“The harder the conflict, the glorious the triumph,” stated George Washington from the inspiring words of Thomas Paine to the miserable soldiers. It was the winter of 1776, where thousands of soldiers were under defeat with not the British, but the horrendous conditions they are living through in Valley Forge. During the American Revolutionary War, Washington had established a camp post for the Continental Army at Valley Forge. There, the soldiers possessed a low amount of supplies due to the inadequacy of support from the Continental Army and the frigid weather. Unfortunately, the camp conditions were dreadful since the soldiers were freezing, starving, and some even dying. Although, death wasn’t a major factor of the decline in soldiers. Countless numbers of soldiers had completed a nine month term while others deserted the war. A soldier from the Continental Army would have continued their duty to gain independence because George Washington was a great leader, the…show more content… While many soldiers were starting to lose their hope, Washington would recite words from Thomas Paine’s pamphlets. He would read aloud, “THESE are the times that try men’s souls,” (Thomas Paine, The American Crisis, 1776). From this, Thomas Paine is referring to the war which sometimes will test the capability of plenty soldiers. On the other hand, the soldier’s limit could have been overpowered due to the serious health issues resulting in death. In contrast, Thomas Paine’s words helped boost the spirits of various soldiers to not give up their ambition of winning. One reason Washington had read out loud essays was to remind the idea of what the Americans are fighting for, independence. The importance of Paine’s wise words were that it reminded the soldiers to continue the fight for freedom. Washington wasn’t one of the only person to enlighten the spirits of the soldiers, but the Congress also helped pitched
