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Both sides took preventative measures as best they could, mainly by keeping their troops away from those afflicted with the disorder or by inoculating them. Did smallpox have the potential to affect the outcomes of campaigns or the war itself? Certainly the smallpox outbreak did indeed have the potential to affect the outcome of the war. On page 85 of his book, McCandless writes that sicknesses "…killed and incapacitated large numbers of soldiers and felled key commanders at critical moments." Washington and British military leaders alike moved their troops to places that would supposedly keep them from becoming infected.
Why is the terrible scourge of smallpox that affected the Revolutionary War in serious negative ways not talked about today? It is interesting that many students have not been aware at all of the smallpox issue during the Revolutionary. It doesn't have anything to do with the modern world being less vulnerable -- in fact the modern world is still vulnerable to epidemics and pandemics (think Asian / bird flu; AIDS -- HIV). Are there important lessons to be learned vis-a-vis smallpox and...
That's because history classes tend to focus on the framing of the Constitution, the politics dealing with independence, the personalities and leaders, and not so much on the war.
In conclusion, it is eye opening to research and learn about the terrible toll that smallpox took on both sides during the Revolutionary War. The strategies that were based on military leaders' desire to avoid the smallpox and the struggle that George Washington went through as general to keep sufficient troops healthy -- is fascinating history. It should not be forgotten.
Works Cited
Fenn, Elizabeth Anne. 2002. Pox Americana: The Great Smallpox Epidemic of 1775-82. New
York: Macmillan.
Furgang, Adam. 2010. Smallpox. New York: The Rosen Publishing Group.
McCandless, Peter. 2011. Slavery, Disease, and Suffering in the Southern Lowcountry. New York: Cambridge…
Works Cited
Fenn, Elizabeth Anne. 2002. Pox Americana: The Great Smallpox Epidemic of 1775-82. New
York: Macmillan.
Furgang, Adam. 2010. Smallpox. New York: The Rosen Publishing Group.
McCandless, Peter. 2011. Slavery, Disease, and Suffering in the Southern Lowcountry. New York: Cambridge University Press.
The discussion of the effects of smallpox, however, brings into light the fact that War and the events surrounding the War were only small part of the colonists' lives. Despite the War, the colonists had to live their daily lives and endure practical and everyday affairs such as work and disease. Fenn in her book does an excellent job of placing these factors in focus. If there is a criticism
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