Washington attributed rising patriot morale to reading Common Sense aloud to troops

Evidence

People seek a purpose worthy of their efforts, and soldiers want a reason to fight in war. Paine’s Common Sense supplied it. Washington had it read aloud to the assembled troops besieging Boston and wrote in April to his adjutant general about the pamphlet generally, “I find common sense is working a powerful change there in the Minds of many Men.” — Edward J. Larson, Declaring Independence, 95