Why was moral so low among colonial soldiers?

Explanation:

Morale is important in the military, because it improves unit cohesion. Without good morale, a force will be more likely to give up or surrender. In wartime, civilian morale is also important. The Continental Army had a number of advantages over the British army. Their biggest advantage was that they were fighting for a grand cause, their independence and freedom, which was a very motivating factor. The greatest combat commanders have always understood that morale reflects the mental, moral, and physical condition of their troops. These conditions, in turn, directly relate to the troops' courage, confidence, discipline, enthusiasm, and willingness to endure the sacrifices and hardships of military duty.  Indeed, at first, civil and military authorities knew little about behavioural issues, motivation and measures to bolster morale; therefore, as argued by historian John Horne, the discovery of the importance of morale – conceived as a “wartime offshoot” of public opinion – was a part “of the process of mobilisation” led by the states. The concept of morale belongs to the military sphere and during the war this issue acquired an increasing complexity. It was often identified as a sort of “collective loyalty” to the national effort. It is difficult to find a working definition because morale is an amorphous psychological condition and not easily measurable. It is therefore important to use this term with caution, bearing in mind its wartime ambiguities, connotations and limits. From a “top-down” perspective one can consider morale as “public spirit”, a notion that in wartime implies a consent in which “behaviour and action are involved”, a psychological state which enables people to endure difficulties.

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