Much is known of George Washington, Nathanael Greene, the Marquis de Lafayette, and other leaders of the Continental Army.  Yet, relatively little is known of the ordinary soldiers who fought and died during the American Revolution.  It is incredibly rare that we are able hear what an ordinary soldier thought and saw through the course of this conflict.  The memoir of Joseph Plumb Martin is therefore an invaluable document that can shed light onto an aspect of the war that is frequently hidden.

Following the battles of Lexington and Concord, sixteen year old Martin joined the Connecticut Militia just before the opening of the British Long Island Campaign.  Serving under the leadership of General James Varnum he, and his regiment, saw action at Brooklyn, White Plains, Fort Mifflin, Monmouth and Yorktown.  For eight years he fought for the cause of the Revolution, risking is life in countless engagements and in terrible conditions.  His memoir provides fascinating insight into the life of an ordinary soldier and is a perfect book for anyone interested in finding out more about the American Revolutionary War.

Joseph Plumb Martin was a soldier in the Continental Army through the course of the American War of Independence.  For most of the war he served as a private but by the end of the war he had risen to the rank of sergeant. His memoir, originally titled A Narrative Of Some Of The Adventures, Dangers And Sufferings Of A Revolutionary Soldier was first published in 1830. Joseph Plumb Martin passed away in 1850.