Valley Forge: The American Revolution

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Was independence worth more than survival? It’s the American Revolution, and the colonists will be tested beyond anything they could have imagined. George Washington, leader of the Continental Army, has faced numerous hardships in the recent years. Now, he has retreated to build a winter camp at Valley Forge, 18 miles northwest of Philadelphia, where General Howe of the British army has captured the city. Although majority of Washington’s army survived at Valley Forge, his soldiers endured terrible conditions. Any soldier residing at Valley Forge would have left without a moment’s doubt. Given the situation at the camp, including death and illness, detestation towards Congress, and living conditions, even the most determined Patriot would have laid down his arms and left Valley Forge. …show more content…
Noel F. Busch, along with researchers at the William Clements Library of the University of Michigan, uses “Winter Quarters” to describe the illness and fatalities due to illness during the Continental Army’s time at Valley Forge. The chart states that 50% of soldiers at the camp, 3,989 men, suffered from sickness on February 1, 1778. In just December of last year, 1777, only 2,898 soldiers were ill. What’s more, the death estimates due to illness from December to June was between 1,800 to 2,500. And this is just due to sickness, not combat. The number of sick cases over the course of just three months increased by over 1000. Even without counting the deaths in battle, sickness caused too many fatalities. Anyone who valued good health of themselves and others would have abandoned Valley