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 …show more content…
The limited supplies they had was only enough to sustain them for a little bit before they ran out. Their clothes were not adequate thus they often caught chills, fevers, and other illnesses. The death rate at Valley Forge was also extremely high. Of the 8,000 people enlisted in February, 3,989, half of the people enlisted, perished during encampment (Doc A). The soldiers who died due to being too sick to actually fight, died not because they were killed off, but because they were forced to endure the brutal and atrocious winter of Valley Forge. Another key factor as to why the soldiers in the Continental army should have left after their term was up because the help they should have received was not being given to them. The Committee of Congress came to Valley Forge to discuss with George Washington on what the soldiers need. However, once there, in the engraving by William Henry Powell, the Committee of Congress seems to be contemplating on helping the soldiers thus causing the soldiers to look angry. The soldiers in the picture were barefoot and had little clothing on than the Committee of Congress (Doc B). The soldiers at Valley Forge were starving, had little clothes, and they had very little help which is why they should have ended fighting in the war completely after their term was
In December of 1777, American General George Washington and his men took shelter at Valley Forge for the winter. It was 18 miles northwest of the British camp in Philadelphia, and Washington thought it was a perfect spot. But that was not the case for the soldiers. The soldiers had it rough, and many did not want to enlist for the army after. Today, many people wonder if they would stay with George Washington, or not enlist and go home back to their families.
In Document A, there was about 3,000 people sick throughout the encampment and 1,800 - 2,500 people dead. At first, there was about 12,000 people at the beginning of Valley Forge, 49% of those people were sick and half of those people ended up dead. An engraving of a painting by William Powell is one of Valley Forge. (document B) In the engraving, it looks as if no one is really
Valley Forge - The Camp Of Death Valley Forge is a winter camp that has caused loads of deaths. There is low supplies and they have very poor weather conditions. I wouldn’t want to stay at Valley Forge because I wouldn’t want to be apart of that type of environment. In the engraving of a painting by Henry Powell it shows George Washington presenting Congressional Committee to soldiers at Valley Forge. (Doc B) If you look closely you can see the soldiers have no shoes, which shows the lack of supplies they have.
If I was a soldier at Valley Forge, I would quit. In “Estimates of Illness and Deaths at Valley Forge” it showed the estimated deaths and illnesses reported in Valley Forge. (Document A) According to document A, in February about 50% of the soldiers got sick. Also, about 1800 to 2500 soldiers died.
The army fell short of the ideal image the American public had created for it, as it lacked experience and professionalism. However, this would not last forever. The army gained professionalism during their time at Valley Forge, eventually resembling the institution the America public feared. Royster, defines Valley Forge as a, “test of national survival because it had been a test of the army’s survival amid hardships caused in large by fellow revolutionaries” (190). It also marked a turning point in the war, as it was the last time the revolutionaries expected to be united with the same enthusiasm as in 1775.
The Battle of Vicksburg and the War did not only affect the lives of men, but the women were majorly affected. Before the war women were only allowed to take care of the home, the husband, children, and work in mills and farms (Encyclopedia Britannica). Women were not given a tenth of the respect or rights that men received, but as the war progressed that started to change. During many battles including the Battle of Vicksburg women were doing the household jobs, taking care of children, and doing the work that their husbands, fathers, and/or brothers would be doing if they were not drafted. Some women even disguised as men and fought in the war or acted as spies.
In times of fear and hysteria in the U.S. it is mass chaos and it only gets worse and worse. During the time of both the witch-hunt eras, whether for communist or actual witches, they prove to have many similarities between them. Both of these times were full of confusion and lying which lead to the temporary downfall of the authority at that time. Joseph McCarthy proved to be a factor in this time and add on to the chaos that was America. Arthur Miller wrote about these times in a book called The Crucible, based on the witch trial era.
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
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. One reason a soldier would quit Valley Forge is the lack of food.
Since it was so bad some of the soldiers were leaving, but others were staying loyal. Now, if I was a soldier at in Washington’s army and I had to ask myself the question: Would have I quit at Valley Forge? My answer is no, I wouldn’t have quit at Valley Forge because only 15% of all people there died, there is help on the way, and because of the inspirational words of Thomas Paine. The first reason I have for staying is that just 15% of all people at Valley Forge actually died, that is not enough to make to quit.
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.
In the winter of 1777 and 1778, George Washington and thousands of soldiers were in Valley Forge, a winter camp outside of Philadelphia. Where there was disease and terrible living conditions. I would stay because even though soldiers were sick, not a lot were dying, Washington was getting help from the congressional committee, and I would definitely not be a summer soldier, because freedom is actually worth fighting for. One of the reasons I would have stayed in Valley Forge is a lot may have been sick but only little died.
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. 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 the winter, Washington took his troops to Valley Forge, which was 18 miles from Philadelphia. At this time, Valley Forge was a difficult place to live for the Patriots. It was a struggle but if I were a Patriot in Valley Forge fighting for Washington’s Army, I wouldn’t quit. I won’t quit for three big reasons; yes I know there were a lot of sick soldiers but not as much as dying soldiers, another thing is the conditions were horrible, but there were many brave soldiers who stuck with it, and stayed with Washington, lastly I do not want to be a “summer soldier” because freedom is valuable so it is worth fighting for.
The soldiers were inadequately trained and lacked ammunition, food, and other provisions. They sometimes even went without clothing and went barefoot in the winter. However, General Washington was able to give them direction and encourage them to persevere. The common soldier would prove important.