How Did So Many Soldiers Die At Valley Forge

There was a lot of sick people, but there was not a lot of people dying from the sickness. Firstly, in document A it stated there was “3,989 people sick out of the 8,000” who were there. So what that is saying there was about 50% of soldiers sick and in the Winter it is common to be sick especially in those conditions. Secondly there were only “1,800 out of the 12,000 men died in Valley Forge”(doc A). What this is saying is that there is only a 15% chance of dying and a 85% chance of living which that is pretty good odds. Also in the background essay it says “today we know that most of the army survived the winter. So, I would take those odds and stay at Valley Forge.

In the winter of 1777 and 1778, George Washington commanded several patriots to spend the winter at Valley Forge, and I was one of them. With the hard lodging, cold weather, and vague ventilation the living conditions were not easy. Valley Forge was a military camp 18 miles northwest of Philadelphia during the American Revolutionary War. (Doc A.) Starvation, disease, malnutrition, and exposure killed more than 2,500 American soldiers by February 1777. George Washington desired huts for his men with winter almost setting in. At Valley Forge I quit because of the extreme conditions of the lodging along with illness and death. I also knew that my family needed me back home.

I am a Colonist and I can’t stand it here anymore so I have decided I am going to leave Valley Forge. In Estimates of Illness and Deaths at Valley Forge (DocA). Not all of the soldiers were able to survive. A lot of the soldiers got very ill at Valley Forge because of the weather. In the Diary of Dr. Waldo (Doc C). The army starts to get sick. There is very poor food for us at Valley Forge. The American Crisis by Thomas Paine (Doc D). It is a very difficult time for us to be there. It gets very cold at Valley Forge that is why it is a difficult time to be there. There is illness, poor food, and it is a difficult time that is why I would leave.

Valley Forge - A military camp 18 miles northwest of Philadelphia where the American Continental Army spent the winter of 1777-1778 during the American Revolutionary War.

In Document C, according to the Diary of Albigence Waldo, he states “I am sick-disconnected- and out of humour. Poor food-hard lodging-Cold weather-fatigue-Nasty coats-Nasty cookery…”. In this qoute, you can see that soldiers are in great pain from the cold weather, bad food, and bad care. The soldiers can’t really take this anymore and they feel miserable. Sure they can be warm with their coats, but in Waldo's diary he tells us that the coats they have are “nasty”, they could have diseases on them or they could smell really bad to. The soldiers are in misery from the weather, food, and care.

December 1777 at Valley Forge. Valley Forge is George Washington’s winter camp. Valley Forge is a difficult place to live. The continental army is who stays in the camp. The army is not doing so good at this time but there is still a chance of winning. If you were a soldier would you quit? If I was a soldier I would not quit because there are a lot of sick people but not dying people, the conditions are bad but brave soldiers stuck with it, and I do not want to be a summer solder because freedom is worth fighting for.

First of all, during the battle at Valley Forge disease and famine cover the land. One February first, 3,989 people were sick. Many people quit during this time because they

Disease, starvation, malnutrition, and exposure killed more than 2,500 American soldiers by the end of February 1778. Many years ago about 500 British people decided to come to America to seek land. 69 years later, the Declaration of Independence was passed, and it states that people should have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Valley Forge was a military camp 18 miles north of Philadelphia and it was where the Continental Army, led by George Washington, stayed all winter. The Continental Army was an army that was created under the Continental Congress. Later, the French decided to come help the Americans after the Battle of Saratoga. As a soldier at Valley Forge staying throughout the Winter is a reasonable choice

In Document C, it says “I am Sick - discontented - and out of humour. Poor food - hard lodging - Cold Weather - fatigue - Nasty Clothes - nasty Cookery - Vomit half my time - Smok'd out my senses…” and much more. Essentially, everything about Valley Forge is terrible, such as the food, ventilation, clothes, and hard lodging. Even though the conditions were terrible, “Dr. Waldo suffered during his winter at Valley Forge but stayed loyal to the Continental Army as he helped other surgeons care for sick soldiers.” As well as “... spirit of Alacrity…” shown by the soldiers. This evidence is meaning even though the conditions were very bad, a lot of the other soldiers showed spirit and willingness, so I would have too.

The first reason I am staying in Valley Forge is, with so many soldiers dead or too sick to get out of bed, they need as many people as they can get. By this time, February 1, 1778, about half of the soldiers at Valley Forge are too sick to work. Another 1,800 to 2,500 are already dead. (Document A) This means that they are severely short on troops. If the British were to attack at this time and everyone was leaving, we wouldn’t fare very well.

Things are terrible at Valley Forge for the past couple months. I don’t think I can stand it any longer! Right now it is winter in 1777. I have served my time as a soldier in Valley Forge, but now I have to decide if I will quit or not. In this case, quit means to not re-enlist. A lot of soldiers are considering not to re-enlist. I have decided not to re-enlist for three reasons which are, the bad conditions, half of the soldiers are sick, and very cold/snowing.

When a person is in a stressful situation on instinct they have two options, fight or flight. In war the same is true. War is not always bayonets and bullets, it’s the decisions you make during times of hardship. A soldier has to make the decision whether to keep fighting for what they believe in no matter what the stakes or to flee. In December of 1777, George Washington and his troops arrived at Valley Forge. Since the summer of 1775, all has gone well for the Continental Army. More recently Washington was presumably unable to stop General Howe and his British soldiers from claiming the national capital of Philadelphia. With Howe and his army of approximately 18,000 comfortably quartered in Philadelphia,

Valley Forge atop such a high plateau was near completely cut off from supply routes making food, clothing, and weaponry very scarce. Soldiers were treated to the worst conditions possible at Valley Forge. Many were near naked and many were starving to death. Also dieses such as Dysentery and Typhus ran rampant at Valley Forge. These conditions alone accounted for the lives of hundreds of American soldiers that winter.

One of the reasons I wouldn't quit Valley Forge is because 50% of the people were sick but only 15% died. In document A it says “3989 (about 4000) out of 8000 were sick or unable to report for duty.” By February 1st, about 50% of soldiers were sick. But sickness is common around this time. For example, in our classroom about half of our students were sick. (Doc A) “1800 out of 12000 died”. 1800 out of 12000 soldiers may sound like a lot but it is actually only 15%. That's only 15% of all the soldiers dying. That's pretty good for being the “UnderDogs” in a war. This still gives you an 85% chance of living. So I would stay.

“Helplessness includes hopelessness and history attest that loss of hope and not the loss of lives is what decides the issue war” B. H. Linddel Hart. VAlley Forge had taken place the winter of 1777-1778. Valley Forge was a camp that the Militia, or the American soldiers camped in through the Winter. The soldiers had to make it through terrible conditions of the harsh weathers, many soldiers tell of how they could see the blood in the snow from the bloody feet of the soldiers marching barefoot in the snow. The disease of smallpox had come so quickly and spread so fast. The soldiers of the MIlitia had been inoculated with a kind of small pox disease to help them fight the small pox. The inoculation had decreased the risk of the soldiers dying from smallpox. In 1773 the ar had been sparked by the Boston Tea party. The Boston tea party shows that the Americans were done with Britain and all of their taxings. Later that year the colonist had installed 310 street lights and know they are in war. I have decided to not re-enlist for three reasons which are there is not enough clothing, sickness is spreading to fast, and the bad conditions of the weather.