The First American Army Bruce Chadwick Chapter Summary

The First American Army: The Untold Story of George Washington and the Men Behind America's First Fight for Freedom, written by Bruce Chadwick, narrates the hardships that patriots faced throughout the entire Revolutionary War. Chadwick uses journal entries of enlisted men, officers, doctors, lawyers, and ministers who served to paint the true picture of the war. The various journal entries allow each part of the war to be seen from a real life perspective. Throughout the many battles, harsh winter camps, and other journeys, Chadwick switches perspectives in order to show how experiences differed in the various roles that were occupied. Bruce Chadwick’s analysis of the First American Army reveals the genuine bravery and courage of the men and

Most of those who fought had not experienced much outside of their home life, and the gruesome details of war shocked them. For many of the young men, the deaths that they saw from their bedsides in camp were the first they had witnessed (Chadwick, 24). The deaths that surrounded the soldiers on the battlefield were especially horrifying. John Greenwood wrote of Bunker Hill, saying, “Everywhere the greatest terror and confusion seemed to prevail.” (Chadwick, 7) Soldiers who were captured often got treated terribly, and they were placed in terrible conditions. Some unlucky troops were placed in a jail that was located over a square where the British carried the blood-soaked bodies of dead Americans atop wooden wagons (Chadwick, 77). Life in winter encampments was typically more deadly than being on a battlefield. The men were lacking in food, clothing, and shelter, but there was enough disease to go around. Disease took countless lives because unsanitary, makeshift hospitals were the primary housing for the sick. Reverend Ammi Robbins wrote, “It is enough to kill a man’s spirit when first taken to go into the hospital.” (Chadwick, 99) On top of the hardships found in camps and in battles, these courageous Americans were separated from their loved ones for several months, or years, at a time. All of the experiences of the Americans mentioned in the First American Army reveal how hard

There were more differences between the enlisted men and the officers, doctors, lawyers, and ministers other than just their salaries. It was said that sometimes, the officers and the enlisted men in the Revolution seemed like two different types of soldiers in two separate armies (Chadwick, 29). Between the lower and higher ranks, a social, intellectual, and military divide could be clearly seen (Chadwick, 28). This was very evident because officers, along with doctors and ministers, were clearly treated better and most thought that they were more valuable. When those in the higher ranks fell ill, they were treated more carefully, and they were not stuck in the shabby hospitals like the regular enlisted men. Also, those who were officers who got captured were often kept in private homes at night and they were allowed to walk around the city during the daylight (Chadwick, 78). Overall, the experiences of the enlisted men when compared to those in higher roles in the First American Army shows the true difference in their perspectives, and how much more value was given to the officers, doctors, lawyers, and ministers. Despite their differences, all of the men and women in the First American Army banded together to gain American