Joseph Plumb Martin, who served in the Continental Army and later wrote about his experiences, died on this day in 1850.
In June 1776, 15-year-old Martin left his home in Connecticut and joined the Continental Army. He served in the army until the end of the war. In 1830, he published a memoir of his military service. Rather than battle stories, Martin shared the experiences of enlisted soldiers, portraying them, not officers, as heroes of the Revolution.
Martin suggested that in honor of their service, pensions be given to surviving veterans, many of whom were poor and unable to work by 1830. In 1835, the Federal government began offering pensions to enlisted soldiers or their surviving families.
I found his memoirs excellent. His plain writing is much easier for modern readers than the usual purple prose of his contemporaries. Some of the high-jinks he and his fellows did between battles had me laughing out loud. Rarely fed, even more rarely paid, what hardships they suffered. That they had to wait over 40 years for pensions is a crime.
ReplyDeleteI agree. Its a fantastic read and well worth anyone's time to read. Sad to say the plight of returning veterans has not improved over the years. I volunteer at Clear Path for Veterans which assists returning vets.
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