Explain the metaphor this author uses in lines 11 - 13: “All this too in the heart of winter, when a New England farmer, if his cattle had been in my situation, would not have slept a wink from sheer anxiety for them

In this metaphor, Joseph Plumb Martin - a Continental soldier equated the sufferings that American soldiers endured during the American Revolution with the poor conditions that cattle found themselves during winter.

According to the metaphor, the New England farmer's cattle received better treatment from their owners than the soldiers received from the government.

The soldiers were to be given adequate provisions by the Continental Government.  But the promised clothing and blanket did not materialize, and when provided, were of the poorest quality. These sufferings, Martin juxtaposed against the well-equipped and geared British enemies that they were fighting.

Moreover, Joseph Plumb Martin pointed out that the Continental soldiers were not well-treated after the war. Life remained difficult for the soldiers, and the government neglected those who donated their blood and sweat to win the nation's independence.

Thus, lines 11 - 13 of the excerpt recall the difficult conditions the soldiers encountered during and after the war of independence.

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I think what they're trying to say is that anyone who had known about his situation would have been worried

Explanation:

I don't know for sure, but that's my best guess

c. extended rights of citizenship to new groups