the British. However, the fight for freedom took more than just fighting skills. The men fighting had to endure the harsh conditions and the little help and supplies they received. The American army went to Valley Forge in hopes of spying on the British army. However, the winter at Valley Forge was harsh with the cold seeping into their poorly built shelters and the little amount of supplies they had was not enough to keep everyone alive and healthy. Much of the time, soldiers were dying not from the honor of fighting, but by choosing to remain fighting after their enlistment and dying from illnesses. The soldiers at Valley Forge

Winter of 1777, Valley Forge was a refuge for many soldiers like me. After retreating from Howe’s army, General Washington along with the half the Continental army had set up base for three months. The small camp with few necessities was 18 miles away from Pennsylvania. The camp was a snow covered area, with small wood lodges that were not ventilated, no meat, low food supply, tattered clothes and shoes, and injuries from walking. Consider being surrounded with all of theses atrocious circumstances, then ask yourself, would you stay at Valley Forge? My decision was not to stay because of the illness and death rate, the harsh weather and living conditions, and major lack of vital supplies.

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.

If I were in Valley Forge and I was going through this and had to deal with it

Thomas Paine said “he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman.” (153). If I survive through this, I will have much more respect and am more likely to get a higher position. Many men are leaving and dying(Background 141). In the Estimates of Illness and Deaths at Valley Forge, about 4,000 are sick, about 2,000 are dead, and about 2,000 left camp (Busch 147). If I am higher in rank I will get better housing, pay, and respect. Staying will improve my chances of getting promoted.

As I sit in my cabin freezing cold, scared, and hungry, myself wonders, “Is there still any hope”? The huts were long and wide made of wood. The fireplace was filling the huts with smoke that we almost could not handle. There were no beds just the mud floor covered with straw. My service to the army at Valley Forge is soon ending.I have decided to re-enlist for three reasons which are: Hope, the army needs me, and for my family and the hope of surviving.

“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

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.

In the harsh, dreaded winter at Valley Forge, your enlistment has finally retired. But now there is a decision to be made. Will I stay and be loyal to the Continental Army. Or will I abandon and never look back at the Continental Army. The decision must be made. It would be so easy to leave and not have to deal with all the death. But it also would be hard because my freedom could rely on this decision and the Continental Army needs my help. Therefore, I choose to stay at Valley Forge, for there is a chance for me to not die of sickness because of the medical care, there is also patriotism, and people are willing to fight for our freedom.

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

There are times in history that are significant for more than one reason and stand out because of the spark they ignite setting off a chain of other events. Of course to ignite something means the conditions are right to be combustible. The sinking of the U.S.S Maine has come to be one of those events which impacted not only the history of the United States but the world. The U.S.S. Maine, its voyage and ultimate annihilation led to the Spanish-American War.