Being in the snow isn’t always fun. It is January 1, 1778 and I have been serving my term at Valley Forge. I have been very miserable which has made my experience here dreadful. I’ve finished my time as a soldier but I have the option to re-enlist or come back home. As much as I want to stay and help out the army, I’ve chosen to come back home. I have been homesick and don’t want to be so cold all the time. As good as it sounds to have freedom, I rather have a warm place to stay at and nicer clothes than I have now. Lots of sickness, too much death, and terrible conditions are the reasons why I am not going to re-enlist. One reason I am choosing to leave is that there is too much sickness. I have a very large of dying from the sicknesses getting passed around. I overheard General George Washington say that around 3,989 soldiers have gotten sick by February (Busch 147). And that 2,500 deaths have come from sickness (Busch 147). Frostbite and Smallpox have played a big part here at Valley Forge. Frostbite has gotten many people’s limb taken off. Because of this, a lot of soldiers have gotten sent home because they aren’t gonna be able to fight in battle. …show more content…
It has been freezing cold and I am starving to death(Powell 149). We came to Valley Forge thinking we had enough food. But have ended up barely having enough food to last us a few days. Having no food has been very tough because we are all exhausted and in pain all the time. Even when we do get food, we get small portions that will last for about a day. When it comes night time, all of us soldiers sleep in huts that are very small. We have a fireplace to keep us warm, but it leaves a lot of smoke in the room. Many men here have little to no clothes and have ragged, old shoes to wear. If I did re-enlist, I would still be in these terrible conditions which I do not
The Valley Forge Tragedy Many people have talked about Valley Forge and the tragic things that have happened there. I would not like to stay at Valley Forge. In document A (Estimate Of Illness And Deaths at Valley Forge), it states how many died. Also, how many people got sick. There was about 3,989 soldiers who got sick, and 1800 of them who died.
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.
In 1777, winter takes over and causes many illnesses, but many brave soldiers stay at Valley Forge and train for the war. Valley Forge is a winter camp that was used in the American Revolution, about 18 miles northwest of Philadelphia. Valley Forge was smaller than a village and had small log huts that were 16’ by 14’. I would stay at Valley Forge. There are three different reasons that I have for staying.
My second reason I will re-enlist is that they are in bad conditions and need help. We are living in smoky huts and have messed up clothes. Some of us say we are smoked out of our senses because it is so smokey in our huts (Waldo 151). We have terrible lives here but I am re-enlisting. his reason has caused me to re-enlist because me and my buddies are in bad conditions and I want to help.
It is winter and we have camped at Valley Forge. You know how I manage through the winter, but the condition we are currently in has made life difficult for me. There are no supplies, no food, clothes or anything coming our way. We have no shoes and uniforms, and the little we have are rugs that are likely to fall off soon. I pity other soldiers because mine is tattered, but I consider it better than what they have.
Between drills, we cleaned the camp, built roads, dug trenches for latrines, and gathered wood for cooking and heating. Life here isn’t all well; many of my cabin mates are ill from diseases due to injuries from the Battle of Antietam. Food is not as good as your cooking Mother but it is sufficient for survival. We mainly eat pork or beef which were usually salted
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.
Children who are forced to serve as soldiers are usually displaced, poor, they have little access to education or they live in war zone (Armed and Underage, 1).
According to Document C, “There comes a soldier, his bare feet are seen thro’ his worn out shoes, his legs nearly naked from the tattered remains of an only pair of stockings.” This shows that the soldiers barely have clothes. How can someone in the army continue to get stronger and fight more if they barely have clothes in the freezing temperatures of winter? Also, according to Document C, “I can’t endure it-Why are we went here to starve and freeze.”
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.
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.
I live out in the deep woods where the other soldiers can’t find my Grandmother or myself. My family is in great danger because the Union is attacking us. My Grandfather is in the Confederate Army. My Grandmother and I are trying to survive without my Grandfather. We have to sleep on the ground because we have no beds.
People who thought that sending men out unwilling would benefit the army force, I feel made a very poor judgement due to the lack of knowledge. I also think that the army would be better off if they just had people who enlisted because you do not know if someone is physically, emotionally, or mentally stable to go to war. Conscription was put into place due to heavy losses in the war, by demanding men to go to war after the fatal deaths of many, what makes this time
Imagine how hard it would be to miss the birth of one of your children. I appreciate all the things that they have done to help our country. Whether they fight in the army or work with the science or computers in the army. I can’t imagine the feeling of your family thinking and worrying about you every second of their lives. I would never have the guts to volunteer for the army.
This shows war causes more than pointless death it also causes so many disabilities and emotional trauma. There is an estimated 313,890,422 veterans who know have some form of disability according to The United States Census Bureau. All of these Veterans has disabilities ranging from emotion to physical. The