An Analysis of Foot Soldiers of the Revolutionary Army

Pyeong G. Lim Dr. Christian History 1305 March 21, 2013 Summary of institution Soldiers of the Revolutionary the States In the essay Foot Soldiers of the Revolutionary Army by Gary B. Nash, the authors of the book tell of a Private Joseph Plumb Martin that unplowed a diary that details the life and hardships that the soldiers endured. Martin writes, The military was now non solely starved but naked. The greatest part were non exclusively shirtless and barefoot but destitute of all other clothing, especially blankets. (Gary Nash 124) The faints were abstruse given the chance to receive easedom, which did not follow through completely. Although the colonies essential men for the army, these two simple sentences exposed the truth that people didnt know at the time and even now. The leadership of the army knew this would be the case, which is the main reason that the terms of enlistment were so short during the fight unlike the minimal 8 years contract in the army now.Althoug h the life in the army improved the soldiers had to endure such environs as, shivering with cold upon bare floors with reveal a blanket to cover them, vocation for fire, for water, for suitable food, and for medicines- calling in vain. Having to withstand all these misfortune, the soldiers were anything but depress in their conception of rights. The soldiers fightned the generals of desertion if they were not properly taken financial aid of, so the severest Punishment was placed to counter threat the soldiers.However, this did not in conclusion as even in Washingtons handpicked Life Guard, octad soldiers deserted during the war. As the war dragged out, eventually, Washington reopened the Continental army to free blacks with congressional approval. Slaves were still forbidden, yet five hundred free black men served in the war. It started with Massachusetts than to Rhode Island. Even with the blacks joining, Mother Nature did not see lightly of them, By early 1778, the regime nts were close to disintegration, their pay in arrears, uniforms tattered, and ranks thinned by disease. In February, all blacks were able to join the army with the consent of their owners in exchange for freedom. The white men found this proposal of marriage too good to turn down since the slaves would relieve them of army duty. The war continued with victory earned by the Black Regiement who stromed through the moat and heavily fortified redoubts. White men and blacks had hardship through out the war, but above all, despite all the blacks who were involved in the war, only one third of the former slaves survived to taste freedom as civilians.