# Short Soldier letter in the Revolutionary War



## fcbkid15 (Mar 12, 2011)

p { margin-bottom: 0.08in; }  January 19, 1778


	Dear Ma and Pa,
	Its been a little over a year since I left the family, I know yall must be worried sick. But let me tell you this, you'll be proud once the war is finally over, proud that your son fought in it. Hopefully I'll live to see end of it, but right now things aren't looking so good. We've spent the winter at Valley Forge, and boy is it cold. I can almost see the icicles forming on my hair. But no matter how cold it is, we must stop the tiny little island of Britain from ruling over the huge country America! Anyways, to let you know where I am, were still here at Valley Forge. It's a dreadful place here. Like I said before, it is cold. And I mean cold. Coldest I've ever been in my life. Many soldiers died, or killed themselves. But I'm still going strong, and hopefully I still am once you get this letter. Doing better than most soldiers. Some even lost their boots and wrapped old rags around their feet to keep warm. Luckily I still got the boots Uncle Chuck gave me for hunting. Send thanks to him, there really doing the trick right now. Only keeping me warm though, not filling my stomach.  
	We have little to no food, and the food we have isn't good enough. The other soldiers often wail “No meat no meat!”. The sad thing is theres boys as young as 12 out here. Some of them died, the others cry, thinking they made  a huge mistake coming here. Unlike me they don't realize that all the problems that we have had with Britain will come back again if we still stay with them. We need to separate from them, and we all know it. That's why we fight. We have lost many lives, but they all helped in one way or another.  
	Just today we spotted a small squad of British scouts, trying to plan an attack on us. So we sent a small squad out ourselves. I was chosen to be in the squad, hand picked by General Washington himself. You should have seen my face. It looked like the face Little Annie made when she saw how good her first loaf of bread looked.  
	Speaking of my siblings, how are they doing? Hopefully Annie has learned how to cook, she'll need to learn soon. And also tell Charlie the slingshot he made me has come in handy. And I'm not just saying that.  
	Before we camped at this awful place called Valley Forge, I was almost captured by a British soldier. Since I'm big for a 17 year old, he mistaked me for a grown soldier, and came charging right at me with his bayonet. I was wandering off alone, I know stupid, but I thought I heard someone calling for help. So, anyway, he came charging at me, and I had left my gun leaning against a tree. With no time to grab it, I quickly grabbed a jagged looking rock off the ground, got my sling shot out, and aimed as best I could. When I released my grip, I was so happy once I saw my rock had hit the lobster right in the eye. He was on the ground, writhing in pain, and I escaped. So tell him I said thanks!
	 Anyways, enough of me rambling on, back to the squad I was in. So I was with seven other men, older and stronger than me, but that didn't discourage me. We followed the lobsters unnoticed for several hours, until one finally looked back at us. He yelled for help, and we went charging in. I wasn't doing that bad, until one big soldier with a bad shave hit me in right in the nose with the flat of his blade. He was the leader of that expedition, no doubt. I wasn't unconscious, but I felt like it. I was crawling over to a tree for balance, when I was yanked right off the ground. The same soldier who knocked me down was holding me. “ Take him back as a prisoner.” I heard one say. I guess when I got knocked down, I didn't really notice any thing that went on, for I saw the unconscious bodies of my fellow soldiers. Dead or unconscious, I didn't know, nor did I want to think about it. But there was only two lobsters left, so I guess we took out most of them. I had a feeling of courageousness come over me, as I kicked the soldier who was carrying me right in the jaw. I dropped down to the  ground, smelling the fresh scent of winter pine as I landing right in a bush.  I started running, running for my life. I grabbed a musket off the ground, hoping it was already loaded and ready, and kept on running. The wet handle almost fell from my grip, but I managed to hold on. As soon as I heard fire behind me I fired back. How I managed to get out of there alive, I don't know. I guess we do really have God on our side.  
	Hopefully I didn't worry you guys too much with that one, cause I'm fine right now. Well, I guess I'm not fine, but at least still alive. But you'll be happy to hear that I got rewarded when I came back. General Washington invited me into his tent, and I was just about the happiest soldier out there. Well, I was, since nobodies's happy at Valley Forge. So when he invited me in, he said, “Congratulations young man. I believe it is Henry right?” “Yes sir, Henry.” I said back. “Well, I will defiantly look for you when another one of these kind of situations come up. You did great out there kid, I wish I would have been there to see it.” “I did nothing really. Just got knocked on my rear and stayed down.” I didn't  know what else to say. I was speechless. “ Oh, don't be so modest. You have helped to our cause, every lobster taken down helps. And you took down those last Lobsterbacks, so they couldn't report anything to their General. Every thing you did helped to our cause, and our cause is noble, it is the cause of mankind!” He said back to me. Again, I was speechless. “ Hopefully we will get through this deadly winter, and move on from Valley Forge. I know the troops are losing hope, but there is hope yet. I have noticed a soldier who have what it takes to be a good general, Nathanael Greene. I will be meeting with him soon, he has risen his way to the top, and he may just lead  us into battle one day. Hopefully he will bring us good fortune and luck!” And with that he was done. He dismissed me, giving me a good glass of wine. Don't get too worried though, it was a small glass Ma. He also gave me a nice medal, which now hangs proudly on my chest.  
	Anyways, I hope you are still safe at home, and everyone is okay. And hopefully your proud of me, I have sure come a long way from that boy who use to play with the pigs in the mud. I have risen up in the army, now people actually know me, and respect me. Also I hope you guys aren't all worried too much, because we will win. I know it. Our general is young and he is a good one. I know many people criticize him, but he is doing good. He hasn't made many bad choices, like people say. Our army may not be as big as our enemies, but we have hope, we have spirit, and most of all, we want to gain our freedom. We want to win! We're doing this for a better future. Not just for us but for everyone. So I hope you're all okay, and I know that I will be home soon. I guess I should be wrapping this up now. So I love you all and I'm doing fine out here! Don't worry too much, and tell Charlie to keep on whittling, I need a new slingshot. Good bye and I'll write back soon!


					Yours truly,
						       Henry


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## fcbkid15 (Mar 12, 2011)

Please feel free to comment or critique it. Tell me what you liked and didn't like too, thanks!


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