Final answer:
Corporal Sherwood's escape from death was due to luck and bad enemy aim, with examples illustrating how soldiers often relied on quick thinking and fortune to survive in battle situations.
Step-by-step explanation:
Corporal Sherwood's narrow escape from injury or death can be attributed to a combination of luck and the inefficiency of the enemy's aim. Despite multiple harrowing incidents including bullets passing through his coat and horses being shot under him, as well as suffering from a debilitating illness, Sherwood managed to survive. In George Washington's letter, he recounts how he had four bullets through his coat and that he had two horses shot under him, yet he escaped without a wound.
In another instance, Sergeant George, despite being captured, wounded, and assumed dead, survived through a mix of luck and aid from a fellow soldier, Charlie. After being mistaken for an enemy and then recognized, George received first aid in the form of malted milk tablets and water, which surprisingly were enough to keep him alive despite having multiple bullet wounds.
Other historical examples provided include instances where individuals miraculously avoided death in battle through astonishing luck or remarkable evasive action, such as a soldier parrying a musket-ball with a small sword. This further illustrates how unpredictability, quick thinking, and sheer fortune often played roles in soldiers surviving against the odds.