By: Ava Belmont
Valley Forge: Would you have Quit? D.B.Q If I was presented with the choice of staying for another term of duty in the Continental Army or going back home to my sick and aging mother, I would choose going back home. I would decide to leave Valley Forge because I have already served my country and my family must always come first. The army is also suffering. There are men without shoes, food, and shelter. This so called “army” is not fit to fight in this war. How does this army plan to win the war if their troops can not even survive the winter? My mother is sick and at the near point of death. I would never forgive myself if I served another term in this “army” and did not have a chance to say goodbye to my dying mother. How could I …show more content…
In Document A, it shows that from December 1777-February 1778, 4,000 soldiers died or left Valley Forge. From December 23, 1777-February 1, 1778, the illness estimate went up by 1,091 men and the death estimates from December-June was 2,500 men. If looking at this data and not considering this army hopeless then be my guest, go on this suicide mission. In Document B, the engraving by William Henry Powell shows how miserable these men look. One man has only three toes, and most have no shoes and little clothes. How are we supposed to fight in this war when illness and death has already done away with 50% of our army and the other 50% are too close for comfort? In Document C Dr. Waldo also depicts how hard living at Valley Forge was “I am sick - disconnected - and out of humour. Poor food - hard lodging - Cold weather - fatigue - nasty Cloaths - nasty Cookery - Vomit half my time - smoak’d out my senses - the Devils in’t - I can’t Endure it - Why are we sent here to starve and Freeze” this shows how horrible it is living through Valley Forge, and how even the doctors are sick and hungry. This “army” does not even have doctors to help the sick because they are