answersLogoWhite

0

Congress had promised to pay them out of the government treasury, which stayed pretty empty all during the Revolutionary War days. Congress was supposed to collect taxes in order to raise the money to pay the soldiers. That was not really possible during the war. I think that in reality the soldiers did not get paid, did not have any money, did not have any food or clothes, and stayed on the verge of freezing and starving to death most of the time. What food they had was given/taken from the farms they passed. General Washington gave a great deal of his fortune to the army's support. So did many other patriots of the day. Local patriots volunteered food and clothes when they could. Hunting parties went out daily in search of food. Friendly local Indians helped when they could. Everyone knows (or should know) the hardships they faced that winter of 1777-1778 in Valley Forge, PA. No, I don't think the soldiers had been paid that year!

User Avatar

Wiki User

18y ago

What else can I help you with?