The year is 1776. With the signing of the Declaration of Independence, Washington knew that the tone of the war had changed and that there would be no turning back if they wished to realize their dreams of freedom. That freedom, would be bought with a steep price. The entire year of 1776 was marked by with loss after loss, defeat, and withdrawal. Washington lost half his army, his reputation, morale, and almost the entire war itself. Even his subordinates questioned whether he was the right man for the job. To regain his reputation and achieve his legendary status, George Washington would have to persevere through insurmountable obstacles, cultivate a strong character, and depend on the strong hand of Providence.
The obstacles where numerous. The first of which the lack of a proper army…show more content… The weather also proved a formidable enemy and at times a fickle ally. Washington knew that inhospitable conditions could seriously impair and defeat his soldiers before they even had a chance to confront the enemy. In a letter to James Warren, Washington wrote, “the army (if there comes a spell of rainy or cold weather) must inevitably disperse.5
Freezing temperatures, snow, torrential rain, and blistering heat affected his soldier’s moral and hindered their military operations. The severe weather not only impacted his soldier’s health and physical ability to fight but also created a shortage of gunpowder. These severe weather patterns experienced by George Washington were caused by a Little Ice Age that stretched from the start of the fifteenth century to the mid-nineteenth century.
This severe weather can be seen all throughout the Revolution. During the siege of Boston, freezing temperatures and snow made it difficult for them to establish entrenched positions at Lechmere Point. In March, the weather was in their favor, creating a haze below Dorchester Heights, hiding them as they established heavy artillery from Fort
