Born in western Massachusetts in 1760, Joseph Plumb Martin was the son of a clergyman; at the age of seven he began to live with his wealthy grandfather. As soon as the Revolutionary War broke out in the spring of 1775, young Joseph was eager to lend his efforts to the patriotic cause. In June 1776, at the tender age of 15, Martin enlisted for a six-month stint in the Connecticut state militia. By the end of the year, Martin had served in the battles of Brooklyn, Kip's Bay, and White Plains in New York. Although Martin refused to reenlist when his six-month stint ended in December 1776, he later changed his mind and on April 12, 1777, enlisted in the 8th Connecticut Division of General George Washington's Continental Army, led by Colonel John Chandler. He served for the entire duration of the war (until 1783). Did you know? Approximately 200,000 men enlisted for service at one time or another during the Revolutionary War. They served in state militias or in the new Continental Army, created by the Continental Congress in May 1775 and commanded by General George Washington. The life of a common soldier fighting for colonial independence during the American Revolution was difficult. Continental Army recruiters targeted younger, less wealthy men, including apprentices or journeymen. Some (like Martin) enlisted voluntarily, while others were drafted. Among the hardships suffered by Continental soldiers were shortages of food or other supplies, long periods away from home, declining morale, and the constant threat of death. Under Siege in Pennsylvania In the fall of 1777, Martin's division was one of those called to Pennsylvania, where the British forces led by General William Howe had succeeded in taking the rebel capital... middle of paper... firmness" , he was unable to work and support his wife and five children. In 1830, at the age of 70, Martin published his diaries, with the title “A Tale of Some Adventures, Dangers and Sufferings of a Revolutionary Soldier, interspersed. from anecdotes of incidents that occurred during his own observation.” Published anonymously, as was customary at the time, the book sold poorly and was largely forgotten when Martin died in 1850. More than a century later, however, the work was rediscovered and republished as "Private Yankee Doodle." Although Martin's account has often been exaggerated and embellished (he sometimes recounted events he could not have witnessed firsthand or enhanced the outcomes of incidents), it remains the most graphic, vivid and detailed first-person account of the life of a Continental soldier. during the American Revolution.