The American Revolutionary War Soldier; War on the Home Front

Like many soldiers in America's conflicts, the common Continental was, on average were quite young. Some were poor and drawn "from the disrespected and dispossessed ranks of society." Many an indentured servant and apprentice entered the Continental Army as substitutes for their masters. A few British deserters and prisoners of war found their way into the Continental Army as substitutes. Some masters enticed slaves to serve as their substitutes, offering freedom at the end of the conflict, sometimes coupled with a small monetary reward. In general, slave recruits were required to serve for the duration, and they acquitted themselves well. A French officer said that the Second Rhode Island Regiment, 75 percent black, was "the most neatly dressed, the best under arms, and the most precise in its maneuver. Substantial numbers of troops were drawn  from ethnic groups and immigrants, most notably the Irish and Germans. So the common soldier was young , poor, and maybe not white.

Of the men under arms in the Revolution, more than 25,500 perished in battle, or as prisoners, or from diseases in camp. More than 8,000 others survived serious wounds, and nearly1,500 disappeared. Nearly one out of five of all soldiers were casualties�killed, wounded, or missing in action�the rate, about one of every three among the regulars of the Continental Army.

Yet the hardships of providing for the American fighting force was shared by wives, families, children, and communities. This lesson will help to inform students on the great sacrifice and cost of freedom.