The Patriots were feeling defeated after the first 2 years of war, and the makeshift Pennsylvania winter camp didn 't add to their spirits. Valley Forge was a tough time for the American Army, and many soldiers wanted to quit because of the hardships. If I were a soldier, I would have quit Valley Forge for a multitude of reasons. The living conditions were inadequate, there was a minimal amount of supplies, and illness and death was common in the camp. In essence, the cons of staying at Valley Forge outweighed the Pros.
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.
Valley Forge- Dec. 19 1777-June 19 1778. Valley Forge was the a winter camp for the continental army. This winter was one of the toughest winters the army faced. They lacked enough food and supplies that they need most. Washington had the toughest job: keeping the army together.
Valley Forge was a Patriot camp during the American Revolution. It was used by General George Washington and soldiers. The campsite was a harsh place and the winter made nearly impossible to live. For, us , soldiers it was a living hell. The Patriots reached Valley Forge in December 1777 ( Doc A ).
Valley Forge is where George Washington came to a winter camp next to Pennsylvania and tried to help because of the harsh weather and poor amount of food, water, and clothing they were provided with. They thought they could make an army and be get strong to be powerful to be ready to fight the enemies. They call this Valley Forge. I would quit Valley Forge because research shows that about 50% of people died because of the harsh weather and the many illnesses that went around. In December to June 1,800 to 2,500 people died due to illness during the encampment.
Also because the soldiers worked non stop they didn 't have time to harvest or grow anything so they died of starvation and loneliness, this means that the soldiers were forced to work against their will and were lonely
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.
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.
In the engraving, Washington is proudly showing off his army and he could be saying how he trained them and how far they’ve come. Washington taught the army everything they need to know to fight well for the country. In addition, Washington also wrote a 35-page report about the soldiers, to the congress. It was also a common document the soldiers followed. This is significant because it showed how much work Washington put in and also how much Washington cares.
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.
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. On December 19, 1777, General George Washington, the Commander of the U.S. Continental Army led the troops to Valley Forge in Pennsylvania for a few different reasons.
Valley Forge: Should I Re-enlist Our men our dying off and I don’t know if we can bare these conditions much longer. It is the winter of 1777, and General Washington has quartered us at Valley Forge. Many of our men are deserting us or their re-enlistment point is arriving shortly.
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.
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.
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.
