Valley Forge Decision: Army Morale
Valley Forge Decision
A cold wind blows around my small cramped cabin at Valley Forge. I can hear the rapid breathing of the other soldiers as they try to keep warm. My 9 month term ends in just a few days. I joined the army after hearing about the Boston Tea Party in 1773. Of course, the army wasn’t even created until 1775. I have decided not to reenlist into the army. I have decided to leave for three main reasons. The first is that the living conditions of the camp are awful. My second reason is the fact that the army’s morale is low. The third reason is the high death count. I value my life and do not wish to die.
The year is 1778. Five years ago the Sons of Liberty organized a protest called the Boston Tea Party. This rebellious act is …show more content…
Most of the soldiers in camp are feeling hopeless. Many think this war is pointless and don’t want to fight. “There is a hundred more times enthusiasm for this revolution… in Paris then there is in all the United States together.” (Roden 141) It doesn’t help that there are many rumors about Washington’s relationship with Congress. I heard some soldiers talking about how “Washington’s own position was uncertain”. (Roden 141) We had some hope that the French would come to help us. Now many think that the French will not come. (Roden 141) I had a conversation with the camp surgeon, Dr. Waldo, and he told me that he was low on humor. (Waldo 151) Even the doctors are feeling hopeless! This reason is causing me to leave because I don’t want to help a cause that does not believe in …show more content…
I was talking to a doctor the other day and he told me that as of “December 23, 1777, 2,898” out of 12,000 soldiers were sick. (Busch 147) There was already a fairly high chance of sickness and we only arrived earlier that year. The doctor also told me that as of “December 1777 1,800” people died from sickness.(Busch 147) This means that if you got sick there was a 2 in 3 chance you would die. Waldo also told me that the army had been very healthy until now, when all of a sudden, there was a massive outbreak of diseases. (Waldo 151) Some of the soldiers were so sick they could barely stand. (Powell 149)This is one reason I will not re-enlist because I value my life, and I won’t be helping my country much if I am
A cold wind blows around my small cramped cabin at Valley Forge. I can hear the rapid breathing of the other soldiers as they try to keep warm. My 9 month term ends in just a few days. I joined the army after hearing about the Boston Tea Party in 1773. Of course, the army wasn’t even created until 1775. I have decided not to reenlist into the army. I have decided to leave for three main reasons. The first is that the living conditions of the camp are awful. My second reason is the fact that the army’s morale is low. The third reason is the high death count. I value my life and do not wish to die.
The year is 1778. Five years ago the Sons of Liberty organized a protest called the Boston Tea Party. This rebellious act is …show more content…
Most of the soldiers in camp are feeling hopeless. Many think this war is pointless and don’t want to fight. “There is a hundred more times enthusiasm for this revolution… in Paris then there is in all the United States together.” (Roden 141) It doesn’t help that there are many rumors about Washington’s relationship with Congress. I heard some soldiers talking about how “Washington’s own position was uncertain”. (Roden 141) We had some hope that the French would come to help us. Now many think that the French will not come. (Roden 141) I had a conversation with the camp surgeon, Dr. Waldo, and he told me that he was low on humor. (Waldo 151) Even the doctors are feeling hopeless! This reason is causing me to leave because I don’t want to help a cause that does not believe in …show more content…
I was talking to a doctor the other day and he told me that as of “December 23, 1777, 2,898” out of 12,000 soldiers were sick. (Busch 147) There was already a fairly high chance of sickness and we only arrived earlier that year. The doctor also told me that as of “December 1777 1,800” people died from sickness.(Busch 147) This means that if you got sick there was a 2 in 3 chance you would die. Waldo also told me that the army had been very healthy until now, when all of a sudden, there was a massive outbreak of diseases. (Waldo 151) Some of the soldiers were so sick they could barely stand. (Powell 149)This is one reason I will not re-enlist because I value my life, and I won’t be helping my country much if I am