Malieke Lynch

HIS 3424: American Military History to 1900

Fall 2018
Brooklyn College

Plight of the American Continental Army: Valley Forge 1777-1778

The American Continental Army under leadership of George Washington faced several

hardships in their efforts against the British and its allies. The lives of soldiers during the

Revolutionary War period was never easy, it demanded motivation and perseverance from the

men and women involved. After two years of ongoing fighting against the British, the

revolutionaries faced one of their hardest challenges in the winter of 1777. In their book “A

Respectable Army” James Martin and Mark Lender discuss this event in regards to its negative

effect on soldiers ambitions. The almost overbearing adversity the Continental army had to

endure at Valley Forge created tensions amongst the military and civilian population.

The strength of the Revolutionary army was tested at Valley Forge. In December of 1777

due to the resignation of the Quartermaster and Commissary generals, the military experienced

lack of basic resources. Necessities such as food, clothing, warmth and drink were scarce, and

little effort was made by officials to attain these provisions. Over 2,500 died from the harsh

conditions, leaving many malnourished, susceptible to infection and disease. In Chapter 4 of the

text it is stated that the army could have confiscated local supplies, however Washington was

“hesitant to do so, however, because he “grasped the central principle of modern warfare: the

necessity of maintaining a positive relationship between the army and the people,””1. According

to the information presented in the text by Martin & Lender, the relationship between military

and civilians was one of indifference.

1
Martin, James Kirby, and Mark Edward Lender. A Respectable Army: The Military Origins of the Republic, 1763-
1789. Chichester, West Sussex (GB): Wiley Blackwell, 2015. 104
 There was a rift forming between the civilian population and the military. Most likely

popular in the belief of the American troops, the struggle they faced could have been lessened

with increased support from civilians. They did little to assist the starving and dying soldiers, and

in some cases even profited on their lack of resources. It is curious to believe the civilian

population would condemn the people who fought for their unity and freedom. Why were

civilians reluctant to help the soldiers? Why did the soldiers continue to fight for people who did

not seem to value their sacrifice? The text conveys that “civil military relations declined

noticeably. The winter at Valley Forge had convinced both ordinary soldiers and officers alike

that they would get little more from republican society than they demanded.”2. If this idea is true

then what allowed the Continental Army to continue their fight for independence, and what

caused this treatment of the soldiers?

It is understood that a large portion of the army was comprised of individuals in lower

socioeconomic groups. Because of this it is possible civilians felt no remorse towards the lower

class members of society fighting and dying in the war effort. In the eyes of the troops they

displayed “selfish and ungrateful civil behavior towards the cause and the army”3. Would

civilians have treated soldiers in the same regard if middle class men filled the ranks of the

Continental Army? This along with the lack of resources and support led to a growing bitterness

within the military. Acts of protest from soldiers such as looting, drinking, and deserting were

becoming frequent. Despite the risk of consequence such as lashings, soldiers were acting

against military service. Soldiers were losing the initiative to continue fighting and this could

2
Martin, James Kirby, and Mark Edward Lender. A Respectable Army: The Military Origins of the Republic, 1763-
1789. Chichester, West Sussex (GB): Wiley Blackwell, 2015. 127-128
3
Martin, James Kirby, and Mark Edward Lender. A Respectable Army: The Military Origins of the Republic, 1763-
1789. Chichester, West Sussex (GB): Wiley Blackwell, 2015. 128
have led to a drastic conclusion. Many used the war as solely a source of income through bounty

jumping; enlisting to collect pay, deserting, then enlisting against elsewhere in a cycle.

The lack of popular support for the war effort was diminishing the resolve of the

American troops. Without dedication and guidance it can be stated that the outcome of the

revolution would have been substantially different. The winter of 1777 was a harsh period and it

is said that “Valley Forge has come to stand as a patriotic symbol of suffering, courage and

perseverance.”4. Regardless of shortages of food, clothing and little cohesion between the army

and people, the struggles at Valley Forge were not enough to disband the Continental Army and

end the war effort.

4
"Chapter 4: American Military History, Volume I." Accessed October 06, 2018.
https://history.army.mil/books/AMH-V1/ch04.htm. 85