Thomas Paine did not profit from the bestseller COMMON_SENSE

In 1776 already with the

Revolutionary War

underway since the year

prior,

Thomas Paine

donated profits from the

sale of his pamphlet

Common Sense to support 

the colonials' army (led by

General George Washington).

Washington, a Virginian,

had it read aloud to his troops

to motivate them . . .