He invented an iron bridge and, to obtain its patent, he returned to England in 1787. The very first pamphlet, with the resonating statement that “These are the times that try men’s souls,” was read to George Washington’s troops soon after their retreat across New Jersey.Īfter the war, Paine was lauded as a great patriot but failed to take advantage of the political offices given to him for his services to the American cause. Although he saw action in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, Paine’s greatest contribution to the war was Crisis (1776–1783), a series of sixteen pamphlets applauding America’s actions and lifting soldiers’ morale. Once the Revolutionary War began, Paine enlisted and was appointed aide-de-camp to General Nathanael Greene (1742–1786). It certainly was an influential work, selling 120,000 copies in two months. He later claimed that his work helped America stand her ground against tyranny. In stirring terms, he moved for a Declaration of Independence from England. Immersed in the news, events, and ideas of these years, Paine published the famous pamphlet Common Sense (1776).
In 1774, he overcame these setbacks when he arrived in America, carrying a letter from Benjamin Franklin who declared Paine to be “an ingenious worthy young man.” He soon found a position in Philadelphia editing the Pennsylvania Magazine.
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