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  • Essay / Joseph Plumb Martin and his role in the Revolutionary War

    Joseph Plumb Martin was born in Massachusetts in 1760. His father was a well-educated minister. At the age of seven, he was sent to live with his grandparents. He received a good education and in 1776, at the age of 15, he joined the Continental Army. He was initially not going to reenlist after his six-month stay, but later joined the 8th Connecticut Division in 1777. He would serve until the end of the war in 1783. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay. Martin fought in many battles, such as the Battles of Brooklyn, White Plains, and Kip's Bay. While many soldiers were drafted into the war, Martin enlisted voluntarily. His life, as well as that of many other soldiers, was very difficult. They had to stay away from home for long periods of time, faced shortages of supplies including food and water, and their lives were in constant danger. Despite these challenges, Martin served for seven years. Martin served at the Siege of Yorktown. He had been promoted to sergeant and assigned to a group of sappers responsible for digging the parallel entrenchments of Washington which was besieging the army of Charles Cornwallis. They also had to clear the way for the Continental Army to attack British Redoubt Number 10, thereby forcing the British hand. He was present during Cornwallis' surrender, which ultimately sealed American victory. Two years later, in 1783, Joseph Plumb-Martin was demobilized. After the war, Martin worked as a town clerk in the town of Prospect for over twenty years. He married Lucy Clewley in 1794 and had five children. Although it was a struggle, Martin received a pension in 1818, receiving $96 per year (about $1,589.00 today), which he used to support his family. Later in life, at the age of 70, he published his diary in book form entitled "An Account of Some of the Adventures, Dangers and Sufferings of a Revolutionary Soldier, Interspersed with Anecdotes of Incidents occurred during his own observation. As was customary at the time, the book was published anonymously, so its outcome was poor, but it attracted attention more than a century later as a first-person account the most graphic and vivid account of the life of a soldier serving in the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. Keep in mind: This is just a sample.Get a custom paper now from our expert writers.Get a Custom EssayJoseph Plumb-Martin was a hero during the American Revolution, as was every soldier. Martin was ambitious and strong-willed, and his determination proved advantageous during the war. His story is important, full of sacrifice and courage. Ordinary soldiers like Martin must be respected and celebrated, because without them, war, victory, glory and freedom would be in vain..