Valley Forge: Would You Have Quit?
The question of quitting rings loudly in my mind. The year is 1777-1778 at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania in the middle of the deadly winter. Many men are dying because of diseases, the climate, and even starvation. I know what I need to do, nobody said it would be easy, I need to re-enlist. General George Washington is asking all of the men that same question: Would you re-enlist?, and I can’t believe that some of them will not even consider it. Why would you quit when you still have so much to fight for? My country deserves their freedom, and why would I quit when I’m still healthy? After all, George Washington is a great leader, and is an agreeable man, he would fight with us to the very end.
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So, why not re-enlist? Re-enlisting was a choice that only I had to make.
They needed healthy men, and I am somewhat healthy, so I just had to do it. I had to talk to others to see what is happening in their point of view, and I also had to see their opinion about these things. I figured that I needed to talk to a man named Dr. Waldo. Since he was a doctor, I asked him what was happening, what he saw. The look on his face was unbearable to stand, anyone who looked at him would be terrified at what he was about to say. He told me that it was a terrifying experience, and that 1,800 to 2,500 men were dying in December-June, he also said that there were many diseases such as smallpox ( when Dr. Waldo was experimenting, I was one of them to be experimented on, and now I’m immune to it), dysentery, typhoid, and pneumonia.(Busch, 147) By then, even I was shaking, I knew that it would be hard, but it was a risk that I was willing to …show more content…
take. I couldn’t go home right now, I worked too hard for this, I came here for my freedom, and the job wasn’t nearly done.
My friend, Thomas Paine, wrote a book called The American Crisis. In the book, it said “The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph.”(Paine,153) I want to be there when we gain our freedom back, or at least be known for being there when we would obtain it. I’d rather my family be free without me, than knowing that we might not gain it at all. Just the thought of leaving, knowing that it was not over, knowing that I came here to get the job done. I just cannot leave right now. I get how people want to leave, there is a really high chance of dying, or you could get really sick. But, I’d rather die than knowing that I quit on my family, and my own freedom. “These are the times that try men’s souls” Thomas Paine once wrote. (Paine,153) I’m not going to be tempted to leave when there is still so much more that I need to accomplish. I’m staying here, and that’s my
decision. Washington’s a great leader, he will fight to the end with us no matter what the cost. He has shown a great example by showing that he is willing to be the first one to die for his country, so if he is willing, so am I. I was once meeting with George Washington, he introduced us to the Congressional Committee, and they were taking notes! (Powell, 149) Instantly, everyone’s hope arose, and we hoped that they were here to see what supplies we needed. Thanks to George Washington, we might get a chance to have what we need to survive. I don’t know how we will ever survive the war without him on our side. I am very thankful to him and for all the services that he has done for his country, and to us. Everybody knows that the war is not nearly done, so why would somebody quit when it’s not even over? I have thought this over in my head thousands of times, rethinking what I am about to do. I just can’t leave when I know that there is so much more that I can do. George Washington needs more men, I need my freedom, and we have a great leader who will fight with us throughout the war. I need to re-enlist for me, my friends, my family, and for my country. I figured out what I’m going to do, but the real question is for others is, are you going to quit? Look deep into your hearts and think for a second if your family needs it, if your country needs it. Then think if you made the right choice, ponder about it, think about it, and that my friend is a true soldier. If we didn’t have what we had you wouldn’t be here. Will you go home knowing that we could lose our freedom, that we could lose to Britain? So, will you be the soldier that our country needs, or will you hide the rest of your life knowing that you could have done better? For surely, I know what I need to do, but it’s the choice that only you can make. So my friend, will you come and fight with me?
In the winter of 1777 and 1778 George Washington and the Continental Army had a rough time at Valley Forge. Valley Forge was 18 miles outside of Philadelphia . Some of the soldiers left because all they did was work it was cold and they had bad clothing like worn out shoes and they were getting sick but not all left some stayed loyal and times got even harder but they were so devoted to stay and fight for their freedom. So I would not have quit because…..
Valley Forge, was the toughest obstacle the Continental Army had to face during the Revolutionary War. For about nine months in the cold winter, these soldiers stayed in this area for them to"... be close enough to Philadelphia to keep an eye on the British"(Background). By the end of the war, the colonists were victorious in gaining their independence. Regardless, I would abandon my position as a soldier at Valley Forge. My reasoning are due to the multiple hardship they endure such as living in a harsh environment, sickness that lead to death and lacked numerous resources.
...didn’t over step his authority or attempt to subvert the army for his own purposes. Instead, George Washington sets the example of the military commander who was subservient to civilian political leadership. He also showed patience and coolness in the face of adversity. On many occasions in the book, the author cites Washington’s expressions of doubt and fears of failure, yet Washington never showed fear or doubt in action in front of his troops.
Washington's selection to be the leader of the Continental Army was the wisest choice that the newly formed Continental Congress could have made. Washington's selection as Commander of the Continental Army did more to win the Revolutionary war than any other decision made during the conflict. His personal character epitomizes perfectly the five traits required in a successful general: wisdom, sincerity, humanity, courage, and strictness. (Sun Tzu p. 65) These five crucial traits will become apparent and Washington's strategy to win the War of Independence is elaborated on further
“Join, or Die.” “Don’t Tread on Me.” These are two mottos often used by Revolutionary supporters and fighters from about 1754 to 1783, and even sometimes today it is still used. These were battle cries that patriotic men would scream with all their might before charging onto the battlefield, where they might take their last breath. Nearly five thousand men gave their lives, for freedom’s sake. Their sacrifices were not done in vain, as the war was ended on September 3rd, 1783. This sense of victory and accomplishment is what lead these new Americans to further establishing their country, making their mark on history, and creating a new identity for themselves, as free men and woman.
As I walked through the snow with aching, raw feet, the blood, making a trail behind me, I soon began to realize how Valley Forge and this whole war in it’s entirety was driving me to the point where I wanted to quit. It was the winter of 1777 and the American Army was forced to set up camp 18 miles outside of Philadelphia, we call it Valley Forge. The question that keeps popping up in my mind while I sit miserably in my hut is, am I going to re-enlist? I am not going to re-enlist for 3 reasons: death and illness, harsh conditions, and the lack of support and supplies. One of these causes that make me want to quit is the amount of men we were losing due to the illnesses that spread around camp.
I walk into Valley Forge. Winter 1777-78. As I walk in, an overwhelming feeling of emotions comes over me. Sadness, anger, hope, unwillingness, and happiness. I walk in a little bit further and I am greeted with many huts. These huts have no windows and only one door. I decide to peek into one of them and see 12 men inside. The huts are hard to see in because smoke has filled them. From another direction there is many men talking. I walk towards the noise and am surprised to see men sitting around a campfire eating small amounts of food. The men are talking about various things. Some are talking about their family, how they are excited that their duty is almost over, and some of the strong willed patriots who are willing to fight for their country are talking about how they are going to stay longer than they were sent to. As I keep wandering around the camp I find myself at an area with many men. These men are different than the men at the campfire. These men were the unlucky soldiers who had gotten sick. There is a soldier who is crying over another soldiers still body. Again I hear talking but this time it’s about how they need help caring for the sick and the soldiers that want to leave shouldn’t leave so they can help the sick. I shake off what I just witnessed and made the tough decision of staying. I would stay because they would need my help,
General Lee said, to be a good soldier you must love the army, to be a good general you must be prepared to order the death of the thing you love, and therein lies the great trap of soldiering. When you attack you must hold nothing back." Thomas J. Jackson was both a good soldier and a good general. In the Mexican War he fought with all his heart for his country. When the Civil War came, he was a general. He never hesitated to send his men forward. He held nothing back. George McClellan also fought with all his heart for his country in the Mexican War. When the time came to send his men forward in the Civil War, he couldn’t do it. He loved the army to much to order its death.
Powell had documented that,” The committee of five congressmen stayed several weeks and was helping in getting more food.” This relates because, the Congressmen didn’t trust George Washington and then ended up helping us throughout the war. ‘The Congressmen didn’t trust him because, “George Washington's position was uncertain and so the Congressmen were unsure if they could trust him (Powell 149). The Summer soldier and the Sunshine patriot will, in the crisis, shrink from the service of their country (Paine 153). Busch had also documented,”from December 1777 to February 1778 over 4,000 soldiers had either left or died.” Tyranny, is like heck or under the ground and is not easily conquered. This is why we need more soldiers so we can fight for freedom. Fighting is extremely hard and you will lose many friends, but you will feel joy, if the right thing has happened. This reason is causing me to re-enlist because I still trust my army to fight with them, I will stay because I want freedom for me and
One reason why I would re-enlist is because I want to set a good example for the younger troops as well as for the people back in the states. Document D stated “Yet they still show a spirit of Alacrity and Contentment not to be expected for so young troops.”. This sentence tells you that even through the hard times at this place, the young soldiers are still happy and are still willing to suffer through all of this and win the freedom that their country deserves; so why can’t we? If we quit now then slowly, the young soldiers will lose the determination they are having now. We are setting examples to all of the troops through everything that we do, so if all of us quit then they will quit as well because there will be no one here for them to look up to. George Washington is such a powerful and great leader so if I quit then I am not being a very good role model for the troops to follow.
... that it combined the perfect amount of medical history, scientific fact and storytelling; creating a brilliant account that kept me wanting to find out more. It was full of interesting information that helped me to understand more about the cholera epidemic and the views of public health and medical practice of the people in 1854 London.
During the war, twice as many men died from disease and wound infection as died from a bullet in the battlefield; this was due to unsanitary and crowded conditions at the campsites. Clara cared ...
At the end of 1776 the destiny of the Continental Army and its commander, George Washington, were at a low fade. Despite the great optimism inspired by the publication of Paine’s Common Sense and the Declaration ...
As America became involved we realized our medical strategy was practically non-existent, so we copied France and Britain’s plans. Our new medical strategy still contained problems that were in need of fixing. Some of these problems included sanitation and blood loss. Sanitation levels were dangerously low, baths were rare (as was laundering) , and the drinking water was contaminated with who-knows-what. But, we did know that this was causing rapidly-spreading diseases throughout camps. When a soldier would suffer a wound or was operated on there was often a decent portion of blood lost. But fear not, for solutions to these problems were soon discovered!
In WW I, the United States faced a dilemma with draftees deserting in the midst of their service. General Pershing’s proposed solution certainly took a more stringent, deterrent-based approach to put it lightly. While the threat of death may prove to be effective initially, I feel that the change would prove to be short-lasting. In fact, some soldiers may make the conscious choice to die a more humane death from their superiors, instead of the risking dying at the hands of their enemies.