Final answer:
Revolutionary War soldiers often became physically weak due to long marches and critical supply shortages impacting their nutrition and health. However, the shared hardships might have fostered psychological resilience and camaraderie.
Step-by-step explanation:
Revolutionary War soldiers frequently faced harsh conditions, such as long marches and severe supply shortages. These difficulties were exacerbated by the demanding discipline of military life.
For example, service in the Roman army was intense, with soldiers expected to march over 20 miles a day while carrying heavy packs, under threat of brutal punishments like summary execution for dereliction of duty.
Similarly, during the American Revolution, militias executed guerrilla tactics against the British, leveraging the landscape and their mobility to attack the redcoats who were confined to narrow roads and burdened by their gear. This not only fatigued British forces but left them vulnerable to continual attacks.
Supply problems plagued both the American and Confederate armies, leading to malnutrition, disease, and low morale. In the harsh winter at Valley Forge, a lack of supplies weakened the American forces considerably, resulting in a high number of desertions and deaths.
The constraints of long marches and insufficient resources likely made Revolutionary War soldiers physically weak, yet the shared adversities could have strengthened their resolve and unity.