ForAdriano,Louis,andalltheotherstudentswhoshowedmethelight.

-S.S.

TableofContentsTitlePageHowtoStartaRevolutionStep1:KickOuttheFrenchStep2:TaxtheColonistsStep3:HangtheTaxmanStep4:Try,TryAgainStep5:RefusetoPayStep6:SendintheWarshipsStep7:FireintoaCrowdStep8:KeeptheTeaTaxStep9:ThrowaTeaPartyStep10:PaytheFiddlerStep11:StandFirmStep12:MakeSpeechesStep13:LetBlowsDecide

ASleeplessNightBeforeRevolutionOrdersAreOrdersDon’tOpenThatEnvelopeEveryone’saSpyTrappedinBoston“TwoifbySea”AcrosstheRiverRevereandThatOtherGuyTheMidnightIntruderWhereAretheBritish?OntoConcordCaptured!TheyHaven’tLeftYet?BeatThatDrum,Billy

WhoFiredtheShotHeard’RoundtheWorld?AGloriousMorning?GatheringEvidenceTheFirstShot

ThreeCheersSalmonUpdate“GrandMusic”BreakfastTimeTheBridgeFightTheNightmareBeginsBattlingBrothersWhatNext?

GeorgeWashington,MeetYourArmyHereComesEthanAllenPartyatFortTiWalkwithMe,SamJohnAdamsLosesaFriendGeorgeWashington,LovePoetALittleElbowRoomGetReadyforaLongDayTheBattleofBunkerHillWashingtonTakesCommandBoredinBostonAndStayOut!IndependenceTime?

DeclareIndependence,Already!AnythingfortheCauseYourTurn,PaineAbigail’sAdviceKingGeorgeUpdateCongressHeatsUpWhoGetstheJob?JustaFewChangesWhatDoesitSay?SignHere-IfYouDareBadReviewsinBritainRememberThatStatue?

LosingandRetreatingin’76ExpectaBloodySummerTheBritishAreComing!AMidnightEscape

TheStoryofNathanHaleMoreBadNewsIsThistheEnd?ReportfromTrentonTheLionintheTubAcrosstheRiverSurprise!Saved,forNow

ShowdownatSaratogaNoSecretsHereBenedictArnoldtotheRescueFranklin’sSecretMissionWe’llThinkAboutItTheNewsfromHomeALittleHelpfromPolandPa-PaFranklinTheBattleofSaratoga:PartOneTheBattleofSaratoga:PartTwoJohnnyLosestheBetBenSealstheDealTheTurningPoint

WillWeEverWinThisWar?ALongWayfromVictoryTerribleTimesatValleyForgeTheGoodLifeinPhiladelphiaNewHopeintheSpringBackinActionAreYoutheFamousAdams?TheAdventuresofJohnPaulJonesBenedictArnoldinLoveArnold’sFiendishPlanAndréIsCapturedAndArnoldEscapesNoEndinSight

TheGreatRacetoYorktownRefreshmentsfortheEnemyAnotherWastedYear?

Part1:TheKingTriestheSouthPart2:BadPeaches,BadGeneralPart3:BritishBehavingBadlyPart4:TheSwampFoxPart5:Fight,Lose,FightAgainPart6:CornwallisGetsTiredPart7:SpyingonCornwallisPart8:PickaPort,AnyPortPart9:TheFrenchSailNorthNowBacktoWashingtonTheTrapSlamsShutHuzzahfortheAmericans!AShell!AShell!TheWhiteHandkerchiefTheWorldTurnedUpsideDownItIsAllOver!OneLastStoryThisIsGoodbye

WhatEverHappenedTo…?ConfessionsofaTextbookWriterSourceNotesQuotationNotesIndexAbouttheAuthorNotesCopyrightPage

HowtoStartaRevolutionEntire books have been written about the causes of the American Revolution.You’llbeglad toknow this isn’toneof them.Butyou really shouldunderstandhow the whole thing got started. After all, if you ever find yourself ruled bysomeone likeKingGeorge, you’llwant to knowwhat to do. So here’s a quickstep-bystepguidetostartingarevolution.

Step1:KickOuttheFrenchLet’spickuptheactionin1750.Britain,France,andSpainhadcarvedupNorthAmerica intomassive empires, as you can see on themap below. You’d thinkthey’dbesatisfied,right?ButBritainandFrancebothwantedtoseetheirnamesonevenmoreofthemap.Let’sfaceit,theybothwantedthewholemap.(Itdidn’t

botherthemthatmostofthelandactuallybelongedtoNativeAmericans.)

ToBritainandFrance,thisseemedlikeagoodreasontofightawar.YoucancallittheFrenchandIndianWarortheSevenYearsWar—eitherway,theBritishwon.Britain tookovermostofFrance’s landinNorthAmerica.ForBritain, thiswasthegoodnews.

Step2:TaxtheColonistsHere’s the bad news: war is really expensive. The British were left with amountainofdebt.Andnowtheyhadtokeep10,000soldiersinNorthAmericatoprotect all their new land.That’s not cheap.TheBritishprimeministerGeorgeGrenville started thinking ofways to raise some quick cash.You can guess theideahecameupwith,can’tyou?That’sright:hedecidedtotaxtheBritishcolonists.Grenvillereallyfeltthatthe

thirteencoloniesowedBritainthemoney.Asheputit:

“The nation has run itself into an immense debt to give themprotection;andnow theyarecalledupon tocontributea smallsharetowardthepublicexpense.”

Grenville’s planwas called the StampAct.When colonists signed any legaldocument,orboughtpapergoodslikenewspapers,books,orevenplayingcards,theywouldhavetobuystampstoo(thestampsshowedthatyouhadpaidthetax).AfewmembersofParliamentwarnedthattheStampActmightsparkprotestsinthecolonies.ButyoungKingGeorgeIII (hewas twenty-two) liked the idea.Hedidn’texpectanyproblems.

GeorgeGrenville

Step3:HangtheTaxmanKingGeorge never did understandAmericans. No one likes a tax increase, nomatter what the reasons. Besides, the thirteen colonies had been pretty muchgoverning themselves for years.And selfgovernment obviously includes comingupwithyourowntaxes.Socolonistsstartedshoutingaslogan:

“Notaxationwithoutrepresentation.”

TaxProtester

Meaningbasically,“We’renotpaying!”Shoutingiseasy,buthowdoyouactuallyavoidpayingthetax?SamuelAdams

ofBostonhadthatfiguredout.Adamswasinhisearlyforties,andhehadn’treallyfoundanythinghewasgoodatyet.Hisfatheroncegavehimonethousandpounds(alotofmoney)tostartabusiness.Samuelloanedhalfofittoafriend,whoneverpaidhimback.It’ssafetosaySamuelhadnotalentforbusiness.Allhewantedtodowaswriteaboutpoliticsandargueintownmeetings.Howfarcanthatgetyouinlife?Pretty far, actually. Because when the time came to protest the Stamp Act,

Adams was ready to take the lead. He figured it like this: The Stamp Act issupposedtogointoeffectinNovember1765,right?Well,whatifthere’snoonearoundtodistributethestamps?Thenwewon’thavetobuythem.Simple.ThejobofdistributingthestampsinBostonbelongedtoamannamedAndrew

Oliver.WhenOliverwokeuponemorninginAugust,hewasinformedthatafull-sizeAndrewOliverdollwashangingfromanelmtreeintown.Pinnedtothedollwasanicepoem:

“WhatgreaterjoydidNewEnglandsee,Thanastampmanhangingonatree?”

Itgotworse.ThatnightacrowdofBostonians,yellingabout taxes,cutdownthedollandcarriedittoOliver’shouse.Theychoppedoffitsheadandsetitonfire.ThentheystartedbreakingOliver’swindows.As you can imagine, Andrew Oliver found this whole experience fairly

frightening.Hewasn’tsoeagertostartgivingoutthestampsinBoston.ThatwasexactlyhowAdamshadplannedit.Similarscenestookplaceallover

thethirteencolonies.CallingthemselvesSonsofLiberty,protestersgaveplentyofstampagentstheAndrewOlivertreatment.Theagentsquitasfastastheycould.(Canyoublamethem?)Sowhenthetaxwentintoeffect,therewasnoonearoundtocollectit.

Step4:Try,TryAgainBackinLondon,theBritishgovernmentwasforcedtofaceapainfulfact—there

wasnomoneyinthisStampActdeal.Parliamentvotedtorepeal(getridof)thetax.KingGeorgereluctantlyapprovedthisdecision.Colonists celebrated the news with feasts and dances. Boston’s richest

merchant,aguynamedJohnHancock,gaveoutfreewineandputonafireworksshowoutsidehishouse.ThehappypeopleofNewYorkCitybuiltastatueofKingGeorgeandputitinacitypark.(Rememberthatstatue;itwillbebackinthestorylater.)Whatthecolonistsdidn’trealizewasthatBritishleaderswerealreadytalking

aboutnewtaxes.Afterall, theBritishgovernmentstillneededmoney.Andmostleaders still insisted that Britain had every right to tax the Americans. KingGeorgewasespeciallyfirmonthispoint.Hewasaverystubbornfellow.SoParliamentpassed theTownshendActs in1767.Whencolonialmerchants

importedstufflikepaint,paper,glass,andtea,theywouldnowhavetopayataxbasedonthevalueofeachitem.Orwouldthey?

Step5:RefusetoPayRather than pay the new taxes, colonists started boycotting (refusing to buy)British imports. Women were the driving force behind these boycotts. HannahGriffittsofPennsylvaniaexpressedthedeterminationofmanycolonialwomeninapoem:

“StandfirmlyresolvedandbidGrenvilletoseeThatratherthanFreedom,we’llpartwithourtea.Andwellaswelovethedeardraught1whena’dryAsAmericanPatriotsourtastewedeny.”

JohnHancock foundanotherway togetaroundpaying taxes.Hancocksimplysnuckhisgoodspastthetaxcollectors.Heknewthatsmugglingwasillegal,buthedidn’tfeeltooguiltyaboutit.ToHancock,smugglingseemedlikeafairresponsetoanunfairlaw.OfcoursetheBritishwantedtostopsmugglerslikeHancock.Butyouhaveto

remember,colonistsreallyhatedthesetaxes.SoanyBritishofficialwhotriedtoo

hardtocollecttaxeswastakingaseriousrisk.ThinkofpoorJohnMalcolm,forexample.ThisBritishofficialwasstrippedtothewaist,smearedwithhottar,andcoveredwithfeathersfromapillow.ThenhewaspulledthroughBostoninacart,just to make the humiliation complete.What was the worst thing about gettingtarredandfeathered?Malcolmsaidthemostpainfulpartwastryingtoripthetaroffhisburnedbody.Hemailedaboxofhistarandfeathers,withbitsofhisskinstillattached, to theBritishgovernment inLondon.Theysympathized.Theysenthimmoney.

HannahGriffitts

Then, in the spring of 1768, Hancock’s shipLiberty (full of smuggled winefromFrance)wasseizedbytaxagentsinBoston.FuriousmembersoftheSonsofLibertygatheredatthedocks,whereSamAdamswasheardshouting:

“If you are men, behave like men! Let us take up armsimmediatelyandbefree!”

SamuelAdams

The Sons spent the night throwing stones at the tax collectors’ houses. Theyevendraggedataxagent’sboatoutofthewaterandlititonfireinfrontofJohnHancock’shouse.TheterrifiedtaxmenescapedtoanislandinBostonHarbor.

Step6:SendintheWarshipsKingGeorgedidnotappreciatethisformofprotest.Theworld’smostpowerfulcountrycan’thaveitsgovernmentemployeeshidingonanisland—itdoesn’tlook

good.Itwastimetogettoughwiththecolonists.InthewordsofFrederickNorth,oneof theking’sfavoriteadvisors:“Americamustfearyoubeforeshecanloveyou.”WhynotjustrepealtheTownshendtaxes?“Ihopeweshallneverthinkofit,”

snappedNorth,“tillweseeAmericaprostrate[facedown]atourfeet.”Northwasanotherguywhodidn’tunderstandAmericans.In October 1768, British warships sailed into Boston Harbor. Under the

commandofGeneralThomasGage,onethousandBritishsoldiersmarchedofftheships and paraded through town in their bright red coats, beating drums anddraggingcannons.Thatshouldsolveeverything,right?Well, nothing too serious happeneduntilMarch 1770.OnMarch2, aBritish

soldiernamedPatrickWalkerwas lookingfora littleextrawork inBoston(thesoldiers were paid almost nothing). He stopped by a ropewalk—an outdoorworkshopwhereropesweremade—andspokewitharopemakernamedWilliamGreen.

Green:Soldier,doyouwantwork?Walker:Yes.Green:Wellthen,gocleanmyouthouse.

OnlyGreendidn’t say“outhouse.”Heusedaword Ican’tprinthere.Walkerwasquiteoffended.Hegotagroupofsoldierstogether,andtheyattackedtheropemakerswithwoodenclubs.Theropemakersfoughtbackwithclubsoftheirown.Itwasanuglyscene.Thepointofthisstoryissimple:theBritishsoldiersandthepeopleofBoston

justweren’tgettingalong.Andit’seasytoseewhy.Thesoldierswereintowntoenforce laws that made people furious, and people took their anger out on thesoldiers.Didthesoldiersdeservesuchhatred?Maybenot.Mostwereseventeen-andeighteenyear-oldboysfrompoor families.Thiswas theonly job theycouldget,andtheyhatedbeinginBostonjustasmuchasthepeoplehatedhavingthem.On the night ofMarch 5, 1770 (three days after the ropewalk fight), all the

angerinBostonexplodedintoviolence.

Step7:FireintoaCrowdIt was a cold night. There was a foot of snow on the ground. Sons of Libertywalked thestreets ingroups,woodenclubs inhand.Theywatched thesoldiers,andthesoldierswatchedthem.Bothsideswereexpectingsomethingtohappen.ButnoonethoughtitwouldbeginwithanapprenticewigmakernamedEdward

Garrick. At about 8:30, young Garrick passed a British officer in the street.Garrickpointedtotheofficerandshouted:

EdwardGarrick

“Theregoesthefellowthatwon’tpaymymasterfordressinghishair!”

That’s a serious insult, Ed—accusing a gentleman of not paying his debts.AyoungBritish soldier namedHughWhite stepped forward todefendhis officer.GarrickandWhiteexchangeda fewcurses.ThenWhitecrackedGarrickon theheadwiththebuttofhismusket.Garrickwentdown,scrambledup,andyelpedforhelp.Acrowdgatheredquickly.AtfirstitwasjustafewofGarrick’sfriends.Then

people started coming fromall over town.AmannamedCrispusAttucks led agroupoffellowsailorsfromthewharftothesceneoftheaction.Attuckswassixfeet, two inches tall, about forty-five years old. He had escaped from slaverytwentyyearsbefore.Witnessessaidhehadastickorclubinhishand.HughWhitecalledouttohisfellowsoldiersforbackup.Eightsoldierspushed

theirway through themob toWhite.About threehundredpeoplesurrounded thesoldiers, cursing at them and pelting themwith snowballs, chunks of ice, evenoyster shells.The soldiers pointed their loadedguns.The crowd shoved closerandclosertothebladesoftheBritishbayonets,shouting:“Youdarenotfire!”“Youcan’tkillusall!”Then therewasa shot.Thena lotof shots.Then smokeand shocked silence.

Thecrowdbackedaway.CrispusAttuckslayinthesnow,killedinstantlybytwobullets through the chest. Six othermen had also been shot. Four of them laterdied.At a townmeeting the nextmorning, SamuelAdams chargedBritish soldiers

with firing into a crowdof harmless protesters.Aswehave seen, thiswas notexactly true. Samuel was a gifted storyteller. He called the soldiers “bloodymurderers.” He gave the incident a name that everyone would remember: “theBostonMassacre.”

Step8:KeeptheTeaTaxAftertheMassacre,GeneralGagepulledtheBritishsoldiersoutofBoston.Thishelpedcalmthingsdown.OverinBritain,leaderssawthattheTownshendActsweremuchmoretrouble

than theywereworth.Parliamentvoted to repeal the taxes.Well,mostof them.They left a tax on tea. This was done on very specific instructions from KingGeorge:

“I am clear that there must always be one tax to keep up theright,andassuchIapprovetheteaduty.”

KingGeorgeIII

Sure,thekingknewthissmallteataxwouldnotbringinanyrealmoney.HejustwantedeveryonetoknowthatBritainstillhadthepowertotaxthecolonies.Toldyouhewasstubborn.

Step9:ThrowaTeaPartyOn thenightofDecember16,1773,aBostonshoemakernamedGeorgeHeweswentintoablacksmith’sshopandsmearedcoaldustonhisface.Hewashopingitwould look like thewarpaintofaMohawkIndian. Itdidn’t,but thatwasokay.Themainideawastobeindisguise.Heweswentoutintothedarkstreetwithanax in his hand. Dozens of men, all badly disguised as Indians, were marchingdowntothewaterfront.Hewesjoinedthestrangeparade.ThreeshipsfullofBritish teawere tiedupatawharf inBostonHarbor.The

peopleofBostonhadrefusedtolettheshipownersunloadthecargo.Theyhadnointentionofpayingtheteatax.Sotheteasatintheships,neatlypackedinchests.Notforlong.GeorgeHewesandtheotherdisguisedSonsofLibertyrowedouttotheBritish

ships.Communicatingwithonlygruntsandsilentsignals,aboutfiftymenboardedeachship.Theydraggedthechestsofteauptothedeck,choppedthemopenwithaxes,anddumpedtheteaintoBostonHarbor.Hundredsofpeoplecamedowntothewharftowatch.Hewesevensawafew

spectators sneak onto the ships to snag some of the tea: “There were several

attempts,”he recalled, “madeby someof the citizensofBoston… to carryoffsmall quantities of it for their family use … . . They would watch for theiropportunity to snatch up a handful from the deck, where it became plentifullyscattered,andputitintotheirpockets.”Hewes caught one man shoving loose tea leaves into the lining of his coat.

Hewesyankedoffthecoat,andtheguyranaway.Ittookaboutthreehourstodumpallthetea.Then,justtomakesurenoonewas

hidinganytea,eachofthe“Mohawks”wasaskedtotakeoffhisshoesandshakethemoutintothewater.WhenGeorgeHewes finally got home that night, he told hiswife, Sally, all

abouttheBostonTeaParty.

Step10:PaytheFiddlerA british naval commander named Admiral Montagu watched the Boston TeaPartyfromthewindowofhiswaterfronthouse.AsthedisguisedSonsofLibertymarchedawayfromthewharf,Montaguopenedhiswindowandexchangedshoutswithoneofthemen:

Montagu:Well, boys, youhave hada fine, pleasant evening foryour Indian caper, haven’t you?Butmind, youhavegot topaythefiddleryet!

SonofLiberty:Justcomeouthere,ifyouplease,andwe’llsettlethebillintwominutes.

Montagushuthiswindow.Themencheeredand laughed.Montaguwas right,though—the people ofBostonwould have to “pay the fiddler.” In otherwords,theywouldhavetofacetheconsequencesoftheiractions.OneconsequencewasthatKingGeorgethrewanabsolutefit.HecalledtheTea

Party “violent and outrageous.” And he wasn’t alone. Even members ofParliament who usually supported the Americans were furious about thedestructionofBritish tea.AmemberofParliamentnamedCharlesVancaptured

theangrymoodinLondon,declaring:

“The town of Boston ought to be boxed about their ears anddestroyed. I am of the opinion you will never meet with thatproper obedience to the laws of this country until you havedestroyedthatnestoflocusts.”

CharlesVan

Now,that’sthekindofadviceKingGeorgeliked.Attheking’srequest,Parliamentpassedaseriesoflawsdesignedtoteachthe

people of Boston, once and for all, that British authority must be obeyed. Nofooling around now. Parliament ordered the port of Boston shut down until thetown paid for the ruined tea. The people ofMassachusettswould no longer beallowed to elect their own judges or sheriffs. And if the residents of Bostonwantedtoholdatownmeeting,theywouldneedpermissionfromBritishofficials.Toenforceallthis,GeneralThomasGagewassentbacktoBoston—thistime

withfourthousandBritishsoldiers.Thatshouldsolveeverything,right?

Step11:StandFirmAfewmonthslater,SamuelAdamswaseatingdinnerwithhiswifeandkidswhen

oneofBoston’sbest tailorsknockedon thedoor.The tailor came in andbeganmeasuringSam’sratherroundbody.HesaidhehadbeenaskedtomakeAdamsanewsuit.Herefusedtosaywhohadpaidforthisservice.Thenahatterarrived.HemeasuredAdams’s head for a newhat.Hewouldn’t saywhohad sent him.ThenashoemakercametomeasureAdams’sfeet.Whatwasgoingon?Well,alot.Asplanned,theBritishsoldiershadclosedtheportofBoston.This

was a kick in the gut to theBoston economy,whichwas built on shipping andtrade. Stores shut, jobs disappeared. Colonists called the harsh Britishpunishmentsthe“IntolerableActs.”Evenpeoplewhoavoidedpoliticstooksidesinthecrisis:youwereaPatriotifyouopposedBritishtaxesandstoodbyBoston;youwereaLoyalistifyousupportedtheking.Patriots all over the colonies sent supplies to Boston: beef, fish, flour, rice,

cash.PatriotleadersalsoagreedtoholdameetinginPhiladelphia.Theycouldallgettoknoweachother,maybefigureoutwhattodoabouttheIntolerableActs.Thatexplainsthetailor,hatter,andshoemaker.Ofcourse,SamAdamswouldbe

making the trip to Philadelphia for the Continental Congress. But for such animportantmeeting,hereallyneededsomenewclothes(hewasanembarrassinglysloppydresser).Sohisfriendshiredthetailorandtheothers.AndSamAdamssetoffforCongressinafancynewsuitwithgoldbuttonsonthesleeves(andsilverbuckles on his shoes). Next to him in the carriage sat his cousin John Adams,well-knownlawyer,Patriot,andgrump.

GeorgeWashington

A few hundredmiles south in Virginia, GeorgeWashington was also gettingready for the Congress. Washington was one of the few Patriot leaders withmilitaryexperience (in theFrenchand IndianWar).Hehad recentlymadenewswithaboldpromise:

“Ifneedbe,Iwillraiseonethousandmen,subsist2 thematmyown expense, and march myself at their head for the relief ofBoston.”

PatrickHenryandEdmundPendleton(twomoreVirginiaPatriots)stoppedbyWashington’splace,andtheyallsetouttogetherforPhiladelphia.Astheyrodeoff,avoicecalledouttothem:“Ihopeyouwillallstandfirm—I

knowGeorgewill.”ThatwasMarthaWashington,George’swife.Andwhilesheurgedcourage,she

also worried where this conflict might lead, saying, “I foresee consequences.Darkdaysanddarkernights.”

Step12:MakeSpeechesTheContinentalCongressbeganinPhiladelphiainearlySeptember1774.Therewere a totalof fifty-sixdelegates from twelve colonies (Georgia stayedhome).Fifty-six men meant fifty-six different opinions—and some very long debates.JohnAdamscomplainedthatifsomeonehaddeclaredthatthreeplustwoequaledfive,memberswouldhavewastedacoupleofdaysdebatingtheissue.So it took a while, but the members of Congress came to some serious

decisions. They declared the Intolerable Acts to be an illegal violation of therightsofAmericancolonists.Theydecided itwas time to startboycotting tradewith Britain again. And they agreed that the colonies should start arming andtraining theirmilitias (volunteer armies) just in case therewas troublewith theBritishsoldiersinBoston.Before theCongress ended,PatrickHenrydid two things thathewas famous

for. One, he annoyed everyone by talking too much. And two, he made a fewfabulous speeches. “The distinctions between Virginians, Pennsylvanians, New

YorkersandNewEnglandersarenomore,”hecried.“IamnotaVirginian,butanAmerican.”ThiskindofunityreallysurprisedBritishleaders.Theyhadbeensurethatthe

othercolonieswouldstandasideandletMassachusettssufferalone.

Step13:LetBlowsDecideNow the stage was set for a showdown. Neither side really wanted war, butneithersidewaswillingtobackdown.Asusual,KingGeorgethoughtashowofforcewouldimprovematters.Hedeclared:“TheNewEnglandcoloniesareinastateof rebellion… .Blowsmustdecidewhether theyare tobesubject to thiscountryorindependent.”Blows,yousay?SpeakinginachurchinVirginia,PatrickHenrydidhisthing:

“Gentlemenmaycry,‘Peace!Peace!’butthereisnopeace….Iknownotwhatcourseothersmaytake,butasforme,givemelibertyorgivemedeath!”

Back in Boston, all this tough talk was making General Gage extremelynervous.UnlikePatrickHenryandKingGeorge,Gagewasgoingtohavetodotheactualfighting.HewrotetoLondon,askingformoresoldiers.“Ifyou think ten thousandmensufficient, send twenty,”Gagewrote.And this

takesusuptoApril1775.Rightwherewewanttobe.

PatrickHenry

ASleeplessNightBeforeRevolutionWhatareyouwaiting for,ThomasGage?Thatwasbasically themessagefromLondon. King George wanted action! He wanted General Gage to march hissoldiersoutofBostonandseize themilitarysupplies thatwerebeingstoredbylocal militias. He wanted Patriot troublemakers like Samuel Adams and JohnHancockarrestedandshippedtoLondoninchains.

OrdersAreOrders

TensionsinBostonwereatrecordlevelsinthespringof1775.GeneralGagewassoworriedaboutanotherBostonMassacre—typeincident,herefusedtoallowhissoldiers tocarry theirpistols in thestreet.For thissoundjudgment, thesoldierscalledGage“theOldWoman.”Meanwhile, in the towns aroundBoston, thousands ofmilitiamemberswere

justwaiting for theBritish soldiers tomakeamove.Somemilitias evencalledthemselves “minutemen,” because they could be called together at a minute’snotice(orprettyquickly,anyway).Gagewassittingonatimebomb—andeveryonecouldheartheticking.But orders are orders. The general considered his options.He knew that the

localmilitiaswerestoringtheirweaponsinConcord,atownjustseventeenmilesnorthwest ofBoston.Andheknew thatSamuelAdams and JohnHancockwerelyinglowatahouseinLexington.Interesting….SoGagecameupwithaplan.He’dsendsevenhundredBritishsoldiersoutto

LexingtonandConcord.TheycouldtrytograbAdamsandHancockinLexington.ThentheycouldmarchontoConcordanddestroythemilitarysuppliesthere.Thatshouldmakethekinghappy,right?

Don’tOpenThatEnvelopeDuringtheafternoonofApril18,1775,Gagesatdownathisdeskandwroteoutorders for themission.Hesealed theplan inanenvelopewithout showing it toanyone. He gave the envelope to Colonel Francis Smith, who was to lead theexpedition.HetoldSmith tohavehissoldiersassembleonBostonCommon,bytheCharlesRiver,atexactlyteno’clockthatnight.HeorderedSmithnottoopentheenvelopewiththeplanuntilthen.WhywouldGagekeeptheplansecretfromthemanwhowasgoingtoleadthe

mission?Gage knew that itwas going to be very dangerous for his soldiers tomarchoutintothehostileterritoryaroundBoston.Hishopewastokeepthemarchsecretuntiltheverylastsecond.ThenhissoldiersjustmightbeabletogetouttoConcordandbackbeforetheminutemenhadtimetoreact.

WouldGage be able to keep the plan a secret? Listen to this:At about nineo’clockthatnight,GagecalledhispalGeneralHughPercyintohisofficeandtoldhimtheplan.HetoldPercythatnooneelseknewoftheplanyet.Minuteslater,PercyleftGage’shouseandwalkedoutintoBostonCommon.He

saw thatBritish soldierswerequietlygatheringdownby thewater, asplanned.Andhesawsmallgroupsofpeople,nosyBostonians,standingaround,watchingtheaction.Hesnuckuptoonegroup.Hisfacehiddenbyshadows,Percyjoinedtheconversation:

Bostonian:TheBritish troopshavemarched,butwillmiss theiraim.Percy:Whataim?Bostonian:Why,thecannonatConcord.

So the secret was already out—even before the British soldiers themselvesknewwheretheyweregoing!PercyrushedbacktoGage’sofficeandtoldhimthe

badnews.

Everyone’saSpyHowdidthishappen?AstorywentaroundthatGage’swife(shewasAmerican)hadleakedtheplan.Butthiswasnevermorethanarumor.Therealproblem,fromGage’spointofview,wasthatalmosteveryoneinBostonwasaspy.Well,maybenotanofficialspy,buteveryoneintownwaskeepinganangryeyeonthosehatedBritishsoldiers.OneofthemenwhoorganizedthisAmericanspyringwasasilversmithnamed

PaulRevere.

“I was one of upwards of thirty who formed ourselves into acommittee for the purpose of watching the movements of theBritishsoldiers.”

PaulRevere

People outside the city were also on the lookout. When General Gage firststarted thinking about sending his soldiers out to Concord, he realized that hewouldneedtoknowmoreabouttheroadsthearmywouldhavetotake.HegaveColonelFrancisSmiththejobofsecretlycheckingouttheroute.SmithtookalongayoungprivatenamedJohnHowe.SmithandHowedresseduplikeAmericanlaborers(youknow:grayovercoat,

leatherpants,bluestockings).Theygrabbedacoupleofwalkingsticksandsetoffontheseventeen-milehiketoConcord.Smithdidn’tmakeittoofarbeforegettinghungry(hewasafamouslybigeater).Sothetwomenwentintoaroadsidetavern,satatatable,andorderedsomebreakfast.Pretending to be a regular oldAmerican in search of a job, Smith asked the

waitress if she knew of any place where he and his friend might find someemployment. But the woman (all we know about her is that she was AfricanAmerican)hadspentalotoftimeinBoston,andsheknewthefacesofthehigh-rankingBritishofficers.Shelookedhimintheeyeandsaid:

“Smith,youwillfindemploymentenoughforyouandallGage’smeninafewmonths.”

Smithjustaboutfelloffhischair.Hecalledthewomana“saucywench”andpromisedtokillherifheeversawheragain.Thenheranhome.“ThelastIsawofSmithhewas running throughbarberrybushes tokeepoutof sightof the road,”saidPrivateHowe.Yougettheidea—theBritishcouldn’tmakeamovewithouteveryoneknowing

aboutit.AndbyApril18,itwasreally,reallyobviousthatsomethingwasgoingon in Boston. British officers were stopping by the stables, making sure theirhorseswere ready to go. Totally ignoring the lowly local kidswhoworked asstable boys, the officers bragged about the upcoming action. The stable boyspassedtheinformationontoPaulRevere.Anotherclue:theBritishrepairedtheirsmalltransportboatsandlaunchedthem

intheCharlesRiver.TheseweretheboatstheBritishsoldierswoulduseiftheyeverwantedtocrosstheriverontheirwaytoLexingtonandConcord.AsReverenoted, “From these movements we expected something serious was to betransacted.”

TrappedinBoston

“SoRevereandhis fellowspiesknew theBritishwereabout todo“somethingserious.”Butwhat?It really wasn’t that hard to guess. Everyone knew about the weapons in

Concord,andeveryoneknewthatKingGeorgewantedthemdestroyed.EveryonealsoknewthatthekingwantedJohnHancockandSamuelAdamsarrested.Britishsoldiersmade no secret of their hostile feelings for Hancock andAdams. OnepopularBritishmarchingchantwent like this (youcan singalong to the tuneof“YankeeDoodle”):

“As for theirKing, JohnHancock, andAdams if they’re taken,their heads for signs shall hang on high, upon that hill calledBeacon.”

It doesn’t exactly rhyme, but you get the point: Hancock and Adams werewantedmen.Anytimeyourheadishangingupasasign,it’snotgood.OnthenightofApril18,Britishsoldiersweregatheringby theriver.Revere

andfriendsknewwhattheyhadtodo.First:warnHancockandAdamsthatBritishsoldierswereon theirway toarrest them.Second: alert thepeopleofConcordthattheBritishwerecomingtodestroytheweaponsstoredthere.Easiersaidthandone.Bostonwasnearlysurroundedbywater,sotogetoutof

thecitytheyhadtoeithercrosstheCharlesRiverormakeitoverthethinstripofland called Boston Neck. And of course, Gage knew that Revere and otherexpress riderswould try to get awarning out to Lexington andConcord.Gageissued strict orders to hismen: let no oneout ofBoston tonight!Hemoved thewarshipSomerset into theriver toblockanyexitbyboat.Heplacedastringofsoldiers across Boston Neck (it was only sixty yards wide). He even sent outgroupsofBritishofficersonhorseback,pistolshiddenundertheircoats,topatroltheroadtoLexingtonandConcord.

“TwoifbySea”Therewasa realchance thatnoonewouldbeable togetoutofBostonwithawarningforthenearbytowns.Butdon’tworry:Revereandfriendshadaback-upplan.Theyarrangedtosendasecretsignalbylightinglanternsat thetopofOldNorthChurchinBoston.ThelanternswouldbevisibleacrosstheCharlesRiverinCharlestown.Thisway,ifnoonecouldgetoutofBostonwiththelatestnews,at least people inCharlestown could begin spreading the alarm that theBritishwereontheirway.Itwas agreed that one lanternwouldmean theBritishweremarching out by

land, overBostonNeck.Two lanternswouldmean theBritishwere coming bywater,over theCharlesRiver.Yes, theseare the“Oneifbyland,andtwoifbysea”lanternsfromthefamousHenryWadsworthLongfellowpoem.TheguywhovolunteeredtohangthelanternswasayoungsextonatOldNorth

Church,RobertNewman.Asextoncleansuptheplace,ringsthechurchbells,stufflikethat.Newmandidn’tlikethejob,buthekeptit,hesaid,“becausetimesaresohard.”Now itwas just before ten o’clock, andNewmanwas ready for action. The

firstthinghedidwassaygoodnighttohismom.Andnotjustbecausehewasagood son. British officers were renting rooms in the family house, and at thismoment they were sitting around playing cards in the living room. Newman

wantedtheofficerstothinkhewasgoingtobedfortheevening.Infact,hewentuptohisroom,climbedoutthewindow,climbedovertheroof,andjumpeddownintothedarkshadowsinfrontofthechurch.ReverefoundNewmanthereatalittleafterteno’clock.MaybeRevereheldup

twofingerstosilentlyshowNewmanthattheBritishweremovingoutbywater—thiswas clear bynow, since theBritish soldierswere alreadygatheringby theriver.Newmanknewwhattodo.Heusedhiskeystounlockthechurchdoors.Hetooktwolanternsfromthecloset,climbedthestairstothetopofthebelltower,andlitthelanterns—butonlyforamoment.Hedidn’twantthesignaltobespottedby anyone on the warship Somerset, which was clearly visible in the waterbelow.ThenNewmanwentdownthestairs,putthelanternsback,leaptoutawindow

in the back of the church, climbed up and over the roof of hismother’s house,droppedinthroughthewindowofhisbedroom,andlaydowninbed.Youthinkhesleptthatnight?

AcrosstheRiverAssoonasPaulRevereleftRobertNewmanat thechurchdoor,heranhometoget his riding boots.Revere’smissionwas to row across theCharlesRiver, ifpossible,andthenrideouttoLexingtonwiththewarning.BynowthestreetswerefilledwithBritishsoldiers,armedforbattle,marchingtowardtheirmeetingpointattheriver.Avoidingthesoldiers,Reverehustledfromhishousedowntoaspotonthewaterwherehehadasmallrowboathidden.TwofriendswerewaitingforReverebytheboat.Theyhadagreedtorowhim

across the river.Butnow thatRevereandhis friends lookedoutat theCharles,theyrealizedthattheyhadaproblem.TheSomerset,withitssixty-fourguns,wassitting out there, keepingwatch on thewater. And just Revere’s luck, it was aclear night with a big, bright moon. To have a chance, they would have to beabsolutelysilent.Haveyoueverbeeninarowboat?They,makealotofnoise.Theoarsareheld

in place bymetal oarlocks,which clank and squeak as the oars are pulled. Tomufflethissound,Reverewouldneedsomeclothtowraparoundtheoarlocks.Noonehadthoughtofthisaheadoftime.Luckily,oneofRevere’sfriendshadagirlfriendwholivedonanearbystreet.

Theyrushedtoherhouse.Theguygaveawhistleoutsidehisgirl’swindow.She

cametothewindow.Hewhisperedforhertothrowdownsomecloth.Shequicklyslippedoffherflannelpetticoat(akindofslipwornunderadress)andtosseditdown. Revere and his friends ripped up the petticoat, wrapped it around theoarlocks,androwedrightacrosstheriverwithoutbeingheardorseenbysailorsontheSomerset.

RevereandThatOtherGuyAfewpalswerewaitingforRevereontheCharlestownshore.Theytoldhimtheyhadseen the lanterns just fineandhadalreadystartedspreading thenews.TheywarnedhimthatBritishofficerswereoutpatrollingtheroads.Thentheygavehima fast horse and watched him set off on the most famous horseback ride inAmericanhistory.“Itwasthenabouteleveno’clock,”Revereremembered.WeknowthatRevere’sfirstgoalwas toget toLexington towarnAdamsand

Hancock. On the way there he warned people in houses along the road. Mostpeople think that Revere shouted: “The British are coming! The British arecoming!”Butwhatheprobablysaidwas:

“Theregularsareout!Theregularsareout!”

By “regulars” he meant British soldiers. He really should have said “TheBritisharecoming!”Itsoundsbetter.Oh,well—toolatenow.PaulReveregetsallthepress,butmeanwhileasecondexpressriderwasalso

out that night. He was a twenty-three-year-old shoemaker named Billy Dawes.(ThiswasanotherpartofRevere’sbackupplan—ifhegotcaught,maybeDaweswouldgetthroughwiththewarning.)

PaulRevere

TogetoutofBoston,Dawes firsthad to findawaypast theBritish soldiersguardingBostonNeck.Hewastheperfectmanforthisriskyjob.HewasthekindofguywholikedtosneakinandoutofBostonpretendingtobeadrunkenfarmer,justforlaughs.SohemadeitoutonthenightofApril18.LikeRevere,hesetoutforLexington.We’llcatchupwithhiminaminute.

TheMidnightIntruderNowlet’scheckinonSamuelAdamsandJohnHancock,twoguyswhohavedonesomuchtocauseallthistrouble.AdamsandHancockwerestayingatthehomeofReverendJonasClarkeinLexington.ItwasafullhouseattheClarkes’place.InadditiontoAdams,Hancock,andtheClarkefamily(fourteenofthem!),youalsohad Hancock’s Aunt Lydia, his fiancée, Dorothy Quincy, and-his clerk, JohnLowell.Itwas just aftermidnight, and everyonehadgone tobed.Thebighousewas

dark and quiet. A Lexington minuteman named William Munroe stood guardoutsidethehouse,justincase.Suddenly,ahorsechargedupandamanjumpedoff.Hedemandedtobeletinto

theClarkes’home.ButMunroedidn’tknowthisexcitedrider,andheaskedhimtokeephisvoicedown.“Itoldhimthefamilyhadjustretired,andhadrequestedthattheymightnotbedisturbedbyanynoiseaboutthehouse,”Munroelatersaid.“Noise!” shouted the stranger. “You’ll have noise enough before long. The

regularsarecomingout!”ThemanpushedpastMunroeandstartedpoundingon the frontdoor.Several

windows opened upstairs, and several heads stuck out to investigate thedisturbance.Oneoftheheads(inasilknightcap)belongedtoJohnHancock.Helookeddownatthedoor,recognizedtheintruder,andsaid:

“Comein,Revere,wearenotafraidofyou.”

PaulReverewasletin,andeveryonecamedownstairstohearthenews.Hancockimmediatelybeganpacinginhisnightshirt,demandinghisswordand

gun,insistingthathewasgoingoutintoLexingtonCommontofighttheBritish.Hewas probably trying to impressDorothy. SamuelAdams, however, preferred togetoutoftown.HeremindedHancockthatthetwoofthemweremembersoftheContinental Congress—politicians, in others words, not soldiers. That was hispolite way of telling Hancock that he was acting like a fool. But Hancockcontinuedtoinsistthathewouldstandandfight.WhileAdamsandHancockarearguingthispoint,we’llchecktheprogressof

theBritish soldiers.Wherewere they, anyway?According toGage’s plan, theyshouldhavebeenherebynow.

JohnHancock

WhereAretheBritish?Gage’swholeplanwasbasedontiming.Hewantedhissoldiers tohitConcordbefore dawn, before the minutemen had a chance to gather in large numbers.Gage’s first mistake was putting Colonel Francis Smith in command of theexpedition.Smithwasaslowmovingman,oneofthosepeoplewho’salwayslate.

You’llrememberthatGageorderedSmithtohavehissoldiersassembledbytheboatsatexactlyteno’clock.Well,themenwerethere,butSmithwasn’t.Whenhefinallyshowedup,aboutsevenhundredsoldierswerestandingaround,wonderingwhattheyweresupposedtobedoing.Fromthispointon,everythingmovedmuchtooslowly.Ittooktwotripstoget

all the soldiers across theCharlesRiver.Once theywereon theother side, themenstoodaroundwaitingsomemore.LieutenantJohnBarkerremembered:“Wewerehaltedinadirtyroadandstoodtheretilltwoo’clockinthemorning,waitingforprovisionstobebroughtfromtheboatsandtobedivided.”Thiswas a totalwasteof time, sincemost of themenhadbrought their own

food.Assoonastheygottheirshareofarmyfood,theythrewitontheground.Sofourhoursweregonealready,andtheBritishhadtraveledaboutaquarterof

amile.Notagoodstart.At least theywereontheirwaynow,marchingtowardLexingtoninthebrightmoonlight.

OntoConcordAndspeakingofLexington,BillyDawesarrivedattheClarkes’housewhilewewerecheckingontheBritish.Don’tblamehimforgettingtherehalfanhourafterRevere—hisroutewaslonger.While Dawes and Revere had a quick snack (you have to eat, even in the

middle of famous historical events), Captain John Parker got the Lexingtonminutementogetheronthetowncommon.Theyhadtheirguns.Theywerereadytodefend their town.Theonly problemwas, therewas nothing to do.TheBritishwerenowhereinsight.Itwasacoldnight.Parkercouldn’tkeephismenstandingoutthereforever.So

heletthemengo,buttoldthemtolistenforWilliamDiamondbeatinghisdrum.This was the signal for the minutemen to come running back to LexingtonCommon. Some of the men went home. Others walked across the common toBuckman’sTavern,wheretheywaitedwithadrinkbythewarmfire.Ataboutonea.m.,RevereandDawesleft theClarkes’house.Ridingonvery

tiredhorses,theystarteddowntheroadtowardConcord.Theystillhadtowarnthepeopletherethat…well,youknowwhat.OntheirwayoutofLexington,theymetupwithSamuelPrescott,ayoungdoctorfromConcord.Prescottwasheadinghome fromhis fiancéeLydia’s house.Heoffered to help spread the alarmwithRevereandDawes.Thethreeofthemsetofftogether.

Now, remember those armed British officers that General Gage sent out topatroltheroads?They’reabouttomakeasuddenappearance.

Captured!OnthewaytoConcord,PrescottandDawesstoppedtowarnpeopleinahousebesidetheroad.Revererodeupaheadabit,justtocheckoutthepath.HespottedtwoBritishofficershidingintheshadowsofatree.Theyspottedhimtoo.Thenalotofthingshappenedveryquickly.RevereshoutedawarningtoPrescottandDawes.AfewmoreBritishofficers

chargedout fromtheshadows,pointing theirpistolsandshouting:“Ifyougoaninchfurther,youareadeadman!”Thisdidn’tstopanyone.Revere,Prescott,andDawesalldashedoffindifferentdirections.Prescottjumpedhishorseoverastonewallandraceddowntheroad.Dawes

triedtotricktheBritishbypretendingtobeoneof them.“Haloo,boys,I’vegottwoof’em!”heyelled,gallopinghishorsetowardthewoods.Butthen,forsomereason,he fell off.He scrambled tohis feet anddarted into thedarkwoodsonfoot.(Dawes’swatchflewoutofhispocketwhenhefellfromhishorse.Afewdayslater,whenthecoastwasclear,hecamebackandfoundit.)Revere also raced his horse toward the woods. But he rode right to a spot

where sixmoreBritish officerswere hiding.They stepped out of the shadows,heldtheirgunsonRevere,andstartedquestioninghim:

BritishOfficer:Sir,mayIcraveyourname?Revere:MynameisRevere.BritishOfficer:What,PaulRevere?Revere:Yes.

TheseguysknewwhoPaulReverewas,andtheyhadagoodideaofwhathehad been doing. Revere never forgot what happened next: “One of them …clappedhispistoltomyhead,calledmebynameandtoldmehewasgoingtoaskme some questions, and if I did not give him true answers, hewould blowmybrainsout.”

RevereadmittedthathehadbeenoutwarningpeoplethattheBritisharmywasonitsway.TheBritishcursedathimandkeptthreateningtoshoothim.Buttheyhadtopatroltheroad,andtheydidn’twanttoworryaboutkeepinganeyeonhim.Sotheytookhishorseandlethimgo.Revere stumbled through pastures and a graveyard on his way back to

Lexington.Meanwhile,Daweswassomewhereinthewoods,withoutahorse.IfanyonewasgoingtogettoConcordintimetowarnthetown,itwouldhavetobePrescott.GoodthinghehadstayedsolateatLydia’s.

TheyHaven’tLeftYet?ReveremadeitbacktotheReverendClarke’shouseinLexingtonatabout3:30inthe morning. And guess what? Adams and Hancock were still there! With theBritishsoldiersmarchingcloserandcloser,Hancockwouldnotstopinsistingthathewasgoingtostayandfight.DorothyQuincyrecalled:

“Mr.Hancockwasallnightcleaninghisgunandsword,andwasdeterminedtogoouttotheplainbythemeeting-holisewherethebattlewas,tofightwiththemenwhohadcollected.”

DorothyQuincy

Finally, somehow,Adams convincedHancock that they’d better get going.Acarriagewaspreparedfortheirescape.BeforeHancockclimbedin,hehadtimeforonelastargument,thistimewithhisfiancée.Dorothymentionedthatshewasgoingtogobacktoherfather’shouseinBoston.Hancockobjected:

Mr.Hancock:No,madam,youshallnotreturnaslongasthereisaBritishbayonetleftinBoston!Ms. Quincy: Recollect, Mr. Hancock, I am not under yourauthorityyet.Ishallgotomyfather’shousetomorrow!

PoorAdamsmusthavebeenrollinghiseyesinthebackofthecarriage.Atleasttheargumentwasshort.Inaminute,AdamsandHancockmadetheirescape.Dorothywasn’tsorrytoseeJohn’scarriagedriveaway.“Atthattime,Ishould

havebeenverygladtohavegotridofhim,”shesaid.She andAunt Lydia stayed behind at the Clarkes’ house. Later thatmorning,

fromthesecond-storywindow,theywatchedtheAmericanRevolutionbegin.

BeatThatDrum,Billy

Now it was a few minutes after four a.m. You know that cold, gray light thatcomesjustbeforesunrise?That’showitwasinLexingtonwhentheBritisharmywasfinallyspottedontheroadoutsidetown.Theywereamileaway,andcomingonfast.CaptainParkertoldsixteen-year-oldWilliamDiamondtostartbeatinghisdrum.TheLexingtonminutemengrabbedtheirgunsandranintotown.

WhoFiredtheShotHeard’RoundtheWorld?As their wagon rattled out of Lexington on the morning of April 19, SamuelAdamsandJohnHancockcouldonlyguessatwhatwasgoingonback in town.TheyheardWilliamDiamond’sdrumbeating,andtheyknewwhat thatmeant.Afewminuteslatertheyheardagunshot.Thenahugeburstofgunfire.

AGloriousMorning?When Samuel Adams heard the explosion of gunfire from Lexington, he had aprettygoodideaofwhathadjusthappened.“Oh,whatagloriousmorningisthis,”hesaid.John Hancock thought Adams was talking about the weather, which was not

bad, but not glorious. Adams clarified: “I mean, what a glorious morning forAmerica.”

Whatwassogloriousaboutit?Adamsmusthavebeenthinkingthatthoseearly-morningshotswouldbethestartofalong,hardfightforAmericanindependence.Hancock must have been thinking about lunch. He sent a messenger back to

Lexington, instructing Dorothy and Aunt Lydia to meet him in Woburn (whereAdamsandHancockwerenowheaded).Hetoldthemto“bringthefinesalmon”thattheyhadplannedtoeatthatday.Waitaminute.TheAmericanRevolution juststarted,andwe’re talkingabout

salmon.WhatjusthappenedbackthereonLexingtonCommon?

GatheringEvidenceWe’renotexactlysure.BritishandAmericanwitnessestelldifferentversionsofthe story.You’ll have to listen to some of the evidence and come to your ownconclusions.JustaftersunriseonApril19,1775,MajorJohnPitcairnledthefirstgroupof

BritishtroopsintoLexington.Thisguywasitchingforafight,ashehadrecentlywritten:

“I am satisfied that one active campaign, a smart action, andburningtwoorthreeoftheirtowns,willseteverythingtorights.Nothingnow,I’mafraid,butthiswilleverconvincethosefoolishbadpeoplethatEnglandisinearnest.”

JohnPitcairn

Niceguy,huh?ButPitcairnwasn’tsupposedtostopinLexingtononApril19.HeandhismenwereoutinfrontoftheotherBritishsoldiersbecausetheywererushingontoConcord.Theirmission:gettoConcordasquicklyaspossibleandtake control of the bridges in town. Remember, the Britishwere already hoursbehindschedule.SoPitcairnwashopingtomarchrightthroughLexington.Then he saw the Lexingtonminutemen lined up on the town common. There

wereaboutseventyofthem,ranginginagefromsixteentosixty-five.Therewereeight father-and-son combinations. Therewas at least oneAfricanAmerican, athirty-four-year-oldmannamedPrinceEstabrook.

JohnParker

When Captain John Parker saw the British approaching, he told his nervousminutemen:

“Letthetroopspassbyanddon’tmolestthemwithouttheybeginfirst.”

Theminutemen reallyweren’t there to fight, anyway. Theymostlywanted tosendtheBritishamessage:We’rehere,wehaveguns,wedon’tappreciateyourvisit.Pitcairnandhissoldiersmarchedrightuptotheminutemen.Nooneknewwhat

wasabouttohappen.

TheFirstShotOneinterestingthingaboutthismomentisthatbothcommanderstoldtheirmennottofire.PitcairngaveveryclearorderstotheBritishsoldiers:“Iinstantlycalledtothesoldiersnottofirebuttosurroundanddisarmthem.”JohnParkergavesimilarorderstotheminutemen:“Iimmediatelyorderedour

troopstodisperseandnottofire.”So while the British tried to surround the minutemen, the minutemen started

slowlywalkingoffindifferentdirections.Itwasaconfusingscene.Thekeypointwasthis:theminutemendidnotdroptheirguns.ThisangeredtheexcitableMajorPitcairn,who started shouting, “You villains, you rebels! Lay down your arms!Whydon’tyoulaydownyourarms?”Andnow, in themiddleof all this chaos, someone fired.Who?According to

minutemanSylvanusWood:“TherewasnotagunfiredbyanyofCaptainParker’scompany,withinmyknowledge.IwassosituatedthatImusthaveknownit.”ButBritishlieutenantJohnBarker toldadifferentstory:“Onourcomingnear

themtheyfiredoneortwoshots.”Sonoonetakescreditfor“theshotheard’roundtheworld”—thefirstshotof

theAmericanRevolution.Itmighthavebeenaminuteman,oritmighthavebeenaBritishsoldier.Itmightevenhavecomefromoneofthehousesintown.Whatwedoknowis thatwhentheBritishsoldiersheard theshot, they lostcontrol.They

started charging, screaming, and firing their guns. “Ourmenwithout any ordersrushedinuponthem,firedandput’emtoflight,”saidLieutenantBarker.“Themenweresowild,theycouldhearnoorders.”Someoftheminutemenstoodandfiredback.Othersranfortheirlives,blasting

awayastheyretreatedthroughtown.

ThreeCheersThe shooting on Lexington Common lasted about ten minutes. It finally endedwhenColonelFrancisSmith(he’sinchargeofthismission,remember?)rodeintotown. Smith found a British drummer and ordered him to beat the “cease fire”signal.Thisworked.Eight minutemen had been killed and nine more were wounded (including

PrinceEstabrook,whowasshot in theshoulder).Thewoundedmencrawled tonearbyhousesforhelp.OnlyoneBritishsoldierhadbeenshotandslightlyhurt.It tookSmithabouthalfanhour toget thesevenhundredBritishboyscalmed

downandorganized.Hespenta little timeyellingat themenfor losingcontrol.Hewarnedthemtofollowordersnexttime.Thenheletthemgivethreecheersfortheir“victory,”andtheymarchedontoConcord.

SalmonUpdateDorothyQuincyandAuntLydiawatchedthewholethingfromthewindowoftheClarkes’house.Whentheshootingstarted,Lydialeanedoutthewindowtogetacloserlook.Abulletwhistledpastherheadandcrashedintothebarnnextdoor.Shepulledherheadin.AftertheBritishlefttown,thetwowomensetoffinacarriagetomeetupwith

Hancock andAdams.Yes, they remembered to bringHancock’s “fine salmon.”ThesalmonwascookedatahouseinWoburn,andeveryonewassittingdowntolunchwhenamanraninandstartedshoutingthattheBritishwereontheirway.Sothe fishwas leftbehindandAdamsandHancock rode farther from the fighting.Laterthatday,theyatesomecoldporkandpotatoes.

“GrandMusic”

NowtheactionshifteddowntheroadtoConcord,wheretheConcordminutemenwerereadyandwaiting.HowdidtheyknowtheBritishwerecoming?“Thismorning,betweenoneandtwoo’clock,wewerealarmedbytheringing

ofthebell,”explainedReverendWilliamEmersonofConcord.Whobroughtyouthewarning,Reverend?“The intelligence was brought to us first by Dr. Samuel Prescott,” Emerson

said.PrescottwastheonewhohadescapedfromtheBritishpatrolthenightbefore.

HeracedintoConcordandstartedspreadingthenews.Byseveninthemorning,about250Concordminutemenweregatheredintown.

Theyweren’tsurewhattodo,though.Theytalkeditover.TheydecidedtomarchouttomeettheBritish.AConcordminutemannamedAmosBarrettrememberedparadingoutoftown

with the group, a few of themen proudly playing their drums and fifes (smallflutes).Then,outonthenarrowroad,theysawthesevenhundredBritishsoldierscomingtowardthem.Theystopped.Theyrealizedtheyhadn’treallythought thisplanthroughverywell.TheyturnedaroundandmarchedbackintoConcord,withtheBritishrightbehind.Botharmieshadtheirdrummersandfifersgoingstrong.“Wehadgrandmusic,”saidAmosBarrett.Barrettandtheminutemenmarchedupintothehillsabovethetownandwaited

toseewhattheBritishweregoingtodo.TheAmericanshadtimeontheirside.The alarm had been spreading from town to town all morning, and moreminutemenwerepouringinfromthetownsaroundConcord.Soontherewere300minutemeninthehills.Then350,then400.Therewerealso lotsofpeople fromtown,mostlykidswhowereup there to

watch. It was getting crowded. Theminutemen had to ask the spectators to gosomewhereelse.JosiahHayneswastheoldestmantofightthatday.Thisseventy-nine-year-old

minutemanhadgottenupatdawn,grabbedhismusket,andmarchedeightmilestoConcord. Now he was glaring down at the North Bridge, and at the Britishsoldiersguardingthebridge.Hetoldthecaptainofhistown’smilitia:

“Ifyoudon’tgoanddrivethemBritishfromthatbridge,Ishallcallyouacoward.”

Holdon there, Josiah.Everyonewas still hoping thisdaywouldendwithoutmorebloodshed.

BreakfastTimeDownintown,Britishsoldiersstartedlookingforweapons.Thatwasthewholeideaof thismission, asGage’s secret orders toColonelSmith explained: “Youwillseizeanddestroyalltheartillery,ammunition,provisions,tents,smallarmsandallmilitary storeswhatever.Butyouwill takecare that the soldiersdonotplundertheinhabitantsorhurtprivateproperty.”

JosiahHaynes

Unfortunately forGage, thepeople ofConcordhadbeen expecting somethinglikethisfordays.Bynownearlyallofthemilitarysupplieswerehiddeninatticsorburiedinfields.AttheWoodfamilyhome,forexample,apileofgunshadbeenhastilyshoved

into a bedroom.When theBritish came to search this house, theWoodwomenwelcomed the soldiers. They told the men they could search anywhere theywished—except foronesmallbedroomwhereasickwomanwassleeping.TheBritishofficersconsideredthemselvesgentlemen,andtheywouldneverdisturbasickwoman.Sotheyorderedtheirmentoleavethatroomalone.Needless to say, no weapons were found in the Wood house. Meanwhile,

Colonel Smith and some of the otherBritish officers set up chairs on people’slawns and started ordering breakfast. These guys were used to being served.WomeninConcordgrumbledandgaveafewlecturesontherightsofAmericans.Buttheywerewillingtomakealittlemoney.Theysoldtheofficersmealsofmeat,potatoes,andmilk.Allthewhile,thesoldierskeptuptheirsearchforsupplies.Theyfoundafew

barrelsofflourandsomemusketballs.Theytosseditallintoapond.(Afewdayslater the people fished everything out.Most of the flour was still good.) Theyfound a few cannons, and they destroyed them. They smashed up the woodencarriages that were used to haul the cannons around. Then they set the brokenwoodonfire.Thatfirechangedalotoflives.JustaskHannahDavis.

TheBridgeFightEarlythatmorningHannahDavishadwatchedtheActonminutemengatheroutsideher house. (Acton was a town near Concord.) Her husband, Isaac, was theircaptain.Shelatersaid:

HannahDavis

“Myhusbandsaidbutlittlethatmorning.Asheledthecompanyfrom the house, he turned himself round, and seemed to havesomethingtocommunicate.Heonlysaid,‘Takegoodcareofthechildren,’andwassoonoutofsight.”

Now, up in the hills, IsaacDavis and the otherminutemen saw smoke risingfromthemiddleofConcord.Theywere toofarawaytosee that thesmokewasjustfromtheburningcannoncarriages.“Willyouletthemburnthetowndown?”shoutedoneminuteman.“No!No!”theothermenroared.CaptainDavisledtheminutemendowntoward

theNorthBridge. “Wewere all ordered to load,” saidAmosBarrett, “andhadstrictordersnottofiretilltheyfiredfirst,thentofireasfastaswecould.”AttheNorthBridge,aBritishofficernamedWalterLaurielookedupandsaw

fourhundredangryAmericansmarchingtowardhim.Lauriedidn’thavemuchtimetoformaplan.AfewBritishsoldiersranontothebridgeandstartedtryingtoripupthewoodenplanks.TheAmericanscalledoutfor theBritish tostopmessingwith their bridge.Then the shooting started.As usual, no one knowswho firedfirst.“We soon drove them from the bridge,” reported Amos Barrett. Several

minutemenandBritishsoldierswerekilledorwounded.IsaacDaviswasoneofthemenwhodiedattheNorthBridge.

ThisbridgefightisrememberedasamajormomentinAmericanhistory.That’sbecauseuptothispoint,neithertheminutemennortheBritishsoldiershadreallyexpected theday’s tenseevents toexplode intoall-outbattle.Nowmenonbothsideshadbeenkilled.Nowitwasgoingtobealong,bloodyday.Along,bloodydaythatwouldleadtosevenyearsofwar.

TheNightmareBeginsAnd the British were not prepared for a long, bloody day. They hadn’t evenbotheredtobringanarmysurgeonwiththem.ColonelSmith stood in themiddleofConcord,wonderingwhat todo.Every

timehe liftedhis telescope to thehillsaround townhesawmoreminutemenupthere.Hereallyhadnochoice.HehadtomakearunforBoston.Itwas a little after noonwhen theBritish armymarchedout ofConcord.No

drumsandfifes this time—themarchwasquickandquiet forabout tenminutes.Weretheminutemenhidinginthewoodsalongtheroad?TheBritishhadnoidea.TheyfoundoutwhentheyhitabendintheroadcalledMeriam’sCorner(home

ofAbigailandNathanMeriam).Hundredsofminutemenopenedfirefrombehindtreesandstonewalls.BulletszoomedattheBritishfromallsides.TheBritishsoldiersstartedrunning,hopingtogetpast theminutemen.Butthe

bullets kept coming.They kept coming for the next six hours. “Wewere totallysurrounded with such an incessant fire as it’s impossible to conceive,” saidLieutenantBarker.The minutemen had no organized plan. But there were a lot of them—about

3,600menfrommorethanfortydifferenttownsshowedupbeforethedayended.Theywere able to line the road all theway toBoston.Menwould shoot, duckback into the woods, reload their muskets, run forward, and shoot again.Minuteman(andReverend)EdmundFosterexplainedthestrategylikethis:“Eachsoughthisownplaceandopportunitytoattackandannoytheenemyfrombehindtrees,rocks,fences,andbuildings.”TheBritish soldiersmust have felt like they hadwandered into a nightmare.

“Weatfirstkeptourorderandreturnedtheirfireashotaswereceivedit,”saidasoldiernamedHenrydeBerniere.ButtheywerestillfifteenmilesfromBoston!Andsoontheystartedrunningoutofammunition.Themenpanicked.“Webegantorunratherthanretreatinorder,”deBernieresaid.Woundedmenwhocouldstillwalkheldontohorsesforsupportandhobbled

alongasfastas theycould.Badlywoundedanddeadsoldierswereleft lyingintheroad.

BattlingBrothersItwasdarkwhen the fighting finallyended.More than250Britishsoldiershadbeenshot,andseventy-threeofthemdied.AboutonehundredAmericanshadbeenhit, half of them killed. Seventy-nine-year-old Josiah Haynes was killed whilereloadinghismusket.That evening John Adams stood on a hill in Boston, watching the surviving

British soldiers stumble back into town. It’s hard for us to imagine what ashockingscenethismusthavebeen.KeepinmindthatevenPatriotslikeAdamsstill considered themselves citizens of the British Empire. “When I reflect andconsider,”wroteAdams, “that the fightwasbetween thosewhoseparentsbut afew generations ago were brothers, I shudder at the thought, and there’s noknowingwhereourcalamitieswillend.”

WhatNext?You won’t be surprised to learn that British and American soldiers told verydifferentversionsoftheamazingeventsofApril19,1775.According to General Thomas Gage, British soldiers had marched out to

Concordonasimple,peacefulerrand.Then, forno reason, theywereviciouslyattacked by sneaky rebels! “A number of armed persons,” he reported, “to theamountofmanythousands,assembledonthe19thofAprillast,andfrombehindwallsandlurkingholes,attackedadetachmentofKing’sTroops.”According to the Americans, a pack of bloodthirsty British soldiers had

invaded the quiet towns of Lexington and Concord. Then, for no reason, thesoldiers started shooting people. Express riders raced from town to townwithletters saying: “The barbarous murders committed on our innocent brethren onWednesday the 19th . . havemade it absolutely necessary that we immediatelyraiseanarmytodefendourwivesandchildrenfromthebutcheringhandsofaninhumansoldiery.”MilitiamenalloverNewEnglandrespondedtothecallbygrabbingtheirguns

and marching toward Boston. By the end of April, nearly 20,000 of them had

gathered.TheyhadtheBritisharmytrappedinBoston.Theyhadnoideawhattodonext.KingGeorgeknewwhattodonext.Hewasoutragedthatcolonistshaddaredto

fightwithBritishsoldiers.AndhewasmoreconvincedthaneverthattheBritishmilitary would soon bring the Americans to their knees. He said, “When oncetheserebelshavefeltasmartblow,theywillsubmit.”Okay,George.We’lltestyourtheorynext.

GeorgeWashington,MeetYourArmyKingGeorgewas hoping to smack the rebelswith a “smart blow.”But hewasabout to be disappointed. Before sunrise on the morning of May 10, 1775, aVermontPatriotnamedEthanAllensteppedintoaboatonLakeChamplain.Allenand hismen pushed out into the cold, choppywater and began silently rowingacross the lake.The second blowof theAmericanRevolutionwas about to bedelivered.AndnotbytheBritish.

HereComesEthanAllenThis story begins in earlyMay 1775,when a Connecticut lawyer namedNoah

Phelps stopped shaving. Once he had a nice little beard going, he disguisedhimselfasapoorpeddler—aguywhosellspotsandtoolsdoor-to-door.Thenhewalkedrightup to thegatesofFortTiconderoga,aBritishfort innorthernNewYork.TheBritishsoldiersaskedthesloppy-lookingpeddlerwhathewanted.Phelps

said he needed a shave.Could the fort’s barber help him out?The soldiers letPhelpsintothefort.WhilePhelpssatstillinthebarber’schair,hiseyesspiedtheconditionofthe

fort.Crumblingwalls,boredsoldiers…itwasjustashehadhoped.FortTi(asthelocalscalledit)wasnotpreparedforanattack.NoahPhelpspassedtheinformationontotheGreenMountainBoys,agroupof

Patriot farmers from the Green Mountains of Vermont. The Boys were led byEthanAllen.Standingsixfootsix,withafurioustemper,Allenwasnotthekindofguyyouwouldwant tohaveasanenemy.Hewasknowntobeatuptwomenatoncebyliftingthemoffthegroundandbangingthemtogether.ButonthemorningofMay10,EthanAllenwasperfectlycalm.Heandabout

eightyoftheBoysrowedacrossLakeChamplain,reachingtheNewYorksideofthe lake just before sunrise. There, in front of them, was their target: FortTiconderoga. One British soldier sat guarding the fort’s gates. Or, he wassupposedtobeguardingthegates.Technically,hewasasleep.

PartyatFortTiWhat woke the guard that morning? Probably it was the sound of eightyt-hreelarge Americans charging toward him, whooping and screaming like wildanimals.Thesleepysoldierstoodup,liftedhisgun,firedonce,threwthegunontheground,andranintothefort,leavingthegatesopenbehindhim.EthanAllenand theGreenMountainBoyswere rightonhisheels. Inside the

fort, a British officer named Jocelyn Feltham sat up suddenly in bed. “I wasawakenedbyanumberofshrieks,”heexplained.“Ijumpedup…IranundressedtoknockatCaptainDelaplace’sdoor.”CaptainDelaplacewasthecommanderofthefort.Buthewasstillasleep.So

LieutenantFelthamwentbacktohisroom,grabbedsomeclothes,andsteppedoutintothehall.Andnextthingheknewhewasstandingfacetofacewithaveryexcitedgiant

namedEthanAllen.AllenwasknockingonDelaplace’sdoorandshoutingthings

like“Comeoutofthere,youoldrat!”Lieutenant Feltham tried to appear calm and in control (which is hard to do

whenyouhaveyourpantsinyourhand).HedemandedtoknowbywhatauthorityEthanAllenwasattackingthisBritishfort.Allenroaredback:

“In the name of the Great Jehovah and the ContinentalCongress!”

EthanAllen

Thiswasacool-soundinganswer,andit laterbecamefamous.ButatthetimeLieutenantFelthamjustseemedconfused.“Hebegantospeakagain,”Allenlaterwrote, “but I interrupted him and, with my drawn sword over his head, againdemandedanimmediatesurrender.”Theswordovertheheaddidthetrick—FelthamsurrenderedFortTiconderoga

totheAmericans.Withinminutes,theGreenMountainBoysfoundninetygallonsofruminthefort’scellar.Thepartylastedthreedays.Moreimportant,EthanAllenandtheBoyshadcapturedmorethanonehundred

Britishcannons. If theAmericanswere reallygoing to fightawarwithBritain,theywouldneedthosebigguns.

WalkwithMe,SamButweretheAmericansgoingtofightawarwithBritain?ThatquestionwasstillbeingdebateddowninPhiladelphia.One earlymorning in June, John andSamuelAdamsmet to talk over current

events.“IwalkedwithMr.SamuelAdamsintheStateHouseyard,”rememberedJohn,“foralittleexerciseandfreshair,beforethehourofCongress.”TheAdamscousinsknewthatmanymembersoftheContinentalCongresswere

not too thrilled about Ethan Allen’s Fort Ti attack. These members were stillhopingtofindapeacefulsolutiontotheirconflictwiththeBritishgovernment.Infact,CongressactuallyorderedAllentomakeacarefullistofalltheitemsfoundatFortTiconderoga.Thatway they could give everythingback to theBritish ifwarwasavoided.John and Samuel thought this was ridiculous.Wasn’t it obvious by now that

KingGeorgewasnevergoingtocompromise?Itwastimeforthethirteencoloniestojointogether,formonebigarmy,andfightforindependence.In fact, Johnhaddecided that thiswas theday that hewould try to convince

CongresstopickaleaderforthenewAmericanarmy.Butwhoshouldthatleaderbe? He wanted Samuel’s advice. The cousins knew their friend John Hancockexpected to be offered the job. And Hancock was definitely one of the mostfamousandpopularPatriot leaders.The thing is,Hancockdidn’tknowanythingaboutleadinganarmy.Thatcouldbeaproblem.Besides,thecousinsagreed,theAmericanarmyshouldrepresentallregionsof

thecolonies.TheperfectthingwouldbetopickaleaderfromVirginia,thebiggestofthesoutherncolonies.ThatwouldhelpuniteAmericansinthelongfightahead.If only there was someone from Virginia, someone known and respected byeveryone,someonewitharmyexperience,someonesmart,tough,committedtothecause…..

JohnAdamsLosesaFriend“WhenCongressassembled,Iroseinmyplace,”saidJohnAdams.Itwastime,AdamstoldCongress,tocreateaContinentalarmy,withsoldiersfromallthirteencolonies.Anditwastimetoelectaleaderofthearmy.Membersleanedforwardintheirseats.WhowasAdamsabouttoname?JohnHancocklistenedwithaproudgrinonhisface.Hereallythoughthewas

abouttohearhisname.AndJohnAdamsenjoyedtoyingwithHancockalittlebit.Hemadesuretokeep

aneyeonHancock’sfaceashenamedthemanhebelieved.shouldcommandtheContinentalarmy:“GeorgeWashington.”Hancock’ssmilecollapsedinaninstant.“Ineverremarkedamoresuddenand

striking change of countenance [facial expression],” Adams said. Then SamuelAdamsannounced thathe too supportedWashington,whichupsetHancockevenmore. “Mr. Hancock never loved me so well after this event as he had donebefore,”JohnAdamsremembered.Meanwhile,GeorgeWashingtonjumpedupandranoutoftheroom.Hewanted

togiveeveryoneachancetotalkabouthimwithoutworryingtheymighthurthisfeelings.SoWashingtonwaited outsidewhile the othermembers ofCongress decided

whetherornotheshouldleadtheAmericanRevolution.

GeorgeWashington,LovePoetWasGeorgeWashington,ageforty-three,abouttobeofferedtheopportunityofalifetime?Orwas he about to be handed an impossible job? Possibly both?Hemusthavewonderedaboutthisashewaitedinthelibrary.As a boy inVirginia, George had dreamed of becoming amilitary hero. He

eventriedtorunawayfromhomeandjointheBritishnavywhenhewasfourteen.But hismother discovered the plan and refused to let him go. Shewas a veryprotectivemom—andabitstingy,too.YoungGeorgeonceaskedherformoneysohecouldtakemusiclessons.Sheofferedtolendhimthecash.So George never learned to play the violin. But he did spend some time

workingonhislovepoetry.Here’spartofaletterhesenttoFrancisAlexander,ayoungwomanhe admired (notice that the first letters of each line spell out hername):

“Fromyourbrightsparklingeyes,Iwasundone;Rays,youhavemoretransparentthanthesun,Amidstitsgloryintherisingday,Nonecanyouequalinyourbrightarray…”

OnJune16,1775,GeorgeWashingtonsatdowntowriteaverydifferentletter.This timehewaswritingtohiswife,Martha(or,ashecalledher inhis letters,“mydearPatsy”).Congresshadjustmadeitofficial:GeorgeWashingtonwasthecommanderofthenewContinentalarmy.“I am now set down to write to you on a subject which fills me with

inexpressible concern,” wrote George to Martha. “It has been determined inCongress,thatthewholearmyraisedforthedefenseoftheAmericancauseshallbeputundermycare.”WhywasWashingtonfilledwithconcern?Howwouldyoufeelifthefutureof

an entire countrywereplaced in your hands?Washington toldCongress, “I thisdaydeclare,withutmostsincerity,Idonotthinkmyselfequaltothecommand.”

YoungGeorge

Buttherewasnotimefordoubtsorworries.Washingtonpackeduphisthingsandheadednorthtojointhearmy,whichwascampedoutsideofBoston.Whilehewas on his way, a messenger brought Washington some urgent news: a majorbattlehadjustbeenfoughtinBoston.Whenheheardthereport,Washingtonsaid—Waitasecond,let’scheckonthebattlefirst.Thenwe’llhearwhatWashingtonsaidaboutit.

ALittleElbowRoomThe last timewewere inBostonwas twomonths ago, just after the battles ofLexingtonandConcord.TheBritishsoldiersweretrappedintown,surroundedbythousandsofAmericanmilitiamen.ThatwasstillthesituationinJune1775,whenanewteamofBritishgenerals

arrivedfromLondon.Oneofthegenerals,JohnBurgoyne,wasshockedtoseeabunchofangryfarmersholdingthemightyBritisharmyinatrap.

“What!Ten thousandKing’s troopsshutup?Well, letusget in,andwe’llsoonfindelbowroom.”

JohnBurgoyne

SotheBritishdecidedtogetthemselvesalittleelbowroom.ThefirststepwastoseizecontrolofBreed’sHillandBunkerHill, twohillsaboveBoston.Fromthishighground,theycouldstartblastingawayattheAmericancamp.But rememberall thosePatriot spies inandaroundBoston?They learned the

BritishplansandgotthenewstotheAmericansoldiers.AndtheAmericansbeattheBritishtothehills.

GetReadyforaLongDayPeterBrownwasoneofabouttwelvehundredAmericanswhospentthenightofJune 16 on Breed’s Hill, building a fort of earth and logs. “We worked thereundiscoveredtillaboutfiveinthemorning,”Brownlatertoldhismother.Afteratense and tiring night of work, the men were ready for bed. “Fatigued by ourlabor,”heexplained,“havingnosleepthenightbefore,verylittletoeat,nodrinkbutrum…wegrewfaint,thirsty,hungry,andweary.”But there was no rest in sight.When the sun rose, the British looked up at

Breed’sHill.Theywereusedtoseeingcowsandsheepgrazingupthere.Now,allofasudden,therewasafort!TheyquicklybeganblastingcannonsupatBreed’sHill. “TheenemyfiredverywarmfromBostonand fromonboard their ships,”PeterBrownreported.ColonelWilliamPrescott,theAmericancommanderonthehill,sawtherising

fear in his men’s eyes. Most of these guys had never been in a battle before.Prescotttriedtokeepthemcalmbywalkingupanddownonthetopofthefort’swalls—hewantedtoshowthemitwassafe.Itwasn’tsafe.Acannonballcamebouncingintothefortandtookoffaman’shead.“Hewasso

nearme,”Prescottremembered,“thatmyclotheswerebesmearedwithhisbloodandbrains,whichIwipedoff,insomedegree,withahandfuloffreshearth.”Noneofthemenhadeverseenanythingthisawfulbefore.Itwasabouttoget

worse.Themen lookeddownandsawmore than two thousandBritish soldiersgatheringbelowBreed’sHill.

TheBattleofBunkerHillTheBritishstartingmarchingupthehill.ColonelPrescottknewhismenhadonlyaboutfifteenroundsofammunitioneach.Knowingtheywouldhavetomakeeveryshotcount,Prescottgavetheguyssomefamouslast-secondadvice:

WilliamPrescott

“Don’tfiretillyouseethewhitesoftheireyes.”

IfyouthinktheAmericanshaditbad,though,lookatitfromtheBritishpointofview.TheBritish soldierswere nowhikinguphill through thick grass, carrying125poundsofequipmentunderablazingsun.They were marching in nice, neat rows (making themselves easy targets)

becausethegeneralsconsideredthatthemost“honorable”waytofight.AndtheyweremarchingrightuptothefrontoftheAmericanfort.

AlloverBoston,thousandsofpeoplestoodwatchingfromchurchsteeplesandtheroofsofhouses.TheBritishsoldiersmarchedtowithinaboutonehundredfeetofthefort,and

they kept coming. Ninety feet, eighty feet, seventy … then the American gunsexploded.TheBritishwere blown backwards.ABritish officer namedFrancisRawdonsaid:“Theyroseupandpouredinsoheavyafireuponusthattheoldestofficerssaytheyneversawasharperaction.”TheAmericanscheeredandwavedtheirhatsasthesurvivingBritishsoldiers

trippeddownthehill.TheBritishofficerstoldtheirmentoturnaroundandattackagain.Theywere

drivenbackdownthehillasecondtime.SotheBritishchargedupthehillathirdtime.And they finally captured the fort, though at an awful cost—one thousandBritishsoldierswereshotthatday.EventhoughmostofthefightingtookplaceonBreed’sHill,thisbattlebecame

knownas thebattle ofBunkerHill.Noone seems to knowwhy.The importantthingisthattheAmericanswereproudofthebattleofBunkerHill(thoughwhenyougetdrivenoutofyourfort,thatcountsasaloss).FacingthosebrutalBritishcharges gave the Americans badly needed confidence. They really could stand

toeto-toewiththeBritish.

WashingtonTakesCommand“Thelibertiesofthecountryaresafe!”That’swhatGeorgeWashingtonsaidwhenheheard thenewsfromBunkerHill.Like everyone else, he had been worried that untrained American volunteerswouldnotstandtheirgroundinthefaceofafierceBritishattack.Nowheknewbetter.Then Washington got a look at his new Continental army. And he started

worryingagain.Washingtonfoundabout20,000mencrowdedintoastinky,dirtycampoftents

and shacks. These guys were not used to doing laundry (they considered itwomen’swork)so they justwalkedaroundinfilthy, rottingclothes.Therewereseriousshortagesofguns,ammunition,andfreshfood.Andsoldiersfromdifferentcolonies were too busy fighting each other to think about attacking the British.ThatwinteronesnowballfightbetweensoldiersfromMassachusettsandVirginiaexploded into a thousand-man fistfight.Washington personally plunged into themessandstartedyankingpeopleapart.As he tried to discipline his army, Washington found himself giving some

strangeorders.“Thegeneraldoesnotmeantodiscouragethepracticeofbathingwhile theweather iswarmenough tocontinue it,”Washington toldhis soldiers.“But he expressly forbids it at or near the bridge in Cambridge.”Why is that,General?

“Ithasbeenobservedandcomplainedof,thatmanymen,losttoall sense of decency and common modesty, are running aboutnakeduponthebridgewhilstpassengers,evenladiesofthefirstfashionintheneighborhood,arepassingoverit.”

Yes,gettingtheseguystobehavewasgoingtobearealchallenge.

BoredinBostonMeanwhile,theBritisharmywasstillbottledupinBoston.Therewasverylittleto eat thatwinter, and nothing to do.LieutenantMartinHunter remembered onewaythementriedtofighttheboredom.“PlayswereactedtwiceeveryweekbytheofficersandsomeoftheBostonladies,”hesaid.

GeorgeWashington

OnenighttheBritishactorswereabouttoputonanew“farce,”orcomedy—itwasaplaythatmadefunofAmericansasclownsandcowards.Britishsoldiers

dressedupasAmericansandgotreadytotakethestage.TheAmericansknewabouttheplay(thankstothosespiesagain).Theydecided

tohavesomefun.Justastheshowwasabouttostart,AmericansoldiersstartedfiringataBritishfortintown.Insidetheplayhouse,oneoftheBritishactors(dressedasanAmerican)ranon

stageandshoutedforsilence.Heannouncedthattherebelswereattacking!Buttheaudiencestartedlaughing—theythoughtthiswaspartoftheshow.“Thewholeaudiencethought that thesergeantwasactingapart in thefarce,”

MartinHunterreported,“andthathediditsowelltherewasageneralclap,andsuchanoisethathecouldnotbeheardagainforaconsiderabletime.”The soldier kept shouting that this was a real attack. Finally realizing the

danger, theaudiencemembersallstoodupandstartedracingaroundinapanic,jumpingoverchairs,steppingonfiddles.Theactorscalledoutforwatertowashthemakeupoff their faces.When theygotout to the fort, they realized theyhadbeentricked.TheAmericanswerenotreallyattackingBoston.

AndStayOut!Thenexttimeitwasn’tatrick.On themorning ofMarch 3, 1776, British generalWilliamHowe (who had

takenovercommandfromGeneralGage)pulledouthistelescopeandlookedupatsomenearbyhillscalledDorchesterHeights.Hesawcannonspointingdownathim.“ThesefellowshavedonemoreworkinonenightthanIcouldmakemyarmydointhreemonths!”criedHowe.Actually,ithadtakenmorethanonenighttogetthosebiggunsinplace.These

were the cannons captured that May by Ethan Allen at Fort Ticonderoga.WashingtonhadwantedthegunsinBoston,sohesentColonelHenryKnoxtogoget them. Knox was an enormous twenty-five-year-old bookstore owner wholoved to read books about cannons. In the Continental army, thatmadeKnox acannonexpert(theydidn’thaveanyrealexperts).Using sledsand teamsofoxen,Knoxandhismenpulledabout sixtycannons

three hundred miles from Fort Ticonderoga to Boston. Washington had themplacedonDorchesterHeights.SuddenlyGeneralHowedecideditwastimetoleavetown.Thetruthis,it’sno

funlivinginacitywithhugegunspointingdownatyou.TheBritishsailedoutofBostononMarch17,1776.

Andtheynevercameback.WhenWashingtonhappily reported thegoodnews toCongress,he includeda

special note to JohnHancock,whoseBostonmansionhadbeenusedbyBritishofficers. “I have a particular pleasure in being able to inform you, Sir,”wroteWashingtontoHancock,“thatyourhousereceivednodamageworthmentioning.Yourfurnitureisintolerableorderandthefamilypicturesareallleftentireanduntouched.”TheonlybadnewswasthatsomeonehadstolenHancock’sbackgammonset.

IndependenceTime?AwriternamedMercyOtisWarrencelebratedtheliberationofBostonbywritinga new play calledTheBlockheads. It was a comedy about theBritish army inBoston,andshegavetheBritishcharacterssillynameslikeGeneralPuffandMr.Shallow. In theplay, cowardlyBritishofficerswere terrifiedof theAmericans.Here’sasample:

GeneralPuff:Yousee,gentlemen,oursituation.Ourenemiesaregainingonushourly!Onenightmoreperhapswillmakeustheirprisoners!Mr.Shallow:Whywillyoudesireustogotobattle?AreyouforseeinganotherBunkerHill…?

MercyOtisWarren’sgood friendAbigailAdamswashoping therewouldbemoregoodnewstocelebratein1776.Shewasconvincedthatitwastimeforthecolonies to officially declare independence from Britain. In fact, she waswondering what her husband, John, and the other members of Congress werewaiting for. “I long to hear that you have declared an independency,” wroteAbigail.Johnreplied:

“Astodeclarationsofindependency,bepatient.”

HowlongwouldAbigailhavetobepatient?That’sthenextstory.

JohnAdams

DeclareIndependence,Already!Here’s the big question of 1776: Are you for or against independence fromBritain?YoucanputBenjaminFranklindowninthe“forindependence”column.Afteralifetimeofsuccessasawriter,inventor,diplomat,andfounderofcolleges,libraries,firedepartments,andaboutfortyotherthings,BenFranklinwasthemostfamous American in the world. And now, going strong at age seventy, he wasserving inCongressandurging theyoungermembers (theywereallyounger) tomakethebreakfromBritain.

AnythingfortheCauseJusthowstronglydidBenjaminFranklinfeelaboutAmericanindependence?Hewoulddoalmostanythingforthecause—evenshareatinybedwithJohnAdams.Thishappenedonenightwhenthetwomenweretravelingtogetheronimportant

businessforCongress.“Butonebedcouldbeprocured forDr.Franklinandme,”Adamsexplained,

“inalittlechamberlittlelargerthanthebed,withoutachimneyandwithonlyonesmallwindow.”Bothmenputontheirnightshirtsandclimbedintothenarrowbed.Theytriedto

get comfortable.ButAdams felt a cool breeze and he noticed thewindowwasopen.Healwaysgotcoldeasily.Sohe jumpedup toshut thewindow.Franklincriedout,“Oh,don’tshutthewindow!Weshallbesuffocated!”Adams tried toexplain thathewasafraid thechillynightairmightmakehim

sick.Butthiswasnonsense,Franklininsisted.“Come,openthewindowandcometobed,andIwillconvinceyou,”saidFranklin.“Ibelieveyouarenotacquaintedwithmytheoryofcolds.”

Therewas no point arguingwith Franklin. SoAdams left thewindow open,leaptbackintobed,andpulledthecoversuptohischin.ThenFranklinbeganaverylonglectureonairandbreathingandthetruecausesofcolds…..ToAdams, thiswas better than any bedtime story. “Iwas somuch amused,”

Adamsrecalled,“thatIsoonfellasleep,andlefthimandhisphilosophytogether.”

YourTurn,PaineSoJohnAdamsandBenFranklincouldn’tshareabedpeacefully.Buttheycouldagree that itwas time for the thirteencolonies todeclare themselvesa freeandindependentcountry.Whatabouttheotherthreemillioncolonists?Manyofthem

stillweren’t convinced that independencewas suchagreat idea.After all, theywere proud to be part of the British Empire. What would it be like to be anAmericancitizen?Noonereallyknewhowthatwouldturnout.ThomasPaine,it’stimeforyoutoenterthestory.After spending his first thirty-seven years inBritain, TomPaine sailed away

from his homeland in 1774. He left behind several failed careers, two failedmarriages,andareputationasacleverbutfairlyannoyingfellow.Hewasthekindofguywhowouldcomeovertoyourhouseandthenstayforweeks,lazilylyingaroundyourlivingroomandeatingyourfood.Butwhenhefeltlikeworking,Painehadanamazingabilitytowritepowerful

andconvincingarguments.Heshowedwritingtalentearlyinlife,asyoucanseefromthispoemeight-year-oldTomwroteforhisdeadpetbird:

HereliesthebodyofJohnCrow,Whooncewashighbutnowislow;YebrotherCrowstakewarningall,Forasyourise,somustyoufall.

WhenhisboatarrivedinPhiladelphia,Painewassosickfromthejourneythathehadtobecarriedashoreonastretcher.Notagoodstart.Herecoveredquickly,though,andsoonfoundworkwritingforafewnewspapers.By early 1776, Painewas ready towrite something big.Really big.Hewas

sure the colonies should declare independence, and he wanted to convinceAmericans that they could make it on their own. So he published a pamphletcalledCommonSense,whichwasfilledwithpunchylineslike:

ThomasPaine

CommonSensewas awild success. “I believe the number of copies printedand sold in America was not short of 150,000,” reported Paine with pride.George Washington soon noticed that Paine’s writing was winning manyAmericansovertothesideofindependence.“IfindCommonSenseisworkingapowerfulchangeinthemindsofmanymen,”hesaid.Afteryearsoffailure,Painefinallycouldhavemadesomemoney.Instead,he

donated hisCommon Sense profits to the Continental army. He asked that themoneybeusedtobuymittensforthesoldiers.“Ididthistodohonortothecause,”Painesaid.

Abigail’sAdviceNowitwasMarch1776,andAbigailAdamswasstillwaitingforadeclarationofindependence.SheandtheAdamses’fivechildrenwerelivingatthefamilyhousenearBoston.AbigailwrotefrequentlytoJohninPhiladelphia,keepinghimuptodate on their family and friends. “The little folks are very sick and puke everymorning,”shewroteinoneletter.“Butafterthattheyarecomfortable.”Johnwrotebackwithall the latestnews fromCongress.Buthis letterswere

alwaystooshortforAbigail—shewantedmoreinformation.“Youjustlycomplainofmyshortletters,”Johnadmitted.Hesaidhewastoobusytowritemore.Abigailmusthaveacceptedthisexcuse,becauseshekeptwritinglonglettersto

John.Sheknew thatwhen the coloniesdeclared independence, thenewcountry

wouldneedanewgovernment.Andinaletterthatlaterbecamefamous,AbigailofferedJohnsomeadviceonwhatthisgovernmentshouldbelike:“AndbythewayinthenewcodeoflawswhichIsupposeitwillbenecessary

foryou tomakeIdesireyouwouldremember the ladies,andbemoregenerousandfavorabletothemthanyourancestors.”WhyshouldJohn“remembertheladies”?Youprobablyknowthatwomenhad

few rights in those days. They couldn’t vote, run for elected office, or attendcollege.Andmarriedwomenhadtogiveupcontrolofalltheirpropertytotheirhusbands.Supposeawomanownedafarm,forexample.Onceshewasmarried,herhusbandcouldsellthefarmwithoutherpermission!Abigailwasreadyforsomechanges.SheevenwarnedJohnthatwomenmight

startarevolutionoftheirown:

AbigailAdams

“Ifparticularcareandattentionisnotpaidtotheladies,wearedetermined to foment3 a rebellion, and will not hold ourselvesbound by any laws in which we have no voice, orrepresentation.”

AbigailwasjokingwithJohn,butshewasalsoexpressingaseriousidea.ToobadJohnwasn’tquiteready.forAbigail’sideas.“Astoyourextraordinarycodeoflaws,Icannotbutlaugh,”he

wrotetoher.

KingGeorgeUpdateWehaven’tcheckedinonKingGeorgeinawhile.Doyoumisshim?Asyoumightexpect,thekingwasnotwaitingaroundtohearanydeclarations

of independence. In a speech to Parliament, George declared the Americancolonies to be in an official state of rebellion. The king called Patriot leaders“wickedanddesperatepersons”andvowedto“bringthetraitorstojustice.”Tohelpget thisdonequickly,Britainneededmore soldiers.SoKingGeorge

rentedsome fromGermany.Youcando thatwhenyou’reaking. Itworked likethis:George paidGerman princes a lot ofmoney, and the princes sentGermansoldiers to fight for Britain. And the princes actually got extra cash for everyGermansoldierthatwaskilled.Youcandothatwhenyou’reaprince.Inthespringof1776Americansstartedreadingtheshockingnews:boatsfullof

Germansoldierswereon theirwaywestacross theAtlanticOcean!HowcouldKingGeorge do this? colonistswondered.How could he send foreign troopsheretokillus?KingGeorgehadbeenhoping to stop a revolution. Instead, he actuallymade

moreAmericansthinkitwastimetodeclareindependence.

CongressHeatsUpAndCongressneeded the shove.Let’s let amemberofCongressnamed JosephHewes sum up the mood in Philadelphia: “Some among us urge strongly forindependence…otherswishtowaitalittlelonger.”TheseweretensetimesinCongress.Membersspenttwelvehoursaday(often

withoutsnackbreaks)meetinginthehot,stuffyPennsylvaniaStateHouse.Then,atnight,theycontinuedworkingandarguingintavernsandinns.Theseguyswerenotonlydebatingindependence—theyweretryingtohelprun

awartoo.LikehiscousinJohn,SamuelAdamshardlyhadtimetokeepintouch

withhisfamily.“Icanscarcelyfindtimetosendyoualoveletter,”Adamswrotetohiswife.By the middle of June, a majority of the members of Congress were finally

readytodeclareindependence…almost.Youcan’tjustwakeuponedayandsay,“Okay, now we’re independent.” You really need some kind of officialdeclaration. You know, a written document that explains your reasons forbecomingindependent.WhatyouneedisaDeclarationofIndependence.The members of Congress elected a five-man committee to write the

Declaration:RogerSherman,RobertLivingston,BenjaminFranklin,JohnAdams,andayounglawyerfromVirginianamedThomasJefferson.JeffersonwasfairlynewinCongress,andhehadn’tspokenmuchsofar.JohnAdamssaidofJefferson:“The whole time I sat with him in Congress, I never heard him utter threesentencestogether.”No,Jeffersonwasn’tmuchofapublicspeaker.Hecouldwrite,though.Andhe

wasabouttodosomeprettygoodwriting.

ThomasJefferson

WhoGetstheJob?Who should write the Declaration of Independence? That was the committee’sfirst decision. Franklin was sick in bed, so he was out. John Adams thoughtThomasJeffersonwasthemanforthejob.Jeffersonwasn’tsosure.AccordingtoAdams,heandJeffersonhadadiscussionthatwentlikethis:

Jefferson:Youshoulddoit.Adams:Oh!No.Jefferson:Whywillyounot?Yououghttodoit.Adams:Iwillnot.Jefferson:Why?Adams:Reasonsenough.Jefferson:Whatcanbeyourreasons?Adams:Reasonfirst—youareaVirginian,andaVirginianoughtto appear at the head of this business. Reason second—I amobnoxious, suspected, and unpopular. You are very muchotherwise. Reason third—you canwrite ten times better than Ican.Jefferson:Well,ifyouaredecided,IwilldoaswellasIcan.Adams:Verywell.When you have drawn it up,wewill have ameeting.

JohnAdams

Writingatnight inhis room(afterspending longdays inCongress), Jeffersonworkedonthedocumentforthenexttwoweeks.Whenhehadadraftheliked,hemadeacopyandsentittoFranklin,whowasstillstuckinbed.Franklinmadeafewquicksuggestions.ThenthedocumentwasgiventoCongress.“Wewereallinhaste,”JohnAdamsexplained.“Congresswasimpatient.”

JustaFewChangesDon’t you hate itwhen you hand in a report and your teacher gives it back allmarkedupwithcorrectionsinredink?NowyouknowhowJeffersonfeltonJuly3,1776.JeffersonsatinCongress,alookofpainonhisface,ashewatchedtheothermemberschangehiswork.Hewassuretheywereruiningsomeofthebestparts.Ben Franklin (whowas finally feeling better) sympathizedwith the sensitive

Jefferson.HesatdownnexttoTomandtriedtodistracthimbytellinghimfunnystories.AsAdamssaid,Congresswasinahurry.Sobythenextday,thememberswere

ready to vote on Jefferson’s document. Congress approved the Declaration ofIndependenceonJuly4,1776.Today,we thinkof thisas themost importantday inourcountry’shistory.To

Jefferson,July4wasjustanotherday.Hemadeonlytwoentriesinhisdiarythatday. First, he wrote that the temperature in Philadelphia rose from sixty-eightdegreestoseventy-sixdegrees.Second,henotedthathehadboughtsevenpairsofwomen’sglovestotakebacktoVirginia.

WhatDoesitSay?Let’sgetrighttothepoint.TheDeclarationofIndependencebasicallysaysthreethings,inthisorder:

1.Peoplearebornwithcertainrights.2.KingGeorgehastakenthoserightsfromus.3.Sowe’reformingourowncountry.

Ofcourse,Jefferson’swordsarealittlebetter.Okay,alotbetter.Thisishowheintroducedtheideaofrightsthatbelongtoallpeople:

“Weholdthesetruthstobeselfevident,thatallmenarecreatedequal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain un-alienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and thepursuitofhappiness.”

Not bad. Then Jeffersonwent on to say some nasty things about KingGeorge:“ThehistoryofthepresentKingofGreatBritainisahistoryofrepeatedinjuries….allhavingindirectobjecttheestablishmentofanabsolutetyrannyoverthesestates.”

ThomasJefferson

Jeffersonlistedall thewaysKingGeorgehadviolatedthecolonists’rights.Itwasaverylonglist—wedon’thaveroomforithere.Then he came to the part everyone was waiting for: “We, therefore, the

representatives of the United States of America … declare that these unitedcoloniesare,andofrightoughttobefreeandindependentstates.”Andthat’showyoudeclareindependenceinstyle.

SignHere-IfYouDareThe Declaration of Independence was read in the streets and printed innewspapers. Pretty soon thewhole country (we can call it a country now)wastalkingaboutit.AbigailAdamswrotetoJohn,sayingshelookedforwardto“thefuturehappinessandgloryofourcountry.”Shesaidshewasveryproudthatherhusbandhadbeensuchabigpartoffoundinganewnation.John Adams was proud also. But he told Abigail that some of the other

membersofCongresswerenottooeagertosigntheirnamestotheDeclarationofIndependence.That’sbecauseanyonewhosigneditwouldbeconsideredatraitortoBritain.Andthepunishmentfortraitorswaswellknown:deathbyhanging.This frightening factwasoneveryone’smindwhenmembersgathered to sign

the Declaration. John Hancock signed first, then had this exchange with Ben

Franklin:

JohnHancock:Theremustbenopullingdifferentways.Wemustallhangtogether.Ben Franklin:“Yes, we must indeed all hang together, or mostassuredlyweshallallhangseparately.”

With this very real danger in mind, a tall, heavy member of Congress namedBenjaminHarrison turned to a skinnymember namedElbridgeGerry and said:“Whenthehangingscenecomestobeexhibited,Ishallhavetheadvantageoveryouonaccountofmysize.Allwillbeoverwithmeinamoment,butyouwillbekickingintheairhalfanhourafterIamgone.”-Thatwas kind of a sick joke, but it captured the nervousmood inCongress.

Therewasnoturningbacknow.

BadReviewsinBritainCopiesoftheDeclarationofIndependenceweresentacrosstheoceantoBritain.Asfarasweknow,KingGeorgepretendeditdidn’texist.ButlotsofotherBritishpeople did read the Declaration. Some were not very impressed. Their majorcomplaintwas this:manymembersofCongresswereslaveowners.Howcouldslaveownersdeclare that“allmenarecreatedequal”?Howcouldpeoplewhoown slaves say that all men have the right to “life, liberty, and the pursuit ofhappiness”?Or,asafamousEnglishwriternamedSamuelJohnsonputit:“Howisitthatthe

loudestyelpsforlibertycomefromthedriversofslaves?”You’ve got a good point, Johnson. If you visited the homes of George

Washington,ThomasJefferson,PatrickHenry,andmanyotherPatriotleaders,youwouldhaveseenenslavedAfricanAmericans.Didtheseguysbelieveinfreedom,ordidn’t they?PatrickHenrywrestledwith thisquestion ina letter toa friend,saying:

“Would anyone believe I am the master of slaves of my ownpurchase?Iwillnot,Icannotjustifyit.”

WashingtonandJeffersonalsowroteagainstslaveryintheirpersonalletters.ButtheysimplydidnotseetheAmericanRevolutionasafightforthefreedomofallAmericans,blackandwhite.

PatrickHenry

Asyouhavefiguredoutbynow,thestoryofourcountryisnotafairytale.Nooneisperfectandnoteveryoneliveshappilyeverafter.Hey,atleastit’snotboring.

RememberThatStatue?By July 1776, George Washington and the Continental army had moved fromBoston to New York City. On July 9, Washington had the Declaration ofIndependencereadtohissoldiers.Theygavethreeloudcheers.ThensomeoftheguyswenttotheparkintownwhereaKingGeorgestatuewas

standing.ThiswasthestatuethatNewYorkershadputupafterthekingagreedto

repeal the Stamp Act. Now American soldiers helped a group of New YorkPatriotstieropesaroundthetopofthestatueandyankitdowntotheground.Theyevenhadanideaofhowtoreusethestatue’sfourthousandpoundsofmetal.“TheleadwehearistoberunupintomusketballsfortheuseoftheYankees,”saidasoldiernamedIsaacBangs.But General Washington knew he would need a lot more than a fancy

declaration and bullets from a statue. The British army was about to begin amassiveattack inNewYork.AndWashingtonhadno ideahowhewasgoing tostopit.Hewarnedhismen,“Theeyesofallourcountrymenarenowuponus.Thefateofunbornmillionswillnowdepend,underGod,onthecourageandconductofthisarmy…wehavethereforetoresolvetoconquerordie.”Nopressure,guys.Justsaveyourcountry—ordietrying.

LosingandRetreatingin’76Sixteen-year-oldJosephPlumbMartinstillhadn’tmadeuphismind.Was todaythe day he would enlist in the Continental army? “I thought I was as warm aPatriotasthebestofthem,”Martinsaid.Ontheotherhand,hewasn’texactlysurehewasreadytoriskgettingshot.“Ifeltmyselftobearealcoward,”headmitted.

ExpectaBloodySummerJosephPlumbMartinwalkeduptothetablewhereaContinentalarmyofficerwasseated.AbunchofMartin’sfriendswerestandingaroundthetable, tryingtogettheircourageup.“Come—ifyouwillenlist,Iwill,”saidonefriendtoanother.“Youhavelongbeentalkingaboutit.”wasthereply.“Come,nowisthetime.”

Martinsatdownat the table.Theofficerhandedhimenlistmentpapersandapen.Martindippedthepeninink.Hecontinuedgoingbackandforthinhismind…andthenhesignedhisname.MartinlefthishomeinConnecticutandsailedtoNewYorkCitytojoinGeorge

Washington’sarmy.Hebeganexercisingand training.Andhebeganeatingarmyfood.Theflour-and-waterbiscuitswereespeciallybad.“Theywerehardenoughtobreaktheteethofarat,”Martinremembered.Meanwhile,GeorgeWashingtonhadtroublesofhisown.Washingtonhadabout

19,000soldiersinNewYork.MostofthemwerelikeyoungJoseph—willingtofight,buttotallyinexperiencedinbattle.TheBritish,ontheotherhand,had32,000well-trained troops. That included about 8,000 of those rented Germans, whowerefamouslyfiercefighters.Washingtonknewhewasintrouble.“WeexpectaverybloodysummeratNew

York,”hewrote tohisbrother.Thegeneral strapped twopistols tohisbeltandwarnedhismentostayready.“IwillnotaskanymantogofurtherthanIdo,”hetoldthem.“IwillfightsolongasIhavealegoranarm.”Thesoldierssleptintheiruniforms,gunsbytheirsides.

TheBritishAreComing!The British attack came on August 22, a beautiful summer day in New York.Thousands of British and German soldiers poured off their boats and startedmarchingtowardtheAmericanfortsonLongIsland.Ontheirwaytobattle,Britishsoldierspassedrowsofappletrees,thebranches

bendingwithripe,redfruit.Thiswastootemptingasightforguyswhohadbeenstuckaboardshipsformonths,eatingsalty,rottingshipfood—sotheystoppedtopickandeatapples.Thentheygotrightbacktotheattack.SoonthesoldiersapproachedthesmallvillageofFlatbush.And,asyoumight

expect,thepeopleofFlatbushbegantopanic.“Womenandchildrenwererunninghither and thither,” said a sixteen-year-old girl named Femmetia. “Men onhorsebackwereridingaboutinalldirections.”Femmetialookeddownthestreetandsawthedoorsoftheredschoolhouseflyopen.“Theboysrushedoutwithashout,”shesaid.Nomoreschooltoday!ThenFemmetiahelpedhermotherandsister loadeverything theycouldcarry

intoawagon:

“My sister and Iwere all excitement, rushingwildly about thehouse and bringing the most useless things … . to put in thewagon. Mother coolly took out whatever did not seem to hernecessary.”

Femmetia

The family rode off to staywith relatives farther from the fighting. They cameback to their village a few days later to inspect the damage. “Two of ourneighbors’ houses, aswell as our own,were burned to the ground,” Femmetiasaid.

AMidnightEscapeThisbattlewasadisasterfor theContinentalarmytoo.InaweekoffightingonLongIsland,morethanathousandAmericanswerekilled,wounded,orcaptured.AndWashington’sarmywasdrivenback,andback,andback…untilitwasrightup against the edge of the one-mile-wideEastRiver.Washington faced an uglytruth:hisentirearmywasabouttobecapturedrightthere,rightthen.NotexactlythewayhewashopingtheAmericanRevolutionwouldend.Butcouldheslipoutofthetrapbeforeitshut?OnAugust29,JosephPlumbMartin foundout thearmywasmovingwhenhe

sawtheothersoldiersofhiscompanyliningupandpreparingtomarch.Noone

couldtellhimwheretheyweregoing.Firstofall,theydidn’tknow.Secondofall,theyweren’tallowedtotalk.“Wewerestrictlyenjoined[ordered]nottospeak,orevencough,”Martinsaid.“Allordersweregivenfromofficertoofficer,andcommunicatedtothemeninwhispers.”Assoonasitwasdark,themenstartedcrowdingontosmallboats.Agroupof

MassachusettsfishermenunderthecommandofJohnGloverrowedtheboatsbackandforthacrosstheriver.(Glover’sregiment,bytheway,wasoneofthefirsttoincludeblackandwhitesoldiersworkingsidebyside.)TomaketheBritishbelievethatnothingspecialwashappening,someAmerican

troops had to stay behind until the last second. They kept lots of campfiresburning,whichmadeitlooklikeanormalnightintheAmericancamp.Anofficernamed Benjamin Tallmadge remembered waiting all night for orders to marchdown to the river. “It was one of the most anxious, busy nights that I everrecollect,”hesaid,“andbeingthethirdinwhichhardlyanyofusclosedoureyestosleep.”Gloverandhismenwerestillrowingbackandforthacrosstheriverwhenthe

suncameup.Amazingly,fogsavedthem.Athick,wetfogsettledovertheriver,and the entire army (including horses) escaped toManhattan before the Britishknewwhat was going on. “In the history of warfare I do not recollect amorefortunateretreat,”saidTallmadge.Toobadyoucan’twinwarsbyretreating.

TheStoryofNathanHaleTheAmericanarmyhadescapedtoManhattan,butGeorgeWashingtonhardlyfeltsafe. He knew the British would continue their attack very soon. But where?When?Withhowmanymen?WashingtonwasdesperateforanyinformationaboutBritishplans.Heneededaspy.NathanHalevolunteered.NathanHalewasatwenty-two-year-oldteacherwhohadnoideahowtobea

spy.OneofHale’s friends fromcollege,WilliamHull, tried to talkHaleoutofaccepting thisdangerousmission.ButHale couldn’tbebudged.He saidhehadbeen in the army for awhole year and hadn’t done anything yet. “Iwish to beuseful,”hetoldhisfriend.SoHaleputonaplainbrownsuit,stuckhiscollegediplomainhispocket,and

enteredBritish-controlledterritorypretendingtobeateacherinsearchofajob.NooneknowsexactlywhatHaledidorwherehewentforthenextninedays.

But on the night of September 21, some British soldiers became suspicious ofHale. They grabbed him and searched him and foundmore than just a collegediploma.TheyfoundamaphehaddrawnandnotesonthestrengthandlocationoftheBritisharmy(amoreexperiencedspywouldhaveatleastusedinvisibleinkorsecretcodes).

NathanHale

Hale didn’t even try denying that hewas a spy. And the British didn’t evenbothergivinghimatrial.Theyhangedhimthenextmorning.Whentheyputtheropearoundhisneck,didNathanHalereallysaythefamous

line?

“IonlyregretthatIhavebutonelifetoloseformycountry.”

Yeshedid,accordingtoHale’sfriendWilliamHull.Hullwasn’tatthehanging,ofcourse,buthegotthestoryfromaBritishofficerwhowatchedtheexecution.Andthat’sprettymuchallweknowaboutNathanHale.

MoreBadNewsMeanwhile,theContinentalarmywasbusymovingbackwardagain.AsoneofthesoldiersinchargeofguardingtheshoreofManhattan,JosephPlumbMartinkeptawatchonthewater.EveryfewminutesheandtheotherAmericanguardscalledtoeachother,“Alliswell!”Buttheenemyshipsweresoclose,BritishsoldierscouldheartheAmericans

talking.AndwhentheyheardtheAmericanssay,“Alliswell!”theycalledback,“Wewillalteryourtunebeforetomorrownight!”Theykepttheirpromise.TheBritishattackedagainonSeptember15.AndagaintheuntrainedAmericans

wereforcedtoretreat.Inthepanicandconfusion,Martingotseparatedfromhisunit.HewassoonsprintingacrosstheislandofManhattan,withtheBritisharmyclosebehind.HedoveintoaswampandhidbehindbushesandweedswhiletheBritishmarchedpast.“SeveraloftheBritishcamesoneartomethatIcouldseethebuttonsontheirclothes.They,however,soonwithdrewandleftthecoastclearformeagain.”Washingtonstoodonthebattlefieldwatchinghissoldiersrunfortheirlives.He

screamedfor thementostop.Heevenhitafewof themas theypassed,but thesoldiersweresimplytooscaredtostoprunning.AnAmerican officer namedGeorgeWeedonwitnessedWashington’s fury on

thisday.“TheGeneral,”Weedonsaid,“threetimesdashedhishatontheground,andatlastexclaimed,‘GoodGod,haveIgotsuchtroopsasthose!’”OtherwitnessesheardWashington shouting: “Are these themenwithwhom I

amtodefendAmerica?”Washingtonwassoangry,hisofficershadtopullhimoffthebattlefieldtokeep

himfromgettingcaptured.

IsThistheEnd?The Continental army continued fighting and retreating through October andNovember. The British chased them out of NewYork City, across the HudsonRiver,andsouthintoNewJersey.“AswegoforwardintothecountrytheRebelsflybeforeus,”saidBritishcaptainWilliamBamford.“’Tisalmostimpossibletocatchthem.”Thingswere looking terrible forWashington’sarmy—whatwas leftof it, that

is.Soldiersweredesertingeveryday.“Greatnumbersof themhavegoneoff; insomeinstancesalmostbywholeregiments,”WashingtonreportedtoCongress.Tomakethingsworse,menweretakingContinentalarmygunsandammunition

homewiththem.Oneguyeventriedtotakehomeacannonball!Whenitwasfoundinhisbag,hehadanexcuseready.Hewantedtogiveittohismother,hesaid.Shecoulduseittopoundspices.BytheendofNovember,Washingtonhadjustthreethousandmenleft.Thislittle

armycrossed theDelawareRiverandsetupcamp inPennsylvania.WashingtonsentCongressanupdate,saying,“Thesituationofouraffairsiscriticalandtrulyalarming.” Congress agreed. With the British moving closer and closer toPhiladelphia, the members of Congress decided to pack up and run away toBaltimore.Whatelsecouldgowrong?Plenty.Coldweatherwascomingandthesoldiers

hadnowinterclothing.Andtherewasneverenoughtoeat.JosephPlumbMartinrememberedthemeninhisunitgoingwithoutfoodfortwofulldays.Whentheycomplainedofhungerpains,anangryofficer reached intohispocketandpulledoutapieceofdriedcornthatwasburnttoablackcrispandsaid,“Here,eatthisandlearntobeasoldier.”Now for the worst part: Washington’s small army was about to get even

smaller.Mostofthesoldiershadenlistedinthearmyonlyuntiltheendoftheyear.Then they expected to go home for the winter. Martin’s enlistment ended inDecember, and he eagerly traveled home to his family and friends. “Theyappearedtobegladtoseeme,”hesaid,“andIamsureIwasreallygladtoseethem.”Don’tworry,Martinwill be back in the army the next year. ButWashington

couldn’twaituntilthenextyear.“Tendaysmorewillputanendtotheexistenceofourarmy,”hewroteonDecember20.WashingtonhadtendaystosavetheRevolution.

ReportfromTrentonAcross the Delaware River from the American camp was the small town ofTrenton,NewJersey.ThiswasoneofmanytownsnowinthehandsoftheBritisharmy.Guarding the town were about twelve hundred German soldiers. Americans

called them “Hessians” because many of them came from the Hesse region ofGermany. The Hessians took over most of the houses in Trenton and madethemselvescomfortable.“MyfriendShefferandIlodgeinafinehousebelongingtoamerchant,”wroteoneofficer.Thiskindof invasion shouldgetyououtof school, right?Not if youwent to

Mistress Rogers’s School for Young Ladies in Trenton, which stayed open allwinter.We know this from letters that were sent to students that year.WilliamShippen,forinstance,wrotetohisdaughterNancy,agethirteen,saying:

“My,dearNancy: IwaspleasedwithyourFrench letterwhichwas much better spelt than your English one, in which I wassorrytoseefourorfivewordswrong…Takecare,mydeargirl,ofyourspellingandyourteeth.”

And while most families got out of Trenton when the enemy arrived, a few

stayedtotrytoprotecttheirhomes.Aten-year-oldgirlnamedMarthaReedstayedin town with her mother and younger brother—her father was off in theContinentalarmy.Marthalaterdescribedthecoldmid-Decembernightthattheenemyshowedup

atherdoor.“Motherandwetwochildrenweregatheredinthefamilyroom,”shesaid. “A great fire blazed in the chimney place…Suddenly therewas a noiseoutside,andthesoundofmanyfeet.Theroomdooropenedandinstalkedseveralstrangemen.”Afterwarmingupbythefire,theHessiansoldiersopenedthestoreroomandate

allthepicklesandjarredvegetables.Abitlater,theykilledahogandbutchereditonthedinnertable.Even though Martha’s mother spoke no German, she somehow managed to

convince the soldiers that her husbandwas serving in the British army. So theHessiansagreedtolettheReedsstayinthehouse.A fewdays later a child’s coatgave theReedsaway.Marthaexplained: “To

pleasemylittlebrother,mymotherhadmadeforhimanofficer’scoatoftherebelbuff[gold]andblue,inwhichhedelightedtostrutandfightimaginarybattles.”WhentheHessiansfoundthiscoat,theyknewthey’dbeentricked.Theywerein

thehomeofPatriots!“Whatastormbrokearoundus!”Marthasaid.“Theyshookthelittlecoatinourfaces,jabberingandthreatening.”Martha’smotherpulledthechildrenoutsideandtheyallhidinthehenhouse—

normally a bad hiding place, since chickens cluck and cackle when they’redisturbed.Luckily,thesoldiershadalreadyeatenallthechickens.Martha andher family spent a freezingand frighteningnight in the emptyhen

house.“ThatwasanightIcanneverforget,”shesaid.

TheLionintheTubIncommandoftheGermanforcesinTrentonwasColonelJohann“theLion”Rahl.BraveryinbattleearnedRahlhisnickname.Buthewasalsokindofalazyguy.Heliked to stay up late drinking and playing cards. Then hewould sleep late andspendtherestofthemorninginthetub.“Thereweretimes,”complainedoneofhisofficers,“whenwewouldgotohis

quartersforthemorningformationbetweentenandeleveno’clockandhewouldstillbesittinginhisbath.”Rahlwaswarned that theAmericansmight try toattackhisarmy.He laughed

andshouted,“Fiddlesticks!Theseclodhopperswillnotattackus.”RahlknewtheAmericanswerestarving,freezing,andreadytogohome.HeexpectedtoenjoyaquietwinteratTrenton.

AcrosstheRiverThe sun set at 4:35 onDecember 25.ChristmasDay had been sunny and cold,aboutthirty-twodegrees.Nowcloudscoveredthestarsandamiserablemixtureoffreezingrainandsnowstartedfalling.Washington ordered his soldiers to pack sixty rounds of ammunition and a

three-daysupplyofsaltedmeatandbread.Sixteen-year-oldJohnGreenwoodwasoneofthemanysoldierswhowonderedwherethearmywasgoingthatnight.Hewashopinghewouldn’thave tomarch toofar,becausehewassufferingfromahorriblerashonhislegs.Or,asheputit:

“Ihadtheitchthensobadthatmybreechesstucktomythighs,all the skin beingoff, and therewere hundreds of verminuponme.”

JohnGreenwood

AtleastGreenwoodhadshoes.Manyof themenhadworn throughtheirsandhadtotieragsaroundtheirbarefeet.ThesoldiersgatheredattheedgeoftheDelawareRiver.Theysawblackwater

cloggedwithbobbing,swirlingchunksofice.AndtheysawJohnGloverandhisfishermenwaitingtorowthemacrosstheriver.Theboatsstartedcrossingandre-crossing thewater. It tookmanytrips toget

everyone over.ColonelHenryKnox (the cannon expert)was determined to geteighteencannonsovertheriveralso.“Thefloatingiceintherivermadethelaboralmost incredible,”he reported. “Thenightwascoldand stormy; it hailedwithgreatviolence.”JohnGreenwoodwasoneof thefirst tocross theriver.Thenhestoodon the

NewJerseyside,waitingforhours.“Itrained,hailed,snowed,andfroze,andatthe same time blew a perfect hurricane,” he said.He and the othermen pulleddownfencesandlitfiresinauselessefforttokeepwarm.Theywatchedtheboatsandwaited.Washingtonwaswatchingandwaiting too. “Ihavenever seenWashington so

determined as he is now,” an officer named JohnFitzgeraldwrote in his diary.“He stands on the bank of the river, wrapped in his cloak, superintending thelandingofthetroops.Heiscalmandcollected,butverydetermined.”TheplanhadbeentogetthearmyacrosstheDelawareRiverbymidnight.But

thankstotheiceintheriver,ittookuntilthreeinthemorning.WashingtonknewhewouldnotbeabletoreachTrentonbeforedawn.“Ideterminedtopushonatall

events,”hesaid.Thearmybeganthenine-milemarchtoTrenton.

Surprise!Youoftenreadaboutweatherbeingamajorfactorinhistoricalevents.ThiswasdefinitelytrueoftheTrentonattack.Onmostnights,theHessiansinTrentonsentsoldiersout topatrol theroads leadinginto town.But thenightofDecember25wasjusttoocoldandnasty.Theroutinepatrolwascanceled.SoColonelRahl andhismenwerequite surprisedwhenWashington and the

Americans marched into town at about eight o’clock in the morning. Hessiansoldiersgrabbedtheirgunsandranoutintothestreet.Bythetimetheyfiguredoutwhatwasgoingon, though,Washington’smenalreadyhad the townsurrounded.AndHenryKnoxhadhiscannonssetupandreadytogo.“These,inthetwinklingofaneye,clearedthestreets,”Knoxreported.

There was absolutely nowhere for the Hessians to hide. They ran towardhouses,butmanyof thewomenwhohadstayedin townsuddenlystuckgunsoutthewindowsandstartingfiring.

ThebattleofTrentonwasoverquickly.ColonelRahlwasshotandkilled.Hisentirearmysurrendered,exceptforafewmenwhomanagedtoescapedowntheroad.“Thisisagloriousdayforourcountry,”Washingtontoldhisofficers.And tomake the day even better,American soldiers found lots of good stuff

scatteredaroundtown.JohnGreenwoodtookaGermanswordasasouvenir.AnAmericandrummerthrewhisowndrumawayandpickedupamuchnicerGermanone.OthersoldiersputonfancybrassGermanofficers’hatsandstruttedaroundtown.

Saved,forNowAfterbeatingtheAmericansallyear,BritishleadersinLondonhadbeensuretheywereabouttowinthewar.“ButallourhopeswereblastedbythatunhappyaffairatTrenton,”saidGeorgeGermain,KingGeorge’stopwaradvisor.Washington wasn’t done yet, though. He marched his troops to the town of

Princetonandwonanotherquickvictory.Thesewinterwinsinspiredthousandsofnewsoldierstojointhearmy.TheAmericanRevolutionwasalive.ALoyalistnamedNicholasCresswellwastrulysorrytoseethesuddenchange

inthemoodofAmericans.“Afewdaysagotheyhadgivenupthecauseforlost,”Cresswellsaid.“Theirlatesuccesseshaveturnedthescaleandnowtheyareallliberty-madagain.”ButKingGeorgewas still feeling confident. In fact, he had a newwarplan.

AndhelookedforwardtocrushingtheRevolutionin1777.

ShowdownatSaratogaTheBritishGeneralJohnBurgoynecelebratedChristmasin1776byplacingabetontheAmericanRevolution.Burgoynewageredfiftygoldenguineasthathecouldbeat the Americans and “be home victorious fromAmerica by Christmas Day,1777.”Thiswasaboldbet.Towinit,BurgoynewouldhavetocrosstheAtlantic,crushtheRevolution,andgetbacktoLondon—allinoneyear!

NoSecretsHereWhat made General John Burgoyne so confident about crushing the AmericanRevolution? Two words: the plan. Burgoyne had spent the past few monthsworkingoutadetailedplanforwinningthewar.HepresentedthesecretstrategytoKingGeorge.Thekinglovedit.Sointhespringof1777,Burgoyneloadedcasesofchampagneontoaship(he

alwaystraveledinstyle)andsetoutacrosstheoceanwithhighhopes.GeneralBurgoynearrivedinQuebec,Canada,inearlyMay.Assoonashegot

offtheboat,hestartedhearingpeopletalkabouthissocalledsecretstrategy.TheQuebecnewspaperevenhadanarticleaboutit,describingexactlyhowBurgoyneplanned to defeat theAmericans!As usual in thiswar, neither side could keepanythingsecret.Burgoynewasannoyed,butnotdiscouraged.SotheAmericansknewhisplan—

sowhat?Thatdidn’tmeantheycouldstophim.The basic idea of the plan was simple: slice the United States in two. This

wouldbedonebyattackingthecentrallylocatedstateofNewYorkfromthenorthand south at the same time.Once theBritish controlledNewYork, all ofNewEnglandwouldbecutofffromtherestoftheUnitedStates.Thedifferentregionswouldn’t be able to help each other by sending soldiers or supplies back andforth.Itwouldbelikehavinganenemy’shandsaroundyourneck.TheRevolutioncouldbestrangled.

BenedictArnoldtotheRescueLike everyone else,GeorgeWashington knew aboutBurgoyne’s plan.But there

was very little he could do. The British still had their main army, under thecommand of General William Howe, camped in and around New York City.Washingtonwasworried thatHowewould try tocapturePhiladelphia thatyear.So he had to keep his army nearby to prevent it. You can’t just let the enemycaptureyourcapitalcity,canyou?AseparateAmericanarmy,knownas theNorthernArmy,wouldhave to stop

Burgoyne’s invasion. Washington couldn’t send many soldiers to the NorthernArmy, but he could at least send one of his top generals. He picked a formermerchantfromConnecticutnamedBenedictArnold.Arnold had already fought inmany of thewar’s fiercest battles, and hewas

known for his attacking style and reckless bravery. Here’s how one AmericansoldierdescribedArnold’sreputationin1777:“Hewasourfightinggeneral,andabloodyfellowhewas.Hedidn’tcare fornothing;he’drideright in…. .Hewasasbraveamanaseverlived.”True,Arnoldwasalsoknownasperhaps themostannoyingman inAmerica.

Hisloud,bossystylemadehimalmostimpossibletoworkwith.Butthiswasnotimetoworryaboutpersonalityconflicts.WashingtonneededafighterinnorthernNewYork, so he sent his best one. “We have one advantage over our enemy,”Arnold said as he headed north. “It is our power to be free, or nobly die indefenseofliberty.”

Franklin’sSecretMissionMeanwhile, in Philadelphia, Ben Franklin packed up a lunch, climbed into acarriagewithhistwograndsons,andsetoffonapicnic.Apicnic,Ben?Atatimelikethis?Don’tworry—itwaspartofasecretplantohelpwintheRevolution.Theplanwasbasedonasimplefact,sadbuttrue:theUnitedStatescouldnot

winthiswarwithouthelp.GeorgeWashingtonmightwinasmallbattlehereandthere,but theContinental armydidnothaveenough soldiers,guns, and ships todefeatmightyGreatBritain.WhattheAmericansneededwasapowerfulally.SoCongressdecidedtotrytopersuadeFrancetojoinforceswiththeUnitedStates.AndCongressbelievedthatseventy-one-year-oldBenFranklinwasthemantodothe convincing. Franklinwas famous and highly respected in France—they justmightlistentohim.ButfirstFranklinhadtoactuallygettoFrance.AndwithBritishspiessnooping

aroundeverycornerinPhiladelphia,thiswasgoingtobeadangeroustrip.Ifthe

British found out about Franklin’s plans, theywould chase down his ship as itcrossedtheAtlanticOcean.ThatwouldbetheendofBenFranklin.So Franklin and his two grandsons (William, age seventeen, and Benjamin,

seven) rode out of townon an innocent little picnic.Then,when they saw theyhadn’t been followed, they drove the carriage to a small port on theDelawareRiver.Allthreeofthemclimbedontoawaitingship.Sixweekslater,theyweresafelyinFrance.

We’llThinkAboutItBatteredandexhaustedbytheroughseajourney,Franklinhadnotimeforrest.HeandtheboysjumpedintoacarriageandhurriedtowardParis,theFrenchcapital.“Thecarriagewasamiserableone,”Franklinremembered,“withtiredhorses,theeveningdark,scarceatravelerbutourselvesontheroad.”Andthedarkroadwasfarfromsafe.

“Thedriverstoppednearawoodweweretopassthrough,totellus thatagangof eighteen robbers infested thatwood,whobuttwoweeksagohadmurderedsometravelersonthatveryspot.”

BenjaminFranklin

Luckily, Franklinmanaged to avoid the French bandits. But theBritish spiesspottedhimrightaway.DavidStormont,theBritishambassadortoFrance,rusheda report to his bosses in London. “I learnt yesterday evening that the famousDoctorFranklinisarrived,”wroteStormont.“IcannotbutsuspectthathecomeschargedwithasecretcommissionfromtheCongress…..Inaword,myLord,Ilookuponhimasadangerousengine.”Afewdayslater,youngWilliamFranklinwentonanerrandforhisgrandfather.

HewenttotheFrenchforeignminister’sofficeanddeliveredaletterstatingthatBenjaminFranklinwashere inParis tonegotiatea treatyof friendshipbetweentheUnitedStatesandFrance.TheofficialFrench replywasbasically“Well…we’ll thinkabout it.”Sure,

KingLouisXVIand friendswere stillbitter about losing theFrenchand IndianWar to their old enemy Britain. The French were definitely hungry for a littlerevenge.Theydidn’twanttojointhisnewwar,though,unlesstheyweresuretheAmericanscouldactuallywinit.Andsofar, theAmericanshadlostmostof thebigbattles.Frenchleadersdecidedtowaitandseehowthefightingwentin1777.

FranklinsettledinforalongstayinFrance.Hecouldn’taccomplishmuchuntiltherewassomegoodnewsfromhome.

TheNewsfromHomeAt first, there was no good news to report. Unless you were rooting for theBritish.InJuly,GeneralBurgoyneaccomplishedthefirstpartofhisplan:hecaptured

Fort Ticonderoga from the Americans. This news delighted King George, whoskippedintoQueenCharlotte’sbedroom,clappingandyelling,“Ihavebeatthem!BeattheAmericans!”The next step forBurgoyne’s big armywas tomarch about thirtymiles from

FortTiconderogatotheHudsonRiver.Thingsweregoingsmoothly.BaronessFrederikavonRiedesel,forone,washavingawonderfultime.Wife

oftheGermangeneralFriedrichvonRiedesel,thebaronesswasoneofhundredsofwomenwhowere travelingwithBurgoyne’s army (wives oftenwent towarwith their husbands in the 1700s). The baroness even brought her three youngdaughtersalong!Asshewrote,thiswasanexcitingopportunityforthefamilytoseetheworld:

BaronessvonRiedesel

“When theweather was goodwe had ourmeals out under thetrees, otherwisewehad them in thebarn, layingboardsacrossbarrelsfortables.ItwasherethatIhadbearmeatforthefirsttime,andittastedverygoodtome.”

Then, justwhen everyonewas having a fine time, theBritish started runninginto trouble. John Burgoyne (nicknamed “Gentleman Johnny” by his troopsbecausehetreatedthemwell)insistedonlivinginluxury,eveninthemiddleofawar.Heneededthirtywagonsjusttohaulallhischampagneandfancyfoods!Thisreally slowed down the march, especially since the army was traveling overnarrowpathsthroughmuddy,mosquito-filledforests.AndtheAmericansweredoingagreatjobofmakingtheirBritishvisitorsfeel

unwelcome.American soldiers destroyed bridges and rolled boulders and logsinto the road.They dammed up streams, causing them to flood the forest paths.Localfarmersevenburnedtheirowncrops,justtomakesuretheBritishwouldn’tfindanythingtoeatinNewYork.Burgoyne was able to advance only one mile a day. By the beginning of

September,hisarmywasdownto justamonth’ssupplyof food.And therewasmorebadnews.You’llrememberthatBurgoyne’splancalledforGeneralWilliamHowe to leadasecondBritisharmynorth fromNewYorkCity.NowBurgoynelearned that Howe’s army wasn’t coming. General Howe had decided that hewould rather attack Philadelphia than cooperate with Burgoyne’s plan. (Howedidn’tlikeBurgoyne.AndsinceheoutrankedBurgoyne,hecoulddowhateverhewanted.)GentlemanJohnnywasstartingtosweat.

“WhenIwrotemoreconfidently,IhadnotforeseenthatIwastobelefttopursuemywaythoughsuchatractofcountryandhostoffoes,withoutanycooperationfromNewYork.”

JohnBurgoyne

TheleavesonthetreesofnorthernNewYorkwerejuststartingtochangefromgreen to yellow and orange. To Burgoyne, the colorful leaves were a painfulreminderthatitwasgettinglateintheyear.Ifhewasgoingtoturnandmarchhisarmyback tosafety inCanada,hehad todo it right then,beforewinterweather

madethetripimpossible.Burgoyne thought about it … and decided to continue the attack. His army

would try to fight its way south to Albany, where it could spend the winterindoors.“Thisarmymustnotretreat,”hetoldhismen.WashethinkingaboutthatbethehadmadebackinLondon?

ALittleHelpfromPolandTheAmericansknewthatBurgoynewascoming.Itwastimetopickaspotandgetreadyfortheshowdown.BenedictArnoldandaPolishmilitaryengineernamedThaddeusKosciuskogot

on their horses and started looking for the perfect place to fight.Kosciusko, or“Kos,”astheAmericanscalledhim,wasanewadditiontotheContinentalarmy.BackinPoland,hehadtriedtoelope(orrunofftobemarried)withhisgirlfriend.Butthewoman’sfathercaughttheyoungcoupleandgaveKosciuskotwochoices:fighthiminaduelorgetoutofPoland.Kosdidn’twanttokilltheoldguy,sohedecidedtoleavehiscountry.Andassomanypeoplehavedonesince,hetraveledto theUnitedStates insearchofnewopportunities.HemetGeorgeWashington,andtheirconversationwentlikethis:

Washington:Whatdoyouseekhere?Kos:IcometofightasavolunteerforAmericanindependence.Washington:Whatcanyoudo?Kos:Tryme.

Washingtonlikedthisguy’sattitude(thoughhehadterribletroublespellingthename “Kosciusko”—he spelled it eleven different ways during the war).WashingtonsentKosnorthtojointheNorthernArmy.Anexpertatdesigningandbuildingfortsnearrivers,Koswasexactlywhatthe

Americans needed in September 1777. Kos andArnold found a hill above theHudsonRivernearthetownofSaratoga.ThislookedlikeagoodplacetotrytostopBurgoyne.Kos took out his notebook and started sketching ideas for forts.Theywouldhavetobesimpleforts—theBritisharmywouldbethereinjustafew

days.

Pa-PaFranklinBackinFrance,Franklineagerlyopenedevery letter fromhome,hoping toreadaboutagreatAmericanvictory.Buttherehadbeennogreatvictoriesyet.AndtomakethingsworseforpoorBen,hehadtodecodethelettersbeforereadingthem.Oneletterbeganlikethis:“Iamverygladthat105isgoingto156,andIamsureitwillplease38of68.”This was a simple code, using numbers to stand for important people and

places. Codes were necessary because Franklin was absolutely surrounded byBritishspies.Hedidn’tknowitatthetime,butevenhisownpersonalsecretarywasselling information to theBritish!Still,Franklinhatedworkingwithcodes.Hefounditboring.Why were the British so interested in Ben Franklin’s secrets? They were

worried Franklin might be in France to do more than just work out a treaty.Franklinwasworldfamousforhisexperimentswithlightningandelectricity,andtherewerewild rumors that Franklinwas now in France to build some secretelectrical machine that could destroy all of Britain. One British secret agentactuallydescribedFranklin’splanlikethis:

“Heproposes to havea chain carried fromCalais [France] toDover[England].He, standing inCalais,withaprodigiouselectricalmachineofhis own invention, will convey such a shock as will entirelyoverturnourwholeisland.”

The truth is,Franklinwasspendingmostofhis timeeatinganddrinking.ThefancypeopleofParisinvitedFranklintopartieseverynight,andhewastoopolite(andhungry)torefuse.Everyone in France, it seemed, wanted to get a close-up look at Franklin’s

simple American clothes and his beaver-fur hat. Artists and sculptors gatheredaround to paint and sculpt his famous face. Youngwomen lined up to kiss hischeekandcallhim“Pa-paFranklin.”Then they rushed to theirwigmakersandaskedforwigsshapedlikeFranklin’sfurhat.(Thiswascalledwearingyourhair“àlaFranklin.”)Franklinknewthatmostofthisstuffwasprettysilly.Buthealsoknewthathe

wasn’twastinghis time.Franklin’s fameandpopularitywereactuallypowerful

tools.Onedinnerpartyata time,hewaswinning theFrenchpeopleover to theAmericancause.IfonlytheAmericanarmycouldhelphimoutalittle.

TheBattleofSaratoga:PartOneNowbacktoNewYork.After a week of sweaty work under a killer summer sun, the Americans

completedafortatSaratoga.Andjustintime,too—Burgoyne’sarmyattackedtheAmericanfortonSeptember19,1777.ThebattleofSaratogawason.Justbeforetheattackbegan,ageneralnamedHoratioGatesarrivedatSaratoga

to take commandof theNorthernArmy.Gateswas a careful commander, a guywhodidn’tliketotakechances.(Soldiersnicknamedhim“GrannyGates”becausethewayheworehisglassesontheendofhisnosemadehimlooklikeanelderlywoman.)Gateswantedtokeephisarmyinsidethefortandfightfrombehindthewallsofearthandlogs.General Benedict Arnold disagreed. Arnold, who was second in command,

wanted to charge out of the fort and fight in thewoods and fields.As always,Arnoldmadehisopinionsknowntoeveryone.SoheandGatesarguedforawhile.Finally, Gates got so annoyed that he gave Arnold permission to take somesoldiersouttofight.This turnedout tobe avery importantdecision,because it ruined theBritish

battle plan. Burgoyne had been planning to roll his cannons right up to theAmerican fort. Instead, the two armies crashed into each other in a fieldsurroundedbyforests.TheAmericansusedthetreestotheiradvantage,climbingup to high branches and firing their rifles down on the British with deadlyaccuracy.The deafening blasts of guns and cannons continued all afternoon, making

soldiers on both sides feel like they were stuck in the center of a nonstopthunderstorm.“SuchanexplosionoffireIneverhadanyideaofbefore,”saidayoungBritishlieutenantnamedWilliamDigby.AnAmericanofficernamedRogerLambagreed:“Botharmiesseemedtobedeterminedondeathorvictory.”As usual, BenedictArnoldwas out in front of hismen, charging right at the

enemy guns. “Arnold rushed into the thickest of the fight with his usualrecklessness, and at times acted like amadman,” reported anAmericangeneralnamed Enoch Poor. Arnold’s fellow soldiers weren’t sure if Arnold was very

braveorveryinsane.Somethoughthemustbedrunk.(There’snoevidencethathewas.)Back in the British camp, Baroness von Riedesel listened to the battle with

horror. “I shivered at every shot,” she said, “for I could hear everything.” Shewatched as the wounded men were carried back to camp, terrified that herhusbandwouldbeamongthem.Hewasn’t.Onlydarknessendedthefightingthatday.Thoughmorethanonethousandmen

hadbeen shot, neither sidehadwon thebattle.The exhausted armies collapsedandrested.

TheBattleofSaratoga:PartTwoThisbattleleftBurgoyneinserioustrouble.Helostmanyofhisbestofficers,andhis armywasnearlyout of food.Hewanted to try attacking theAmericansonemoretime,buthissoldiersweretootired.Still,heabsolutelyrefusedtoretreat.Meanwhile, in theAmerican camp, the uneasy relationship between generals

Gates andArnold exploded.Gateswrote his official report toCongress on thebattleofSeptember19.EventhoughBenedictArnoldhadledmuchofthefightingthatday,Gatesdidn’tbothermentioningArnold’snameinthereport.Arnold stormed intoGates’s tent, accusingGates of jealousy and disrespect.

Gates calmly responded by removing Arnold from command. Gates orderedArnoldtogotohistentandstaythere.Nowaseriesoftensedaysandnightsfollowed.Byday,theAmericanskepta

constant watch for the attack they knew must be coming. By night, they werehauntedbythebarksandcriesofhungrywolvesthatgatheredinpackstoscratchup theshallowbattlefieldgraves.Wolvesdraggedout thebodiesand….well,youcanimagine.Itwasaroughthreeweeks.Then,onOctober7,theBritishattackedagain.ThetopAmericanofficersraced

toGeneralGatestogethisbattleorders.WhenGatesstartednamingthesoldiershewanted tosend intobattle,BenedictArnold (whowassupposed tobe inhistent)interruptedwithhisopinion:

Arnold:Thatisnothing.Youmustsendastrongerforce.Gates:GeneralArnold,Ihavenothingforyoutodo.Youhaveno

businesshere.

Arnoldspatoutaseriesofunprintablecursesashewalkedbacktohistent.Hepacedbackandforthforawhile, listening to thesoundsof thegunfire.Thenhejustcouldn’ttakeitanymore.Hejumpedonhishorseandrodetowardthebattle,shouting,

“Victoryordeath!”

Gatesorderedhimtocomeback.ButArnoldwasalreadygone.Out on the battlefield, American soldiers cheered when they saw Arnold

coming.Arnoldrodealloverthebattlefield,leadingchargesanddrivingBritishandGermansoldiersbackward.Duringonecharge,hewasshotinthelegandfellfromhishorse.“Rushon,mybraveboys!”hecalledfromtheground.And theAmericans did rush on.This time theywon a clear victory over the

British.

BenedictArnold

JohnnyLosestheBetNowBurgoyne’sonlyhopewas to try to escapebefore theAmericans attackedagain.Baroness von Riedesel and her daughters climbed into a wagon and headed

north.“Wehadbeenwarnedtokeepextremelyquiet,”sheremembered.“Thuswedroveon all through thenight.LittleFrederikawasverymuch frightened, oftenstarting tocry,andIhad toholdmyhandkerchiefoverhermouth topreventourbeingdiscovered.”While all this was happening, a second British army finally got around to

helpingBurgoyne.GeneralHenryClintonledBritishsoldiersnorthuptheHudsonRiver,capturingsomeAmericanforts.ABritishmessenger namedDaniel Taylor hurried towardBurgoynewith the

goodnews.TaylorwasspottedbytheAmericanswhiletravelingnorth,however,andjustbeforehewascapturedhewasseentopullsomethingoutofhispocketand swallow it. The Americans forced Taylor to drink a nasty potion, whichcaused him to throw up—and out shot a silver bullet. Taylor tried to grab thebulletandswallowitagain,buttheAmericanssnatcheditfirst.Theyunscrewedthehollowbullet,andinsidewasanotefromGeneralClinton.Obviously,Burgoyneneversawthatnote.AndbyOctober17,Burgoyne’sarmy

wasoutoffood.Theycouldgonofurther.GentlemanJohnnytookofftheuniformhehadbeenwearingforthepastsixteendaysandputonacleanone.HewantedtolooknicewhenhesurrenderedtotheAmericans.More than 5,700 British and German soldiers marched out to surrender.

Trailing behind themwere the pets they had picked up during their stay in theforestsofNewYork,includingfoxes,raccoons,deer,andoneblackbear.“Thusendedallourhopesofvictory,honor,glory,”saidtheBritishlieutenantWilliamDigby.Digbysaidthatifhehadbeenalone,hewouldhaveburstoutcrying.SomeoftheBritishfeltevenworsewhentheygotacloselookatthearmythat

hadjustwhippedthem.“Notoneofthemwasproperlyuniformed,”saidaBritishsoldieroftheAmericans,“buteachmanhadontheclothesinwhichhegoestothefield,thechurchortothetavern.”No, the American soldiers didn’t have fancy uniforms. But at Saratoga they

gainedsomethingmuchmorevaluable:theirfirstmajorvictoryovertheBritish.

BenSealstheDeal“ThenewsofBurgoyne’ssurrenderliftedusuptothestars,”wroteJohnAdams.WaittillBenFranklinfindsout.InearlyDecember,acarriagepulleduptoFranklin’shouseinFrance.Franklin

had been hearing rumors that General Howe had captured his hometown ofPhiladelphia.Franklinrusheduptothemessenger:

Franklin:Sir,isPhiladelphiataken?Messenger: It is, sir. But sir, I have greater news than that.GeneralBurgoyneandhiswholearmyareprisonersofwar!

Burgoyne,aprisonerofwar!Thischangedeverything.AftermonthsandmonthsofavoidingFranklin,France’sKingLouisandhisofficialsfinallyagreedtoworkoutatreatywiththeUnitedStates.Franklinprepared forhisbigmeetingwithKingLouisbyhiring thebestwig

maker in Paris (no one showed up to see the king without a nice wig).Unfortunately, the wig maker made Franklin a wig that didn’t fit. A Paris

newspaperreportedthescene:

Franklin:Perhapsyourwigistoosmall?Wigmaker:No,yourhead,sir,istoobig!

Thenewspaperreporteraddedhisowncomment:“ItistruethatFranklindoeshaveafathead.Butitisagreathead.”Anyway,Franklindecided togo to thepalace inhisplainbrownsuitandhis

plainbaldhead.Theking’sservantswerehorrified(atfirst,theydidn’tevenwantto let him into thepalace).Everyonewaited, too scared tobreathe, asFranklinboldly steppedup tomeetKingLouis.Luckily,Louisdidn’t seem tocareaboutFranklin’sheadonewayortheother.HesimplylookedatFranklinandsaid:

“AssureCongressofmyfriendship.Ihopethiswillbeforthegoodofthetwonations.”

Andthatwasthat.Franklin’smissionwasaccomplished.

KingLouisXVI

TheTurningPointNowyoucanseewhy thebattleofSaratoga iscalled the“turningpoint”of theAmericanRevolution.TheContinentalarmyhadwonitsbiggestvictoryyetovertheBritish.AndthisvictoryconvincedFrance,oneofthemostpowerfulnationsintheworld,tojoinforceswiththeUnitedStates.ThemembersofCongressweresoexcited,theygaveGeneralGatesaspecial

medaltocelebratethebattleofSaratoga.Andatnight,membersandtheirwivesdidanewdancecalled“theBurgoynesurrender.”Noteveryonewasdancing,though.StuckinahospitalbedinAlbany,Benedict

Arnold was recovering very slowly from his wound. Army surgeon JamesThacher reported: “Last night I watched with the celebrated General Arnold,whoselegwasbadlyfracturedbyamusket-ballwhileintheengagementwiththeenemy…..Heisverypeevish,andimpatientunderhismisfortunes.”Itwasn’tjustthepaininArnold’slegthatwasbotheringhim.Hewastortured

bythefactthatGateswasgettingthegloryhefeltbelongedtohim.We’llbehearingmorefromBenedictArnold.

WillWeEverWinThisWar?In1777,JosephPlumbMartin,nowseventeen,decidedtorejointheContinentalarmy.He agreed to serve until the end of thewar. “The general opinion of thepeoplewasthatthewarwouldnotcontinuethreeyearslonger,”Martinsaid.Don’t tell Joseph, but the American Revolution was going to last six more

years.

ALongWayfromVictorySure,theAmericanshadwonthatgreatSaratogavictory.ButtheBritishwerestilldeterminedtosmashthisrevolution.AndtheystillhadthousandsofsoldiersintheUnitedStates.Infact,theyhadthousandsofsoldiersinthecapitalof theUnitedStates.InSeptember1777(whileBurgoynewasfightinginNewYork) themainBritisharmy,underthecommandofGeneralWilliamHowe,capturedthecityofPhiladelphia.Members of Congress packed very quickly and escaped to York,Pennsylvania.Now thewinter of 1777 approached, andGeorgeWashingtonwas facing the

sameoldmaddeningproblems:lackofsoldiers,lackoffood,lackofclothing…“Thearmywasnownotonlystarvedbutnaked,”saidJosephPlumbMartin.“Thegreatest part were not only shirtless and barefoot, but destitute of all otherclothing,especiallyblankets.”No,theAmericanswerenowherenearwinningthiswar.

TerribleTimesatValleyForgeWashingtondecidedtokeephisarmyclosetoPhiladelphiathatwinter.Hewantedtomake sureGeneralHowe didn’tmake any sudden, unexpectedmoves. So inDecember1777,11,000AmericansoldiersmarchedtowardaplacecalledValleyForge,abouttwentymileswestofPhiladelphia.Someofthemenweresoexhaustedbythemarch,theyleanedontheirgunsand

slept standingup.Othersweremoreworried about their aching feet.Dr. JamesThacher reported,“Itwasnotuncommonto track themarchof themenover iceandfrozenground,bythebloodfromtheirnakedfeet.”There wasn’t much at Valley Forge—just some bare trees and windy hills

covered with frost and dead grass. Since some kind of shelter was needed,Washingtonordered themen tobuild logcabins.Twelvesoldierswould live ineach cabin. Themenwho knew how to build log cabins finished theirs in twodays.Thentheyhelpedthecityboys,whohadnoideahowtobuildahouseoutoflogs.Washingtonknewhisarmywasfacingadangerouslylong,hardwinter.Martha

Washington, who came to stay at Valley Forge, could see the concern on herhusband’sface:

“TheGeneraliswell,butmuchwornwithfatigueandanxiety.Ineverknewhimtobesoanxiousasnow.”

Martha and the otherwomen in campknitted socks and shirts as fast as theycould. And the men badly needed the clothing. Some had nothing but raggedsummer clothes, and they could be seen dashing from hut to hut wrapped inblankets.Whensoldierswereonduty,theystoodontheirhatstokeeptheirbare

feetfromfreezingsolidinthesnow.Whentheyweren’tonduty,theyshiveredintheir cabins, coughing from the smoke from their fires and trying to ignore thehungerpainsintheirbellies.

MarthaWashington

Dr.AlbigenceWaldodescribedlifeatValleyForgeinafewharshstatements:

“I am sick—fatigue—nasty clothes—nasty cookery—vomit halfmy time—smoked out of my senses—the Devil’s in it—I can’tendureit—Whyarewesentheretostarveandfreeze?”

The only onewho had anything nice to say aboutValley Forgewas a youngsoldiernamedRichardWheeler.“Weareverycomfortableandarelivingonthefatoftheland,”wroteRichardtohismother.Richardwasn’tquitetellingthetruth—hejustdidn’twanthismomtoworry.

AlbigenceWaldo

And shewould haveworried had she known that therewas so little food atValleyForgethathorseswerestarvingtodeathanddroppingdeadinthemiddleof camp. Men, also starving, were too weak to bury the heavy horses. “Thecarcassesofdeadhorsesarelyinginandnearthecamp,”complainedWashington.Therottinghorsebodiesstankupthecampandhelpedspreaddiseaseamongtheweakenedsoldiers.AnincreasinglydesperateandangryGeorgeWashingtonwatchedmorethan2,

500soldiersdiefromcold,hunger,anddiseaseatValleyForge.Hewasfuriouswith Congress for not doingmore to supply the army. And he knew that if theBritishchosethismomenttoattack,hisarmywouldberuined.

TheGoodLifeinPhiladelphiaLuckilyfortheAmericanRevolution,GeneralWilliamHowepreferredtospendthewinterindoors.HoweandtheothertopBritishofficerssatbyblazingfires,playingcardsand

sippingwine.TheBritishhadtakenoverall thefinesthousesintown,includingBenFranklin’s three-storybrickmansion.SoBen’sdaughterSarahhadtofindanewplacetolive.“Ishallneverforgetorforgivethemforturningmeoutofhouseandhomeinthemiddleofwinter,”Sarahwrotetoherfather.Atleasttheywouldn’tbeabletostealBen’sbooks.“Yourlibrarywesentout

oftown,wellpackedinboxes,”Sarahadded.

Oneof theBritishofficersenjoying theFranklinmansionwasa twenty-eight-year-oldcaptainnamedJohnAndré.Atalentedartist,musician,andwriter,Andréturned a local warehouse into a theater and put on thirteen different plays thatwinter. In his free time, he visited the homes of young American women,entertainingthembyplayingfluteandrecitingpoetry.André was a frequent guest at the Shippen home, where a beautiful and

intelligent seventeen-year-old named Peggy Shippen lived with her wealthyfamily. John and Peggy sat in the living room for hours at a time, chatting anddrinkingtea(sometimesfifteencupspervisit).JohntookPeggyouttodinnersandballsandonsleighrides.Wedon’tknowwhattheyweretalkingaboutallthistime.Wedoknowthatthey

soonstartedworkingtogetheronaplantheyhopedwoulddestroytheAmericanRevolution.Remembertheirnames.

NewHopeintheSpringBack in Valley Forge, life was slowly beginning to improve. Spring broughtwarmerweather,andwagonsfulloffoodbeganrollingintotheAmericancamp.Soldiers set up their own little theater and put on plays—George and Martha

Washingtonwerealwaysintheaudience.Georgealso relaxedby tossingaballbackandforthwithhisofficers.While

Washingtonwasahumbleman,hewasalwaysproudofhis strong rightarm.“Ihaveseveraltimesheardhimsay,”saidafriend,“thathenevermetanymanwhocouldthrowtosogreatadistanceashimself.”AnotherwelcomesightatValleyForgewasashort,loudGermanfellowbythe

nameofFriedrichvonSteuben.SteubenimpressedtheAmericansbytellingthemhe had been a general in Germany. In fact, he had been a pretty low-rankingofficer. He was very valuable toWashington, though, because he had years ofexperiencetrainingsoldiers.AndsincemostoftheAmericanvolunteershadcomestraight from farms or workshops, they didn’t know much about what soldiersweresupposedtodo.Steubengotup at three in themorningeachday tobeginwork.Hebroke the

soldiersintosmallgroups,personallyshowingeachgrouphowtoworktogetherin battle. The only problemwas, he didn’t speakmuchEnglish.When soldiersmisunderstood Steuben’s commands, he often exploded into red-faced fits ofshoutingandcursing.FirsthecursedinGerman,theninFrench.Finally,hecalledtohistranslators:

“MydearWalkerandmydearDuponceau,comeandswear formeinEnglish.Thesefellowswon’tdowhatIbidthem.”

The men laughed. Then they tried the exercise again. And again, and again.JosephPlumbMartin,whowasoneofthemanysoldierstrainedbySteubenthatspring,noticed that themenseemed tohaveanewenergyandconfidence.TheywereeagertogetoutofValleyForgeandwinsomebattlesin1778.

FriedrichvonSteuben

BackinActionInJune1778,theBritisharmymarchedoutofPhiladelphiaunderthecommandofGeneralHenryClinton(GeneralHowehadgottensickofthewaranddecidedtogohome).TheBritishhadenjoyedthecapitalcity,butnowitwastimetogetbacktothebusinessofattackingAmericans.Onhiswayoutoftown,JohnAndréstoleeverythinghecouldcarryfromBen

Franklin’s house, including scientific instruments and a large painting of thefamousAmerican.Washingtonwas ready for a fight himself.And on a scorchinghot day in late

June,theAmericansattackedClinton’sarmyinMonmouth,NewJersey.In spite of the high hopes, this was another disappointing day for George

Washington.HehadmadethemistakeofputtingageneralnamedCharlesLeeincharge of leading the attack. Lee was famous for his strange habits, includingwearingfilthyclothesandbringinghisdogstofancydinnerparties.When the battle began, Lee decided not to follow Washington’s plan (Lee

consideredhimselftobemuchsmarterthanWashington).Leeattackedforalittlewhile, then ordered the army to retreat. The soldiers stood around, wonderingwhattodonext.That’swhenafuriousWashingtonrodeup,andthisconversationwasheard:

Washington:GeneralLee!Whatareyouabout?Lee:Sir?

Washington: I desire to know, sir, what is the reason for thisdisorderandconfusion?Lee:TheAmericantroopswouldnotstandtheBritishbayonets.Washington: You damned poltroon [coward]—you never triedthem!

ItwastheonlytimeAmericanofficerseverheardGeorgeWashingtonswear.Soyouknowhewasprettymad.WhileWashingtontriedtoorganizehissoldiers,thetemperaturesoaredtoone

hundreddegrees.Astheydidinmanybattles,bravewomenearnedthenickname“MollyPitcher”bycarryingpitchersofwatertomenonthebattlefield.Soldiersneededthewatertocooldowntheirblazingcannons(andtodrink,ofcourse).Oneofthemostfamous“MollyPitchers”wasMaryLudwigHays.Shedodged

bulletsatMonmouthtodeliverwatertoherhusband’scannoncrew.WhenMary’shusbandfaintedfromtheheat,shesteppeduptohiscannonandstartedblastingitattheBritish.JosephPlumbMartinsawthewholething:“Acannonshotfromtheenemy passed directly between her legs without doing any other damage thancarryingawayallthelowerpartofherpetticoat.”LikesomanyAmericanRevolutionbattles,thisonehadnoclearwinner.And

bytheendof1778,theAmericanswerenoclosertowinningtheRevolution.GeneralLee,bytheway,waskickedoutoftheContinentalarmyfordisobeying

orders.“Oh,thatIwereadog,thatImightnotcallmanmybrother!”hecried.

AreYoutheFamousAdams?WhileWashington tried to thinkofaway towin thewar, JohnAdamssailed toFrance.TheFrenchhadalreadybegun sending soldiers, clothing, andweapons to the

UnitedStates.ButCongresshoped togetevenmore fromFrance.Adams’snewassignment:joinBenFranklininParisandhelppersuadetheFrenchtosendmorestufftotheContinentalarmy.JohnhadwantedAbigail to come along, but hewas afraidhis shipmight be

captured by theBritish. SoAbigail stayed home.As always, John andAbigailkeptintouchthroughletters.“Totellyouthetruth,”Johnwrotesoonafterarriving

in France, “I admire the ladies here.Don’t be jealous.They are handsome andverywelleducated.”Unfortunately,theFrenchpeoplequicklyruinedJohn’sgoodmood.Theyrushed

uptohimandasked,“AreyouthefamousAdams?”Theyknewallaboutthegreatrevolutionary leader Samuel Adams. John had to say no, that’smy cousin, I’mJohnAdams.TheFrenchhadneverheardofanyonebythatname.ThatwasjustthestartofJohn’stroubles.Adamshaddecidedhecouldsavehis

countrysomemoneybymovinginwithBenFranklin.Andjustlikethetimetheysharedabedinthecrowdedinn,JohnandBenbeganarguingrightaway.Foronething,Adamscomplained,Franklinslepttoolateandspenttoomuchtimegoingtoparties. Adams was also annoyed by the constant stream of visitors to theirapartment—itseemedlikeeveryoneinFrancewantedtomeetBenjaminFranklin.HetoldAbigail:

“Byfarthegreaterpartwerewomenandchildren,cometohavethehonortoseethegreatFranklin,andtohavethepleasureoftellingstoriesabouthissimplicity,hisbaldheadandscatteringstraighthairs.”

JohnAdams

Theolder,wiserFranklintriedtobepatientwithhisroommate.“JohnAdamsisalways anhonestman, often awise one,”Franklin said, “but sometimes and insomethingsabsolutelyoutofhissenses.”WhatAdamsdidn’trealizewasthatFranklinknewexactlywhathewasdoing.

ByformingclosefriendshipswithimportantpeopleinParis,Franklinwasabletowin favors for theAmericans.For example, he succeeded in talking theFrenchintogivinga fewof theirold ships to thenewContinentalnavy.Franklinmadesure that one of the ships went to a captain he admired, a man from ScotlandnamedJohnPaulJones.

TheAdventuresofJohnPaulJonesJohnPaulJoneshadspentthepastfewyearscruisingthewatersaroundBritain,capturing one British ship after another. Jones’s favorite targets were Britishtrading ships, which were loaded with valuable goods. After capturing theseships,Jonessailedthemtonearbyports,soldthegoods,andsplittheprofitswith

hiscrew:Basically,hewasapirate.Butthiswaslegalinthe1700s.Ifyouwereatwarwithanothercountry,youwereallowedtocaptureanyshipflyingtheirflag(andyoucalledyourselfaprivateer,notapirate).By 1778 Jones was the most feared captain in the American navy. Abigail

Adamsheardsomuchabouthisboldfightingstyle,sheexpectedhimtobeafire-breathinggiant.Shewassurprisedtomeettheshort(justoverfivefeet),gentle-lookingJones.Abigailcommented:“Ishouldsoonerthinkofwrappinghimupincotton wool and putting him in my pocket, than sending him to contend withcannonballs.”TheBritish, of course, felt a bit differently about Jones—theywere dying to

catch and hang him. And on a warm night in September 1779, with moonlightreflectingoffthesmoothsea,theygottheirchance.ABritishwarshipnamedtheSerapisspottedanAmericanship.“What ship is that?” called out Richard Pearson, captain of the Serapis.

“Answerimmediately,orIshallbeunderthenecessityoffiringintoyou.”ThenextthingPearsonknew,acannonballwasflyingtowardhisship.Pearson

had run into the Bonhomme Richard, under the command of John Paul Jones.Floatingsoclosethattheysometimescrashedtogether,thetwoshipsbatteredeachotherwithcannonballs,guns,andgrenades.Bothcrewshadtostopfightingeveryfewminutes to put out fires on theirwooden ships. Seeing that theBonhommeRichardwasbadlydamaged,CaptainPearson asked JohnPaul Jones if hewasreadytosurrender.JonesbarkedbackoneofthebestlinesinAmericanhistory:

“Ihavenotyetbeguntofight!”

Thefightingcontinuedfornearly fourhours,and theBonhommeRichardwassoonblastedsofullofholesthatBritishcannonballssailedinonesideoftheshipandouttheotherwithouthittinganything.

JohnPaulJones

ThenJones sawoneofhis sailors,WilliamHamilton,dosomethingamazing.“This brave man, on his own accord, seized a lighted match and a basket ofgrenades,”Jonessaid.HamiltonclimbedupthemastandstartedtossinggrenadesdownontothedeckoftheBritishship.OneofthesegrenadeslandedinapileofgunpowderontheSerapis,sparkingamassiveexplosion.“Itwasawful!”reportedBritishofficerFrancisHeddart.“Sometwentyofour

menwerefairlyblowntopieces.Therewereothermenwhowerestrippednaked,withnothingonbutthecollarsoftheirshirtsandwristbands.”TheBritishpulleddowntheirflag—thesignalforsurrender.Joneshadwon,thoughhisshipwassobadlydamaged,itsanktwodayslater.

AndJoneshimselfwasshakenbyhisviolentvictory.“Apersonmusthavebeenaneyewitness,” he said, “to form a just idea of the tremendous scene of carnage,wreckandruinthateverywhereappeared.”

BenedictArnoldinLoveNowwereturntothenever-boringBenedictArnold.NearlyayearafterthebattleofSaratoga,Arnoldhadstillnot recoveredfromhiswounds.Splinters fromhisshatteredboneoftenpokedintothenervesinhisleftleg,causingunbearablepain.Clearly, Arnold was not well enough to charge around the battlefield onhorseback.SoWashingtongavehimthefairlyeasyjobofprotectingPhiladelphia.Arnoldhadnotbeenintownlongbeforehemetandfellinlovewith…guess

who?YoungPeggyShippen! Peggy easily accomplished somethingBritish guns

hadnot—shemadethegreatgeneralnervous.Arnoldwrote:

“Twenty times have I taken upmy pen towrite to you, and asoftenhasmy tremblinghandrefused toobey thedictatesofmyheart.”

BenedictArnold

Arnoldgotoverhisfears, though,andsoonhewonPeggy’sheart.TheyweremarriedinApril1779(hewasthirty-nine;shewasnineteen).YoumightthinkBenedictArnoldwouldfinallybehappy.Asidefromthepainin

his leg, though,hewasstillbitteraboutseeingHoratioGates takecredit forhisvictory at Saratoga.Arnoldwas the kind of guywho always felt people didn’tappreciate him enough. Also, Arnold was broke. He had recently borrowed afortunetobuyPeggyahugehouse,andhehadnohopeofpayingbacktheloan.

Justamonthafterhismarriage,BenedictArnolddecidedtoseehowmuchtheBritishwouldpayhimtochangesidesinthewar.Peggy,aLoyalistatheart,playedakeyroleinBenedictArnold’ssecretplan.

She knew that hewould need to begin sendingmessages to the British, so shehelpedhimcontacthergood friend JohnAndré.Andréwasnowanassistant toGeneralClinton—inaperfectposition tohelpwith theplot. Ina long seriesofcodedletterswrittenininvisibleink,thethreestartedworkingouttheirstrategy.

Arnold’sFiendishPlanIn the summer of 1780,BenedictArnold took over command ofWest Point, anAmericanforton theHudsonRiver inNewYork.ControlofWestPointwassoimportant, Washington called it “the key to America.” It was also the key toArnold’splan.Here’showitwassupposedtowork.ArnoldandAndréwouldagreeonatime

fortheBritishtoattackWestPoint.Arnoldwouldmakesuretohavehissoldiersinall thewrongplaces,and theBritishwouldcapture theforteasily.And therewasmore.GeorgeWashingtonwascomingtoinspectWestPointinSeptember.IftheBritishtimedtheirattackjustright,theycouldgrabGeneralWashingtontoo!Inexchange,Arnoldwastobepaidacool20,000poundsandmadeageneralintheBritisharmy.OneofthemostamazingthingsaboutBenedictArnold’splotisjusthowclose

itcametoworking.ImaginehowdifferentourhistorywouldbeifWashingtonhadbeen taken to Britain and hanged! Arnold made a critical mistake, though. HeinsistedonmeetingAndréface-to-face,so the twomencouldworkout the last-minutedetailsoftheirplan.AtabouttwointhemorningonSeptember22,Andrérowedasmallboattoa

darkspotontheshoreoftheHudsonRiver.Arnoldwaswaitingforhim.

AndréIsCapturedArnoldandAndrétalkeduntilsunrise.ArnoldwroteoutplansshowingjusthowtheBritish should attackWestPoint.Andréput thepapers inhis boot, got on ahorse,androdesouthtowardNewYorkCity(whichtheBritishstillcontrolled).There he would meet with General Clinton, and then the British attack could

begin.One big problem: thewoods north ofNewYorkCitywere a dangerous “no

man’sland”—anareainbetweenBritishandAmericanterritory,filledwithgangsofviolentbandits.Somegangswerepro-American,somepro-British,butmostlytheyjustlikedtostealpeople’smoney.AsAndrérodethroughthesewoods,threemenjumpedoutfrombehindatree

andgrabbedhishorse.Andréhadasplitsecondtoguesswhichside theseguyswereon.Heguessedwrong:

André: I am glad to see you. I am an officer in the Britishservice.Bandit:Getdown.WeareAmericans.

Struggling to keep his cool, André instantly changed his story. He tried tofrightenthethievesbysayinghewasactuallyanAmericanonurgentbusinessforGeneralArnold:“Gentlemen,youhadbestletmegooryouwillbringyourselvesintrouble,for,bystoppingme,youwilldetainthegeneral’sbusiness.”Buttheseguysjustwantedtoknowonething:“Whereisyourmoney?”“Gentlemen,Ihavenoneaboutme,”Andréexplained.ThemenpulledAndréofftheroadandsearchedhim.AndAndréreallydidn’t

havemuchmoneyonhim.Buthedidhavesomeverystrangepapersstuffedinhisboot.Thethievesstartedreadingthepapers…..

AndArnoldEscapesBack at West Point, Arnold was eating breakfast at his headquarters when amessenger dashed in and handed over an urgent note. Arnold tore it open andread:aBritishspywasjustcapturedwithmapsofWestPointinhisboot!Arnoldleaptupfromthetable,ranupstairsasfastashisbadlegwouldcarry

him, and toldPeggy the terrible news (shewas in bedwith their newborn son,Edward).Thenhehobbledoutside,racedhishorsedowntotheriver,hoppedonaboat,andstartedrowingsouth.ThatwasthelasttimeanyonesawBenedictArnoldinanAmericanuniform.

At that very moment, George Washington and his staff were approachingArnold’sheadquarters.ThemenwerealllookingforwardtoseeingthefamouslybeautifulPeggy.“Youyoungmenareall in lovewithMrs.Arnold,”Washingtonteasedhisofficers.But as theboat approachedArnold’shouse, it started to seem like something

wasn’tright.Arnoldshouldhavefiredafewcannonsasasalutetothecommanderin chief. But the cannons were silent. “The impropriety [incorrectness] of hisconductwhen he knew Iwas to be there struckme very forcibly,”Washingtonlatersaid.“ButIhadnottheleastideaoftherealcause.”Justminuteslater,helearnedtherealcause.AsWashingtonwassittingdownto

lunch inArnold’s house, anothermessenger ran in and handed over the papersfoundinJohnAndré’sboot.TheyweremapsandplansforattackingWestPoint—allinBenedictArnold’shandwriting!Washington sat quietly for a moment, holding the papers in shaking hands. Hefinally looked up at General Henry Knox and said, “Arnold has betrayed me.Whomcanwetrustnow?”Washingtonsoonshookofftheshockandwenttowork.Hegotthesoldiersat

WestPointreadyforaBritishattack(thoughnonecame).ThenheputJohnAndréontrial,foundhimguiltyofbeingaspy,andhangedhim.Washingtonwouldmuchrather have hanged Arnold, but Arnold was beyond his reach, safe in BritishheadquartersinNewYorkCity.Peggy,meanwhile,managedtosaveherskinwithabrilliantbitofacting.When

Washington came to her room, Peggy threw a hysterical fit, shouting over andover, “That isnotGeneralWashington!That is themanwho isgoing tokillmychild!”Shewassoshockedbyherhusband’streason,itseemed,thatshehadlosthersenses!Washingtonwasconvincedthatshehadnothingtodowiththeplot.PeggylaterjoinedherhusbandinNewYork.

NoEndinSightOnce again, Washington had just barely escaped disaster. And while that wassomething tobegrateful for, theentirecountrywasgettingsickand tiredof thiswar.TheAmericanRevolutionentered its seventhyear in1781,withnoend insight.Thegovernmentdidn’tevenhaveenoughmoneylefttopayitssoldiers.OnedayinFebruary,Washingtonwaswalkingupthestairsathisheadquarters.

Halfway up the staircase, he met his twenty-year-old assistant, Alexander

Hamilton,whowascomingdown.WashingtontoldHamiltonheneededhelprightawaywithsomeimportantpapers.“IansweredthatIwouldwaitonhimimmediately,”Hamiltonlatersaid.Washington went to his office and sat down. He waited. No Hamilton.

Washingtonsteppedoutintothehallandstartedpacingbackandforthabovethestaircase. His impatience turned to anger, and his anger bubbled toward theboilingpoint.Finally,hespottedHamiltonatthebottomofthestairs.

Washington:“ColonelHamilton,youhavekeptmewaitingattheheadofthestairsthesetenminutes.Imusttellyou,sir,youtreatmewithdisrespect.”Hamilton:“Iamnotconsciousofit,sir,butsinceyouthoughtitnecessarytotellmeso,wepart!”

Andtheyoungmanturnedandwalkedaway.Less thananhour later,Washington sent anapology toHamilton,blaminghis

outburston“amomentofpassion.”Hamiltonacceptedtheapologyandcamebacktowork.But it was clear that the never-ending stress was starting to affect George

Washington.And everyone else, too. Joseph PlumbMartin spoke for the entireUnitedStateswhenhesaid,“Isawnolikelihoodthatthewarwouldeverend.”

TheGreatRacetoYorktownTheyear1781startedoutbadlyforGeorgeWashington.Inearlyspring,aBritishwarship sailed up the PotomacRiver inVirginia and docked atMountVernon,Washington’s beloved home and plantation. LundWashington,whowas runningtheplantationwhilehiscousinGeorgewasawayatwar,hurrieddowntothedocktoseewhatwasgoingon.

RefreshmentsfortheEnemyWhenLundWashingtongotdown to the river,hesaw that seventeenslaveshadalready seized the chance to escape from Mount Vernon by hopping onto theBritishship.ThenLundheardtheBritishsailorscallingoutforservice.Bringusfoodanddrink,theydemanded,orwe’llburntheplantation!Lunddidashewastold.WhenWashingtonheardthenews,hedidn’tseemtooupsetthattheslaveshad

runaway.Buthewashorriblyashamedthathisownfarmhadprovidedsuppliestotheinvadingenemy.AshetoldLund,“Thatwhichgivesmemostconcern,isthatyoushouldgoonboardtheenemy’svessels,andfurnishthemwithrefreshments.It

would have been a less painful circumstance to me to have heard, that inconsequenceofyournon-compliancewiththeirrequest,theyhadburntmyhouse,andlaidtheplantationinruins.”

AnotherWastedYear?AndspeakingofWashington’stroubles,herewashisbiggestone:itwaslookinglike1781wasgoingtobeanotherwastedyear—yetanotheryearwithoutamajorattackontheBritish.At this time,Washington and his armywere camped just north ofNewYork

City.SowasaFrencharmyofabout4,000men,underthecommandofageneralknown tohis friendsas theCountdeRochambeau.Washingtonhadbeenhopingthatthisyear,finally,theAmericansandFrenchwouldlaunchaseriousattackontheBritishinNewYorkCity.SoWashingtonandRochambeauspentmostofJulylookingthroughtelescopes,studyingtheBritishfortsinNewYorkCity.Theywerehopingtofindaweakspottoattack.Theredidn’tseemtobeaweakspot,though.Washington was used to disappointments, but this one really got him down.

Howcouldheeverwinthiswar?Hewashavingahardenoughtimejustholdinghisarmytogether.And that’s when it happened—Washington suddenly saw a way to win the

AmericanRevolution.Andhecoulddoitrightnow!Hejusthadtoracehisarmy450milessouthtoaplacecalledYorktown,Virginia.WhytheracetoYorktown?Thatquestionreallyneedsaninepartanswer.

Part1:TheKingTriestheSouthThefirstthingwehavetodoistotakealookatthingsfromKingGeorge’spointofview.MightyGreatBritainhadbeenfightingthesepeskyAmericanssince1775,and

all theyhad toshowfor itwascontrolofNewYorkCity.ThewarwascostingBritainafortune—somuchthatthegovernmenthadtoraisetaxes.KingGeorgewasfeelingtheheat.MoreandmorepeopleinBritainweresick

ofwar.Theywantedtobringthearmyhomeandforgetthewholething.ButyouknowGeorge—hewasstillabsolutelycommittedtovictoryovertheAmericans.Sostartingin1779,thekingdecidedtotryanewstrategy:theBritisharmywould

destroy the Revolution by capturing the southern states. The famously stubbornKingGeorgehonestlybelieved thatmostpeople in theSouthwerestill loyal tohim.

Part2:BadPeaches,BadGeneralAt first, it looked likeBritain’s“southern strategy”wasactuallygoing towork.TheBritishquicklycapturedbigchunksofGeorgiaandSouthCarolina.ThenCongressputHoratioGates(theSaratogahero)inchargeoftheAmerican

armyintheSouth.GatesshowedupincampinJuly1780andsawthathissoldierswerestarvingandexhausted.Sowhatdidhedecide todo?Heordered them tomarchrighttowardtheBritish!Hungryenough toeatanything, themenspottedunripegreenpeachesgrowing

alongtheroad.Theyfeasted—andquicklypaidtheprice.Themealhad“painfuleffects,” saidColonelOthoWilliams.Thatwasapolitewayofputting it.Let’sjustsaythepeachesdidn’tstayinthosehungrybelliesforverylong.Gates pushed hisweakened soldiers on.AndonAugust 16, they ran into the

British general Charles Cornwallis and his army at Camden, South Carolina.WhileCornwalliswascrushingtheAmericans,GeneralGatespanickedandfledfromthebattlefield,leavinghisentirearmybehind.Hewasnextseen180milesaway.“Wasthereeveraninstanceofageneralrunningaway,asGateshasdone,from

hiswholearmy?”wonderedAlexanderHamilton,Washington’syoungassistant.Sofar,sogood,thoughtKingGeorge.

Part3:BritishBehavingBadlyIfonlythekingknewhowbadlysomeofhissoldierswerebehavingintheSouth.Onemorning in 1780 a frightened girl came running up to ElizaWilkinson’s

SouthCarolina home. “O!TheKing’s people are coming!” shouted the girl. “Itmustbethem,fortheyareallinred!”Moments later Eliza saw a group of British soldiers riding up to her house.

“Where’rethesewomenrebels?”theycried,wavingswordsandpistols.

The soldiers jumped off their horses, ran into the house, and started stealingstuff—jewelry,clothes,prettymuchanythingthatwasn’tnaileddown.ThenoneofthesoldierssawthesilverbucklesonEliza’sshoes.“‘Iwantthembuckles’saidhe,andimmediatelykneltatmyfeet totakethemout,which,whilehewasbusyabout,abrothervillain,whoseenormousmouthextendedfromeartoear,bawledout,‘Sharesthere!Isay,shares!’Sotheydividedmybucklesbetweenthem.”Afewminuteslater,itwasallover.ElizawatchedtheBritishsoldiersrideoff,

theirshirtsbulgingwithloot.This kind of thingwas happening a lot.And as you can imagine, theBritish

banditswere not exactlywinning new friends forKingGeorge in the South. Infact,moreandmoresouthernPatriotsbeganrisingupagainsttheinvaders.

Part4:TheSwampFoxThatbringsustoaSouthCarolinaPatriotnamedFrancisMarion. Marion started leading small bands of militia members on quick,

surprise strikes againstBritish soldiers.Marionwouldmarch through the night,attacksleepyBritishsoldiersatdawn,thendisappearintotheforestsandswamps,using paths and hiding places the British could never find. “Marion neverencampedover twonights inoneplace,”saidTarletonBrown,oneofMarion’s

men.The British hatedMarion, but they couldn’t help respecting his creative and

daringstyle.Theyevengavehimanickname:theSwampFox.EvenContinentalarmysoldiershardlyevergotagoodlookattheSwampFox.

WhenColonelOthoWilliamsmetMarionandhisswampteam,hewassurprisedto see a bunch of hungry-looking men in rags. “Their number did not exceedtwentymenandboys,”saidWilliams,“somewhite,someblack,andallmounted[onhorses],butmostofthemmiserablyequipped.”Miserablyequipped,butveryeffective.WithfolksliketheSwampFoxaround,

theBritisharmywasneverabletogaincontroloftheSouth.

Part5:Fight,Lose,FightAgainGeneralNathanielGreenetookcommandoftheAmericanarmyintheSouthattheendof1780.AndliketheSwampFox,Greeneknewhowtousegeographytohisadvantage.Hisstrategywassimple:“Wefight,getbeat,rise,andfightagain.”Doesn’texactlysoundlikeaformulaforsuccess,doesit?Actually,itwasbrilliant.Greeneknewhissmallarmywasn’tstrongenoughto

actuallybeattheBritish.Soinstead,hedecidedtoleadtheenemyonalongandtiringchasealloverthevastspacesofNorthandSouthCarolina.Onceinawhile,he’dturnandfightasmallbattle.Andhedidn’tmindlosingthesefights,becauseheknewhewaswearingtheBritishdown.Don’tgettheideathatGreene’sarmywashavingagreattime,though.Facing

the usual Continental army food shortages, the soldiers ate frogs, alligators, oranythingelsetheycouldcatchandcook.Andwithallthemarchingandcamping,themenworecompletelythroughtheirclothingbysummer’send.“AtthebattleofEutawSprings,”saidGeneralGreene,“hundredsofmymenwerenakedas theywereborn.”Well,atleastitwaswarm.

Part6:CornwallisGetsTiredOverintheBritishcamp,Greene’sstrategywashavingitsintendedaffect.Atfirst,GeneralCharlesCornwalliswasdeterminedtocatchuptoGreene.He

orderedhismentotossawayalltheirextrasupplies—tents,clothing,evenbarrels

of rum. He hoped this would let his armymarch faster (and it did, though thesoldierswereveryangryaboutthewastedrum).ButGreene alwaysmanaged to stay a step ahead ofCornwallis.And by the

summerof 1781,Cornwalliswas frustrated, angry, and exhausted.He reported,“With a third of my army sick and wounded, the remainder without shoes andworndownwithfatigue,Ithoughtitwastimetolookforsomeplaceofrest.”SoCornwallis decided to push his armynorth.Maybe, he hoped, theBritish

wouldhavebetterluckinVirginia.

Part7:SpyingonCornwallisSoon after the British entered Virginia, a twenty-one-year-old named JamesArmisteaddecidedtohelpkickthemout.Butfirsthehadtogetpermissionfromhis owner—Armistead was held as a slave on a farm nearWilliamsburg. Theowneragreed,andArmisteadmarchedtotheAmericancamp.Armisteadmet with a young French general, theMarquis de Lafayette (only

twenty-threehimself).Lafayetteexplained thatwhat thearmyreallyneededwasmoreinformationaboutthelocationandmovementsofCornwallis’sarmy.WouldArmisteadbewillingtotakeamassiverisktogetthatinformation?Afewdayslater,ArmisteadwalkedintoGeneralCornwallis’scampandtold

Britishsoldiershewasanescapedslavelookingtoearnsomecash.TheBritishput him to work. This young guy proved to be very useful to the British. Hisdetailed knowledge of the local geography helped the soldiers find their wayaround.Allthewhile,JamesArmisteadwassendingreportsbacktoLafayetteintheAmericancamp.Then Armistead took an even bigger risk. He gained the trust of General

CornwallisandtookthejobofCornwallis’spersonalwaiter!Thiswastheperfectpositionforaspy.Servingfoodandwalkingaroundthedinner table,ArmisteadwasabletoseeandheareverythingthatwentoninCornwallis’sowntent.Armistead always had a hard time getting a close look at official maps and

plansbecauseCornwalliswassocarefulwithhispapers.AsLafayetteexplained:“HisLordshipCornwallis is so shyofhispapers thatmyhonest friend sayshecannotgetatthem.”Armisteadkeptworking,though,andhekeptfeedingbadlyneededinformation

toLafayette.ThishelpedtheAmericanskeepaclosewatchonCornwallisashemarchedhisarmyaroundVirginia.

ButexactlywherewasCornwallisheaded?

Part8:PickaPort,AnyPortThetruthis,evenCornwallisdidn’tknow.Allsummerlong,heexchangedangryletterswithGeneralHenryClinton,theBritishcommanderinNewYorkCity.Likemost topBritish generals in thiswar, these twoguys couldn’t stand each other.Clinton wanted Cornwallis to come north to New York, because he was sureWashingtonwas about to attack him there. Cornwallis wanted Clinton to comesouth to Virginia, because he was convinced the British could capture thisimportantstate.Theyfinallyagreedonacompromise:Cornwalliswouldtakecontrolofaport

townon theVirginiacoast.Thatway,BritishshipscouldmovesoldiersquicklybackandforthbetweenNewYorkandVirginia.SoCornwallisstartedlookingforagoodport.Hepickedatinytownnearthe

ChesapeakeBay.WelcometoYorktown,GeneralCornwallis.

Part9:TheFrenchSailNorthNow there’s just one last piece of the Yorktown puzzle. As Cornwallis wassettling inatYorktown,afleetofFrenchwarshipsstartedsailingnorthfromtheCaribbeanSea.Thecommanderofthefleet,CountdeGrasse,thoughthemightbeabletohelpwiththewar.Hisdestination:theChesapeakeBay.

NowBacktoWashingtonAndat last,we’re ready to return toGeorgeWashington.Lastwe sawhim,hisfacewasbrightwithexcitement.Andthisiswhy:downinYorktown,Cornwallisandhisentirearmywereinatrap.Andthebestpartwas,theydidn’tknowit!Itwas just a question of timing. IfWashington could quicklymarch his army

southtoVirginia,hecouldsurroundYorktownbyland.AndiftheFrenchwarships

tookcontrolof theChesapeakeBay, theycouldsurroundYorktownbywater.Ofcourse,allthishadtohappenbeforeCornwallisrealizedthedeadlydangerofhisposition.“Wehavenotamomenttolose,”Washingtonsaid.Theracewason.

TheTrapSlamsShut“Our destination has been for some time a matter of perplexing doubt anduncertainty,” wrote Dr. James Thacher as he marched south withWashington’sarmy.Thesoldiersactuallyplacedbetsonwheretheywereheaded.This confusion was just what Washington wanted. He needed the British to

believe hewasmoving his soldiers into position to attackNewYork City. Heeven had his engineers build huge bread ovens aroundNewYork—this helpedtrickGeneralClintonintobelievingtheAmericanswereplanningtostayfor therestoftheyear.Meanwhile,WashingtoncontinuedracinghisarmytowardVirginia.Asfarashe

knew, Cornwallis was still at Yorktown. But where was that French fleet? Hecouldget noupdate from theFrenchnaval commander,Count deGrasse. “I amdistressedbeyondexpressiontoknowwhatisbecomeoftheCountdeGrasse,”hesaid.Buttherewasnowaytocommunicatewithshipsatsea.

OnSeptember5,justsouthofPhiladelphia,amessengerbroughtWashingtonastackofletters.Heopenedthemandstartedreading.At this very moment, General Rochambeau’s boat was rowing up to the

American camp. Rochambeau looked toward the shore and witnessed a verystrangesight:

“I caught sight of General Washington, waving his hat at mewith…gesturesofthegreatestjoy.”

As Rochambeau stepped off the boat, Washington ran up to the Frenchman,huggedhim,andtoldhimthenews:twenty-eightFrenchwarshipshadjustarrivedintheChesapeakeBayandwerenowsurroundingYorktownbywater!Washington rushed his army on to Yorktown and slammed the trap shut on

Cornwallis. “We have got him handsomely in a pudding bag,” announced theAmericangeneralGeorgeWeedon.

GeneralRochambeau

HuzzahfortheAmericans!MorethanseventhousandBritishandGermansoldierssuddenlyfoundthemselvessurroundedatYorktown.CornwallisbeggedClintontosendhelpimmediately.“If

youcannot relievemevery soon,”hewrote, “youmustbeprepared tohear theworst.” But with French ships controlling the Chesapeake Bay, British shipscouldn’tgetanywherenearYorktown.At leastCornwallisstillhadhis trustedwaiter, JamesArmistead.And in this

desperate situation, Cornwallis asked Armistead for a remarkable favor—heaskedArmisteadtogospyontheAmericans!Armistead gladly took the job. He snuck over to the American camp and

reportedtoGeneralLafayette.Now,asoneofthecountry’sfirst“doubleagents,”ArmisteadwasabletomoveeasilybackandforthbetweenBritishandAmericancamps. He gave Lafayette key intelligence and fed Cornwallis information thatwasuselessorjustplainwrong.Meanwhile,WashingtontightenedtheropearoundCornwallis’sneckbyinching

hissoldierscloserandclosertoYorktown.It’sfittingthatJosephPlumbMartin,after six long years in the army, was here at Yorktown for the final battle. OnOctober 8, Martin and the rest of the army proudly watched the raising of anAmerican flag, the signal to begin blasting cannonballs into Yorktown. Martinreported:

“Aboutnoonthemuch-wished-forsignalwentup.IconfessIfelta secret pride swell my heart when I saw the ‘star spangledbanner’wavingmajestically.”

JosephPlumbMartin

“Huzzahfor theAmericans!”shouted theFrenchsoldiers.ThenaboutahundredAmericanandFrenchcannonsopenedfire.TheFrenchcannonballssmashedright

intobuildings inYorktown.Manyof theAmericancannonballsplopped into theriverorlandedinemptyfields(theFrenchhadalotmorepracticeatthisstuff).TheBritishshotbackwitheverything theyhad,and thefiretailedcannonballs

crossedeachotherintheair.Washingtonstoodoutintheopen,watchingthebombsexplodeinYorktown.An

officernamedDavidCobburgedthecommandertobemorecareful:

Cobb: Sir, you are toomuch exposed here.Had you not betterstepalittleback?Washington:ColonelCobb,ifyouareafraid,youhavelibertytostepback.

Washingtonhadworkedsevenlongyearsforthismoment.Hewasn’tgoingtomissitforanything.

AShell!AShell!

Over thenext fewweeks, theAmericanscontinuedmovingcloser toYorktown.ThemendugtrenchesanddirtwallstoprotectthemselvesfromBritishcannons.FortheAmericansoldiers,thebiggestdangercamefromBritishshells,orbombsthatlandinthedirt,sitstillforafewseconds,andthenexplode,sendingscrapsofmetalflyinginalldirections.Asaprecaution,Washingtonorderedhismentoyell,“Ashell!Ashell!”whenevertheyspottedoneofthesebombsflyingintocamp.This led to a heated debate between General Henry Knox and Alexander

Hamilton.Knox thought theordermade sense—Washingtonwas lookingout forthelivesofhismen.ButHamiltonwaseagertoprovehismanhood.Heclaimeditwas“unsoldier-like”(kindofwimpy,inotherwords)tocry“Shell!”everytimeabomblandednearby.Asthetwomenarguedbackandforth,twoshellsscreameddownfromthesky

andsmackedthegroundneartheirfeet.“Ashell!Ashell!”shoutedsoldiers.Knox,Hamilton,andeveryoneelsedoveforcover.ButHamiltondidn’t feelquite safeenoughbehind thedirtwalls.Hecrawled

behind themuch-largerKnox (Knoxwas about six foot three, 280 pounds) andheldontoKnox’sthickchestfordearlife.After the shellshadexplodedharmlessly,Knoxstoodup, straightenedouthis

uniform,lookeddownathisyoungfriend,andsaid:

“Nowwhatdoyouthink,Mr.Hamilton,aboutcrying‘shell’?Butletmetellyounottomakeabreastwork4ofmeagain!”

TheWhiteHandkerchiefNothingnearly thisfunnywashappening inCornwallis’scamp.“Weget terribleprovisions now,” said onemiserableBritish soldier inYorktown. “Putridmeatandwormybiscuits thathavespoiledon the ships.Manyof themenhave takensickhere.”In early October,Washington started to see dead horses floating in theYork

River outside theBritish camp.Themeaningwas clear: theBritishdidn’t evenhave enough food left to feed their animals. Sensing that victory was near, the

AmericansandFrenchkeptbombingYorktowndayandnight.*Then,on themorningofOctober17,a teenageBritishdrummercameoutof

Yorktownbeatinghisdrum.TheAmericanscouldn’thearthedrumoverthesoundofexplodingcannonballs,butbehindthedrummerboytheysawaBritishofficerwavingawhitehandkerchief.Cornwalliswasreadytosurrender.

HenryKnoxAlexanderHamilton

TheWorldTurnedUpsideDownThe official surrender took place on the afternoon of October 19, 1781.Altogether, 7,247 British and German soldiers marched out of Yorktown andthrewdowntheirguns.Theyreallythrewthemdown—theyweretryingtobreakthemsotheAmericanswouldn’tbeabletousethem.“TheBritishofficers ingeneralbehaved likeboyswhohadbeenwhippedat

school,”rememberedoneNewJerseysoldier.“Somebittheirlips;somepouted;otherscried.”A British marching band played a tune called “The World Turned Upside

Down.”AndupsidedownisexactlyhowCharlesCornwallisfeltonOctober19.Infact,hewassoupsetbythisdefeatthathesentamessagetoWashingtonsayinghewastoosicktocometothesurrenderceremony.WhenCornwallisfinallydidmeettheAmericansafewdayslater,hewasinfor

one final shock. There in the American camp, proudly wearing his Americanuniform,wasCornwallis’strustedwaiter,JamesArmistead!

ItIsAllOver!Washington.wroteaquicknotetoCongress,tellingthemthebignews.“IhavethehonortoinformCongress,”hebegan,“thatareductionoftheBritisharmyunderthe command of Lord Cornwallis is most happily effected.” The news spreadquickly,sparkingcelebrationsfromGeorgiatoNewHampshire.ThereactionwasquitedifferentinLondon.WhentheYorktownnewsarrivedin

late November, it struck Lord Frederick North like a bullet to the chest.Remember,thisistheguywhohadoncesoboldlydeclared,“Americamustfearyou before she can love you.” Now he started pacing up and down the room,wavinghisarmswildlyandshouting,“OGod!Itisallover!”KingGeorgedidn’tagree.“Ihavenodoubt,”hewrote,“thatwhenmenarea

little recovered from the shock felt by the bad news… theywill then find thenecessityofcarryingonthewar.”Whenitbecameobvioustothekingthathewastheonlypersonontheplanet

whofeltthisway,hegotsodepressedthatheactuallytriedtogiveuphiscrown!HewrotealettertoParliament,saying:

“HisMajesty thereforewithmuchsorrowfindshecanbeofnofurther utility to his native country, which drives him to thepainfulstepofquittingitforever.”

George’s friends talked him out of this rash decision. And the king finallyaccepted the fact that the United States had won its independence. Peace talksbegan.BenFranklinandJohnAdams,stilldrivingeachothercrazy, representedtheAmericans.

KingGeorge

OneLastStoryThepeacetalkstooktwoyears,andduringthistimetherewereafewmoresmallbattles in the United States. And it was at this time that one of the AmericanRevolution’s most famous soldiers joined the army under the name of RobertShurtleff.WhatmadeRobertfamous?Robert’srealnamewasDeborahSampson.Sampson grew up as an apprentice on aMassachusetts farm, plowing fields,

choppingwood,stackinghay.Shewastallandstrongandeagerforadventure.Inthespringof1782,shetiedherhairback,putonmen’sclothing,andenlistedinthe Continental army. She was given a uniform, a musket, ammunition, and aknapsack.Nooneknewshewasawoman.Inasmallbattlethatyear,Sampsonwascutontheheadbyasword,thenshotin

the thigh. Covered with blood, she was carried to a hospital, where a doctorbandagedherheadwound.ButSampsondidn’twantthedoctortoinspecthertoocarefully—evennowshewasthinkingaboutkeepinghersecret.Soshegrabbedaknifeandabandageandlimpedoutofthehospital.Outinthewoods,shesatonafallenlogandcalmlycutthemusketballoutof

herownleg.“Ifoundthattheballhadpenetratedmythighabouttwoinches,andthewoundwasstillmoderatelybleeding.Atthethirdattempt,Iextractedtheball.”She bandaged thewound and hurried back to the army. Soon after, she came

downwithaterriblefeverandwasbackinthehospital.Tooweaktoeat,drink,orevenmove,shelayflatonherbedfordays.Infact,othersoldierswereprettysureshewasdead.Theystartedarguingoverwhowouldgetherclothesandboots.Shehadjustenoughstrengthleft tosignalfor thedoctor.Hebentover to inspect thepatient—andthisiswhereSampson’ssecretwasdiscovered.Butthedoctortoldnoone,andwhenSampsonrecoveredsheonceagainreturnedtothearmy.

ThisIsGoodbyeTheAmericanRevolutionofficiallyendedonSeptember3,1783,withthesigningof a peace treaty inParis.Noweveryone (evenKingGeorge) had to admit theUnitedStatesofAmericawasafreeandindependentcountry.All over the country, American soldiers started heading home. Deborah

Sampsontookoffherarmyuniform,putonwomen’sclothes,andwalkedthroughcamp.Noonerecognizedher.JosephPlumbMartin,nowtwenty-three,haddreamedofthisdayforyears.But

nowthatitwashere,hewasn’tquitesurehowtofeel.“Icanassurethereaderthattherewasasmuchsorrowasjoy,”hewrote.“Wehadlivedtogetherasafamilyofbrothersforseveralyears.”GeorgeWashingtonandhisofficersfeltthesamemixedemotionswhentheygot

togetheronelasttimeatFrauncesTaverninNewYorkCity.Thegeneralliftedhisdrinkintheairandsaid,“Withaheartfullofloveandgratitude,Inowtakeleaveofyou.Imostdevoutlywishthatyourlatterdaysmaybeasprosperousandhappyasyourformeroneshavebeengloriousandhonorable.”Thenheaskedeachofhiscompanions tocomeupandshakehishand.Henry

Knox,whowasnearest,steppeduptoWashingtonandtookhimbythehand.Theroom was silent. Every man in the place was trying desperately to keep his

emotionsundercontrol.Butitwasnouse—GeneralKnoxwasthefirsttocrack.Knoxburst into tearsandgrabbedWashington inabigbearhug.Thenall the

otherofficers,tearsstreamingdowntheircheeks,lineduptohugtheircommander.“Such a scene of sorrow and weeping I had never before witnessed,” said

BenjaminTallmadge.LaterthatafternoonWashingtondriedhiseyes,leftthetavern,walkeddownthe

streettothewharf,andsteppedontoawaitingboat.Heturnedandwavedhishattohisfriendsashisboatwasrowedawayfromshore.Washington stopped by Annapolis, Maryland (where Congress was now

meeting),toofficiallyresignascommanderoftheContinentalarmy.“Havingnowfinishedtheworkassignedme,”hetoldthemembersofCongress,“Iretirefromthegreattheaterofaction.”ThenhetraveledhometoVirginiatoenjoyapeacefulretirementwithMarthaat

MountVernon.That’swhathethought,anyway.

WhatEverHappenedTo…?

Always her husband’s closest friend and advisor, Abigail Adams continuedofferingher political opinionswhile JohnAdams served asvicepresident, andthen president of the United States. Some powerful men didn’t appreciateAbigail’s open participation in politics—but that never stopped her.When sheneareddeathin1818,JohnAdamsdescribedAbigailthisway:“Thewholeofherlifehasbeenfilledupdoinggood.”

JohnAdams servedasAmericanminister toGreatBritainafter theRevolution,actuallymeetinghisoldenemyKingGeorge III—itwasa short,politemeeting.Following one term as president, Adams ran for re-election in 1800 and wasbeatenbyThomasJeffersoninAmerica’sfirst trulynastypresidentialcampaign.AdamsretiredtohisfarminMassachusetts,latercallingtheseyearsathomewithAbigail“thehappiestofmylife.”Hediedatageninety,onJuly4,1826.

AfterdedicatinghisentirelifetothestruggleforAmericanindependence,SamuelAdams returned to Boston and ran for the House of Representatives in thecountry’s first congressional election.He lost to a thirty-one-year-old. Still notreadytoleavepolitics,andtoopoortoretire,Adamsturnedtostategovernment.HewaselectedgovernorofMassachusettsattheageofseventy-one.The$2,500salarywasbyfarthehighesthehadeverearned.

When American forces prepared to attack the British in Canada in late 1775,Ethan Allen was sent ahead to enlist Canadian volunteers. Instead, for somereason, he tried to capture the city of Montreal by himself. Sent to Britain inchains, Allen was later freed in a prisoner-of-war exchange. He settled in hisbelovedVermont,wherehediedin1789.

AfterriskinghislifeasaspyduringtheRevolution,JamesArmisteadreturnedtothe plantation of his owner.He remained enslaved until his former commander,Marquis de Lafayette, petitioned the Virginia Assembly to grant his freedom,which it did in 1787. Forty years later,whenLafayettewas visiting theUnitedStates,thetwofriendsmetonthestreetinRichmond,Virginia.Theyhugged.

As a brand-new British general, Benedict Arnold led several attacks onAmericantowns,evenraidingandburningNewLondon,Connecticut, justafewmiles fromhis boyhoodhome.After thewar,Arnoldmoved restlessly betweenCanada, theCaribbean, andBritain, dyingquietly inLondonat the ageof sixty.“Poor General Arnold has departed this world without notice,” reported theLondonPost.PeggyArnold,withherhusbandtilltheend,diedthreeyearslater,atageforty-four.

“GentlemanJohnny”Burgoyne retired from theBritish army in 1784, turninginsteadtohistruepassions:playwritingandfineLondonliving.Hewroteseveralplays,includingthecomedyTheHeiress,whichwasasmashhitin1786.Hediedsixyearslater,atageseventy.

BackinBritain,CharlesCornwallisjoinedthemassivepublicdebateaboutwhowas to blame for Yorktown. His choice: fellow general Henry Clinton.Cornwallis later went on to serve successfully as military governor of Britishcolonies in India and Ireland. He’d be sorry to see that he is sometimes stillreferredtoas“themanwholostAmerica.”

Much to the regret of the women of Paris,Benjamin Franklin sailed back toAmericain1785.WelcomedhomeasaheroinPhiladelphia,hewassoonaskedto represent Pennsylvania at the Constitutional Convention. “He is eighty-twoyearsold,”saidafellowdelegate,“andpossessesanactivityofmindequaltoayouth of twenty-five.” After convincing many reluctant leaders to sign thecompleted Constitution, Franklin still wasn’t done—he spent his final yearsservingaspresidentof thePennsylvaniaSociety forPromoting theAbolitionofSlavery.

Shortly after theRevolution,KingGeorge III, age fifty, began to suffer fromamysterious illness that doctors now believe to have been porphyria. Heexperienced intense stomach pain, rashes, confusion, and episodes of whatwitnessesdescribedas“madness”—forinstance,onenightatdinnerheattemptedto smash the Prince ofWales’s head against the wall. In spite of the work ofignorantdoctors,theking’shealthimproved.Hecontinuedtosuffersimilarattacksuntilhisdeathin1820,atageeighty-one.

GeorgeWashington’syoungaideAlexanderHamiltonwentontobecomeonethemainarchitectsof thenewAmericangovernmentandeconomy.SomehistorianssayhewasthemostbrilliantofalltheFounders,whichisreallysayingsomething.But the way he died was not so smart. Caught up in a bitter feud with VicePresidentAaronBurr,heagreedtoduelBurrwithpistols.Hamiltonwasshotandkilledin1804,attheageofforty-seven.

JohnHancockremainedthemostpopularpoliticianinMassachusettsthroughouthisentirelife,servingninetermsasgovernor.Ashegrewolder,painfulattacksofgout swelled his joints and left him unable to walk.WhenMassachusetts wasdebatingratificationoftheConstitution,however,anditlookedlikestateleadersmightvoteno,Hancockgotinvolved.Hewrappedhisachinglegsinblankets,hadhimself carried into themeetinghouse, and announced, “I givemy assent to theConstitution.”MassachusettsapprovedtheConstitutioninaveryclosevote.Bytheway,you’llrecallthatonthenightofPaulRevere’sfamousride,young

DorothyQuincysaidofherfiancé,JohnHancock:“AtthattimeIshouldhavebeenverygladtohavegotridofhim.”DorothyandJohnweremarriedinAugust1775.TheylivedhappilytogetheruntilJohn’sdeathin1793.

After serving in the Virginia legislature and as state governor,Patrick Henryretired from government in 1791.Heavily in debt,Henry revived his old legalpractice—andhisreputationasthemostexcitingcourtroomlawyerinthecountry.Onereasonhehadtokeepmakingmoneywasthathecontinuedfatheringchildreninto his sixties. In 1798 his second wife, Dorothea, gave birth to Henry’sseventeenthchild.Henrydiedthenextyear,atagesixty-three.

Afterservingas thecountry’sfirstsecretaryofstate,secondvicepresident,andthird president,Thomas Jefferson began a busy retirement at Monticello, hisVirginiahome. Inaddition todesigningbuildingsand founding theUniversityofVirginia,JeffersonmadepeacewithhisoldpoliticalrivalJohnAdams.JeffersonandAdamsexchangedmore than150 letters,discussingcurrentevents,politicalphilosophy,andthehardshipsofgrowingold.Jefferson,likeAdams,diedonJuly4,1826—exactlyfiftyyearsfromthedaytheirDeclarationofIndependencewasapproved.

BeforetheRevolutionheranabookstore,butby.theendofthewarHenryKnoxwasoneof thecountry’s topmilitaryexperts.Knoxserved tenyearsas thefirstsecretary of war before retiring with his wife, Lucy, to a mansion in Maine.Alwaysknownasgreatentertainers,HenryandLucyimmediatelywonovertheirnewneighborsbyinvitingmorethanfivehundredofthemtoamassiveFourthofJulyfestival.

MarieJeanPaulJosephRocheYvesGilbertduMotier,alsoknownastheMarquisdeLafayette,returnedtoahero’swelcomeinFrance.HewasanearlyleaderoftheFrenchRevolution;then,duetoeventsmuchtoocomplicatedtoexplainhere,he fled France and wound up spending six years in an Austrian prison. ThirtyyearslaterhemadeonelasttouroftheUnitedStates.Hewasgreetedlikearockstar.

AfterleavingtheContinentalarmy,JosephPlumbMartinspentayearteachinginNewYork,thensettledinMaine.Hemarried,hadalargefamily,and,attheageofseventy,publishedabookcalledANarrativeofaRevolutionarySoldier:Someof theAdventures,Dangers, andSufferingsof JosephPlumbMartin.Martin’sbookgivesusoneofthebestinsidelooksatlifeintheContinentalarmy.

Thomas Paine continued writing and traveling and offending others with hisopinions. After nearly being jailed in Britain, and nearly getting beheaded inFranceduring theFrenchRevolution,Painediedpenniless inNewYorkCity in1809.Hisdeathwentunnoticed,exceptbyaBritishadmirerwhosecretlydugupPaine’sbonesandputthemonaboattoBritain.Nooneknowswhathappenedtothem.

Returningtoprivatelifeafterthewar,PaulRevere ranahardwarestore,madebellsandcannons,andcontinuedhisworkasamastersilversmith.Asalways,hewasreadytodropeverythingtoprotecthistown.WhenitlookedliketheBritishwereabouttoattackBostonduringtheWarof1812,Reveregrabbedashovelandwheelbarrowandhelpedfortifythecity.Hewaseightyyearsold.

Deborah Sampson married a man named Benjamin Gannett and had threechildren.Inadditiontoteachingschool,shedevelopedatravelingshowinwhichsheappearedonstagedressedasaContinentalarmysoldierandtalkedaboutherwarexperiences.Whenshediedattheageofsixty-seven,Congressawardedherfamilyaspecialpension“forthereliefoftheheirsofDeborahGannett,asoldieroftheRevolution.”

GeorgeWashington’shopesforaquietretirementatMountVernonwereshort-lived.FirsthewassenttorepresentVirginiaattheConstitutionalConvention,thenhewaschosentobethefirstpresidentoftheUnitedStates.“Igreatlyfearthatmycountrymenwill expect toomuch fromme,”he confided in a friend.He servedtwo terms as president—then he was asked to serve a third. He absolutelyrefused.GeorgeandMarthaWashingtonfinallymovedbackhomein1797,where,two

andahalfyearslater,Washingtondevelopedadangerousthroatinfection.Withnoideahowtocurethiskindofillness,doctorsbledhimfourtimesandsmeareda“medicine”ofdriedbeetlesonhisneck.Washingtoncouldtellitwasn’tworking.“I feelmyselfgoing,”he told thedoctors. “I thankyou foryourattentions,but Iprayyoutotakenomoretroubleaboutme.”Sittingwithhimashedied,Marthacalled out, “I shall soon follow him!” Martha died three years later and wasburiedbesideGeorgeatMountVernon.

ConfessionsofaTextbookWriterIfyoupromisenottogettoomad,I’lltellyouasecret.Iusedtowritetextbooks.Yes, it’s true. I helpedwrite those big books that break your backwhen you

carrythemandputyoutosleepwhenyoureadthem.Butletmesayonethinginmyowndefense:Inevermeantforthemtobeboring!Iusedtospendlongdaysinthelibrary,searchingforstoriestomakemyhistory

textbooksfuntoread.AndIfilledupnotebookswithgoodones—funny,amazing,inspiring, surprising, and disgusting stories. But as you’ve probably noticed,textbooksare filledwithcharts, tables, lists,names,dates, reviewquestions…thereisn’tanyroomleftforthegoodstuff.Infact,everytimeItriedtosneakinacool story,mybossesused todragme to thisdark room in thebasementofourbuildingandtaketurnsdroppingfilingcabinetsonmyhead.Okay,that’salie.Buttheycouldhavefiredme,right?AndI’vegotawifeand

babytothinkabout.So here’s what I did: Over the years, I secretly stashed away all the stuff I

wasn’tallowedtouseintextbooks.Ikepttellingmyself,“OneofthesedaysI’mgoingtowritemyownhistorybooks!AndI’llpackthemwithallthetruestoriesandrealquotesthattextbooksnevertellyou!”Well,nowthosebooksfinallyexist.Ifyoucanfinditinyourhearttoforgivemy

previouscrimes,Ihopeyou’llgivethisbookachance.Thanksforhearingmeout.

SourceNotesWhenItellpeopleaboutwhatIdoforaliving,somesayitsoundslikedream,andsomesay it sounds likeanightmare. I spend longdays in libraries, reading tallstacksofbooksandtakingtonsofnotes.WhenIfindastoryorcharacterIlike,Ifollow leads from one book to another, in search ofmore details. I sometimesthinkofmyselfasakindofdetective—astorydetective.Thepointis,IendedupreadinghundredsofbookswhilewritingKingGeorge:

WhatWasHisProblem?BelowisalistofthebooksIfoundmosthelpful.IfyouwanttolearnmoreaboutthepeopleandeventsoftheAmericanRevolution,thislistwouldbeagoodplacetostart.Ihopeit’shelpful.

BooksAbouttheAmericanRevolutionIstartedmyresearchbyreadingabunchofbooksabouttheAmericanRevolution—booksthatcovertheentirewar.Whenyoureadbookslikethisyoudon’tgettoomuchdetailaboutanyonepersonorevent,butyougetagreatoverallpictureofwhathappenedandwhy.Alden,JohnR.AHistoryoftheAmericanRevolution.NewYork:DaCapoPress,1969.Bobrick, Benson. Angel in the Whirlwind: The Triumph of the AmericanRevolution.NewYork:Simon&Schuster,1997.Cook,Don.The Long Fuse: How England Lost the American Colonies. NewYork:AtlanticMonthlyPress,1995.Evans, Elizabeth.Weathering the Storm: Women of the American Revolution.NewYork:Scribner,1975.Harvey, Robert. A Few Bloody Noses: The American War of Independence.London:JohnMurray,2001.Hibbert,Christopher.Redcoats andRebels:TheAmericanRevolutionThroughBritishEyes.London:Grafton,1990.Ketchum,Richard,M.,ed.TheAmericanHeritageBookoftheRevolution.NewYork:AmericanHeritagePublishing,1958.Leckie, Robert. George Washington’s War: The Saga of the AmericanRevolution.NewYork:HarperCollins,1992.

Lossing,Benson John.Pictorial Field Book of the American Revolution. NewYork:Harper&Brothers,1859.Russell, David Lee. The American Revolution in the Southern Colonies.Jefferson,N.C.:McFarland&Co.,2000.Symonds,CraigL.BattlefieldAtlasoftheRevolution.CartographybyWilliamJ.Clipson.Annapolis,Md.:Nautical&AviationPub.Co.,1986.Ward,Christopher.TheWaroftheRevolution.NewYork:MacmillanCompany,1952.

BooksabouttheeventsleadingtotheAmericanRevolutionAfterworkingthroughthebooksabove,Istartedlookingforsourcesthatdescribethe causes of the Revolution. I also read a couple of great books about thoseexciting first few moments of the fight for independence—my favorite wasLexingtonandConcord:TheBeginningoftheWaroftheAmericanRevolution.Galvin,JohnR.TheMinuteMen:TheFirstFight:MythsandRealitiesof theAmerican Revolution. Washington, D.C.: Pergamon-Brassey’s InternationalDefensePublisher,1989.Langguth,A.J.Patriots:TheMenWhoStarted theAmericanRevolution. NewYork:Touchstone,1988.Maier, Pauline. From Resistance to Revolution: Colonial Radicals and theDevelopmentofAmericanOppositiontoBritain,1765-1776.NewYork:Knopf,1972.Shy,John.TowardLexington:TheRoleoftheBritishArmyintheComingoftheAmericanRevolution.Princeton,N.J.:PrincetonUniversityPress,1965.Tourtellot,ArthurB.LexingtonandConcord:TheBeginningof theWarof theAmericanRevolution.NewYork:W.W.Norton&Company,1963.

BooksaboutspecificRevolutionbattlesorsubjectsAs Iworkedon eachchapter, Iwas alwayson the lookout for cool stories andquotesfromspecificevents—likeWashington’ssurpriseattackatTrenton,orthesigningoftheDeclarationofIndependence.HerearesomebooksIreadtolearnabouttheseevents.Sincethesebooksfocusonjustonesubject,theygiveyoulotsmoredetailthanthemoregeneralbookslistedabove.

Bakeless,JohnEdwin.Turncoats,Traitors,andHeroes.Philadelphia:Lippincott,1959.Chidsey,DonaldBarr.VictoryatYorktown.NewYork:CrownPublishers,1962.Dwyer, William M. The Day Is Ours!: November 1776—January 1777: AnInsideViewof theBattlesofTrentonandPrinceton.NewYork:VikingPress,1983.Evans, Elizabeth.Weathering the Storm: Women of the American Revolution.NewYork:Scribner,1975.Ketchum,RichardM.DecisiveDay:TheBattle forBunkerHill.NewYork:H.Holt,1999.————.Saratoga:TurningPointofAmerica’sRevolutionaryWar.NewYork:H.Holt,1997.————.TheWinter Soldiers: The Battles for Trenton and Princeton. NewYork:HenryHolt,1999.Maier,Pauline.AmericanScripture:Making theDeclarationof Independence.NewYork:RandomHouse,1998.Neimeyer, Charles Patrick. America Goes to War: A Social History of theContinentalArmy.NewYork:NewYorkUniversityPress,1996.Schecter,Barnet.TheBattleforNewYork:TheCityattheHeartoftheAmericanRevolution.NewYork:Walker&Co.,2002.Schoenbrun,David.TriumphinParis:TheExploitsofBenjaminFranklin.NewYork:Harper&Row,1976.Vanderbilt,GertrudeLefferts.TheSocialHistoryofFlatbush,andMannersandCustomsoftheDutchSettlersinKingsCounty.NewYork:D.Appleton&Co.,1881.VanDoren,Carl.SecretHistoryoftheAmericanRevolution.NewYork:VikingPress,1941.Wildes,HarryEmerson.ValleyForge.NewYork:MacmillanCompany,1938.Wills, Garry. Inventing America: Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence.GardenCity,N.Y.:Doubleday,1978.

BiographiesofmajorRevolutionfiguresEverystoryneedsitsmaincharacters,right?Andoneofthebestwaystofindoutabout the key players of theAmericanRevolution is to read biographies aboutthem.Ioftenreadentirebiographiesinsearchofjustoneortwointerestingdetails

tohelpbringthecharactertolife.Arnold,IsaacNewton.TheLifeofBenedictArnold:HisPatriotismandTreason.Chicago:Jansen,McClurg&Co.,1880.Brands,H.W.The First American: The Life and Times of Benjamin Franklin.NewYork:Doubleday,2000.Brookhiser, Richard. Alexander Hamilton: American. New York: Touchstone,1999.Chernow,Ron.AlexanderHamilton.NewYork:PenguinPress,2004.Chidsey,DonaldBarr.TheWorldofSamuelAdams.Nashville:T.Nelson,1974.Clark, RonaldWilliam.Benjamin Franklin: A Biography. NewYork: RandomHouse,1983.————. George Washington in. the American Revolution. Boston: Little,Brown,1968.Flexner, James Thomas. The Traitor and the Spy: Benedict Arnold and JohnAndre.Syracuse,N.Y.:SyracuseUniversityPress,1991.Forbes, Esther. Paul Revere and the World He Lived In. Boston: HoughtonMifflinCompany,1942.Galvin,JohnR.ThreeMenofBoston.NewYork:Crowell,1976.Holbrook,Stewart.EthanAllen.NewYork:MacmillanCompany,1940.Keane,John.TomPaine:APoliticalLife.London:Bloomsbury,1995.Martin, James Kirby. Benedict Arnold, Revolutionary Hero: An AmericanWarriorReconsidered.NewYork:NewYorkUniversityPress,1997.Mayer,Henry.A Son of Thunder: Patrick Henry and the American Republic.NewYork:F.Watts,1986.Randall, Willard Sterne. Benedict Arnold: Patriot and Traitor. New York:Morrow,1990.————.GeorgeWashington:ALife.NewYork:HenryHolt&Co.,1997.————.ThomasJefferson:ALife.NewYork:H.Holt,1993.Unger,HarlowG. JohnHancock:MerchantKing andAmericanPatriot. NewYork:JohnWiley&Sons,2000.

Collectionsofquotes,memoirs,andotherprimarysourcesbyRevolutionparticipants

Whenyouwanttofindoutwhatlifewaslikeduringacertaintimeinhistory,thebestthingtodoistoreadstoriestoldbytheparticipantsintheirownwords.HerearesomebooksfullofstoriestoldbypeoplewhoplayedapartintheRevolution

—both famous and nonfamous folks.My favoriteswere probably the letters byAbigailandJohnAdams(theywerebothhilarious,andnotafraidtospeaktheirminds)andJosephPlumbMartin’sbookaboutwhatitwasliketobeanAmericansoldierinthiswarthatwentonandon.Adams,Abigail.TheBook ofAbigail and John: SelectedLetter of theAdamsFamily,1762-1784.Cambridge:HarvardUniversityPress,1975.Adams, John. Diary and Autobiography of John Adams. Edited by L. H.Butterfield.Cambridge,Mass.:BelknapPress,1961-1966.Blecki,CatherineLaCourreye,andKarinA.Wulf,eds.MilcahMarthaMoore’sBook:ACommonplaceBookfromRevolutionaryAmerica.UniversityPark,Pa.:PennsylvaniaStateUniversityPress,1997.Commanger,HenrySteele,andRichardB.Morris,eds.TheSpiritofSeventy-Six:TheStoryof theAmericanRevolutionasToldbyParticipants.NewYork:DaCapoPress,1995.Martin,JosephPlumb.PrivateYankeeDoodle:BeingaNarrativeofSomeoftheAdventures, Dangers, and Sufferings of a Revolutionary Soldier. Edited byGeorgeF.Scheer.Boston:Little,Brown,1962.Paine,Tom.CommonSenseandOtherPoliticalWritings.EditedbyNelsonF.Adkins.Indianapolis:TheBobbs-MerrillCompany,1953.Riedesel,FriederikeCharlotteLuise.LettersandMemoirsRelating to theWarofAmericanIndependence.TranslatedfromtheGermanbyMarvinL.Brown,Jr.ChapelHill,N.C.:UniversityofNorthCarolinaPress,1965.Scheer, George F., and Hugh F. Rankin. Rebels and Redcoats: The AmericanRevolutionThroughtheEyesofThoseWhoFoughtandLivedIt.NewYork:DaCapoPress,1957.Thacher, James.A Military Journal During the American Revolutionary Warfrom1775to1783.Boston:Richardson&Lord,1823.Washington, George. Washington: Writings. New York: Library of America,1997.Wheeler,Richard,ed.Voicesof1776:TheStoryoftheAmericanRevolutionintheWordsofThoseWhoWereThere.NewYork:Crowell,1972.

QuotationNotesOne thing I can’t stand about textbooks is that they always have historicalcharacterssayingthemostboringthings.Luckilyforus,realpeopleareneverthatdull.ThepeoplewholivedduringtheAmericanRevolutionreallydidsayallthedaring,clever,foolish,amazing,surprising,funny,andgrossthingsthatIquotedinthisbook.Here’salistofthesourceswherethequotescanbefound.

HowtoStartaRevolution“Thenationhasrunitself”:Harvey,BloodyNoses.“Whatgreaterjoy”:Langguth,Patriots.“Standfirmlyresolved”:BleckiandWulf,MilcahMarthaMoore’sBook.“Ifyouaremen”:Harvey,BloodyNoses.“Americamustfearyou”and“Ihopeweshall”:Langguth,Patriots.“Soldier,doyou”:Langguth,Patriots.“Theregoes”:Zobel,BostonMassacre.“Iamclear”:Cook,LongFuse.“Therewereseveralattempts”:Langguth,Patriots.“ThetownofBoston”:CommangerandMorris.SpiritofSeventy-Six.“Ifneedbe”:Langguth,Patriots.“Ihopeyouwill”:Bobrick,AngelintheWhirlwind.“ThedistinctionsbetweenVirginians”:CommangerandMorris,SpiritofSeventy-Six.“TheNewEnglandcolonies”:CommangerandMorris,SpiritofSeventy-Six.“Ifyouthink”:Bobrick,AngelintheWhirlwind.

ASleeplessNightBeforeRevolution“Iwasoneof”:CommangerandMorris,SpiritofSeventy-Six.“Smith,youwillfind”:Forbes,PaulRevere.“ThatlastIsaw”:Forbes,PaulRevere.“Fromthesemovements”:CommangerandMorris,SpiritofSeventy-Six.

“Asfortheirking”:Langguth,Patriots.“Theregulars”:Tourtellot,LexingtonandConcord.“Itoldhim”:Tourtellot,LexingtonandConcord.“Comein,Revere”:Tourtellot,LexingtonandConcord.“Wewerehalted”:Tourtellot,LexingtonandConcord.“Sir,mayIcrave”:CommangerandMorris,SpiritofSeventy-Six.“Oneofthem”:CommangerandMorris,SpiritofSeventy-Six.“Mr.Hancockwas”:Langguth,Patriots.

WhoFiredtheShotHeardRoundtheWorld?“Ohwhatagloriousmorning”:Langguth,Patriots.“bringthefinesalmon”:Tourtellot,LexingtonandConcord.“Iamsatisfied”:CommangerandMorris,SpiritofSeventy-Six.“Letthetroops”:Forbes,PaulRevere.“Youvillains”:Forbes,PaulRevere.“Onourcoming”:CommangerandMorris,SpiritofSeventy-Six.“Thismorning”:Tourtellot,LexingtonandConcord.“Ifyoudon’tgo”:Tourtellot,LexingtonandConcord.“Myhusband”:Galvin,MinuteMen.“Willyouletthem”:Tourtellot,LexingtonandConcord.“Weweretotally”:Hibbert,RedcoatsandRebels.“Eachsoughthisown”Tourtellot,LexingtonandConcord.“WebegantorunTourtellot,LexingtonandConcord.“WhenIreflect”:CommangerandMorris,SpiritofSeventy-Six.“Anumberof”:CommangerandMorris,SpiritofSeventy-Six.“Thebarbarousmurders”:Fischer,PaulRevere’sRide.“Whenonce”:CommangerandMorris,SpiritofSeventy-Six.

GeorgeWashington,MeetYourArmy“Iwasawakened”:CommangerandMorris,SpiritofSeventy-Six.“Inthename”:Lossing,PictorialFieldBook.“Iwalkedwith”:Adams,DiaryandAutobiography.“Fromyourbrighteyes”:Randall,GeorgeWashington.

“Iamnowsetdown”:Washington,Writings.“Ithisday”:CommangerandMorris,SpiritofSeventy-Six.“Tenthousandmen”:Bobrick,AngelintheWhirlwind.“Weworked”:ScheerandRankin,RebelsandRedcoats.“Hewassonear”:Bobrick,AngelintheWhirlwind.“Don’tfire”:Langguth,Patriots.“Theyroseup”:CommangerandMorris,SpiritofSeventy-Six.“Theliberties”:Bobrick,AngelintheWhirlwind.“Thegeneraldoesnot”:Hibbert,RedcoatsandRebels.“Playswereacted”:CommangerandMorris,SpiritofSeventy-Six.“Thesefellows”:ScheerandRankin,RebelsandRedcoats.“Ihaveaparticularpleasure”:Washington,Writings.“Ilongtohear”:Adams,BookofAbigail.

DeclareIndependence,Already!“Inalittlechamber”:Adams,DiaryandAutobiography.“Ibelieveyouare”:Adams,DiaryandAutobiography.“Hereliesthebody”Keane,TomPaine.“Thelittlefolks”:Adams,BookofAbigail.“Andbytheway”:Adams,BookofAbigail.“Someamongusurge”:Maier,AmericanScripture.“Thewholetime”:Adams,DiaryandAutobiography.“Theremustbenopulling”:Langguth,Patriots.“Whenthehanging”:ScheerandRankin,RebelsandRedcoats.“Howisit”:Hibbert,RedcoatsandRebels.“Wouldanyonebelieve”:CommangerandMorris,SpiritofSeventy-Six.“Thelead”:Scheer,RebelsandRedcoats.“Theeyesofall”:Washington,Writings.

LosingandRetreatingin’76“IthoughtIwas”:Martin,PrivateYankeeDoodle.“Weexpect”:Schecter,BattleforNewYork.“Womenandchildren”:Vanderbilt,HistoryofFlatbush.

“Wewerestrictly”Martin,PrivateYankeeDoodle.“Itwasoneof”:Schecter,BattleforNewYork.“Iwishtobe”:Schecter,BattleforNewYork.“Ionlyregret”:CommangerandMorris,SpiritofSeventy-Six.“Wewillalter”:Martin,PrivateYankeeDoodle.“Thegeneral”:CommangerandMorris,SpiritofSeventy-Six.“Greatnumbers”:Washington,Writings.“Tendaysmore”:Bobrick,AngelintheWhirlwind.“MyfriendScheffer”:Dwyer,TheDayIsOurs.“MydearNancy”:Dwyer,TheDayIsOurs.“Motherandwe”:Dwyer,TheDayIsOurs.“Thereweretimes”:Bobrick,AngelintheWhirlwind.“Ihadtheitch”:Dwyer,TheDayisOurs.“Thefloatingice”:CommangerandMorris,SpiritofSeventy-Six.“Ihaveneverseen”:ScheerandRankin,RebelsandRedcoats.“Ideterminedtopush”:Washington,Writings.“These,inthetwinkling”:Dwyer,TheDayIsOurs.“Thisisaglorious”:Dwyer,TheDayIsOurs.“Afewdaysago”:Ketchum,WinterSoldiers.

ShowdownatSaratoga“behomevictorious”:Cook,LongFuse.“Hewasourfightinggeneral”:Arnold,LifeofBenedictArnold.“Wehaveoneadvantage”:Randall,BenedictArnold.“Thecarriage”:Schoenbrun,TriumphinParis.“Ilearnt”:Clark,BenjaminFranklin.“Ihavebeatthem”:Bobrick,AngelintheWhirlwind.“Whentheweather”:Riedesel,LettersandMemoirs.“WhenIwrote”:Bobrick,AngelintheWhirlwind.“Iamveryglad”:Clark,BenjaminFranklin.“Heproposes”:Clark,BenjaminFranklin.“Suchanexplosion”:CommangerandMorris,SpiritofSeventy-Six.“Botharmies”:Ketchum,Saratoga.“Arnoldrushedin”:Wheeler,Voicesof1776.“Ishivered”:Riedesel,LettersandMemoirs.

“Victoryordeath!”:Randall,BenedictArnold.“Wehadbeenwarned”:Riedesel,LettersandMemoirs.“Thusendedallourhopes”:CommangerandMorris,SpiritofSeventy-Six.“Notoneofthem”:Hibbert,RedcoatsandRebels.“Itistrue”:Schoenbrun,TriumphinParis.“AssureCongress”:Schoenbrun,TriumphinParis.“Lastnight”:Thacher,MilitaryJournal.

WillWeEverWinThisWar?“Thegeneralopinion”:Martin,PrivateYankeeDoodle.“Thearmywasnow”:Martin,PrivateYankeeDoodle.“Itwasnotuncommon”:Wheeler,Voicesof1776.“TheGeneral”:Bobrick,AngelintheWhirlwind.“Iamsick”:Scheer,RebelsandRedcoats.“Weareverycomfortable”:Wildes,ValleyForge.“Ishallneverforget”:Clark,BenjaminFranklin.“Ihaveseveraltimes”:Randall,GeorgeWashington.“MydearWalker”:ScheerandRankin,RebelsandRedcoats.“Acannonshot”:Wheeler,Voicesof1776.“Oh,thatIwereadog”:CommangerandMorris,SpiritofSeventy-Six.“Totellyouthetruth”:McCullough,JohnAdams.“JohnAdamsisalways”:Langguth,Patriots.“Ishouldsoonerthink”:Bobrick,AngelintheWhirlwind.“Whatship”:CommangerandMorris,SpiritofSeventy-Six.“Ihavenotyetbegun”:CommangerandMorris,SpiritofSeventy-Six.“Thisbraveman”:CommangerandMorris,SpiritofSeventy-Six.“Itwasawful”:Wheeler,Voicesof1776.“Twentytimes”:Randall,BenedictArnold.“Iamglad”:Randall,BenedictArnold.“Youyoungmen”:Lossing,PictorialFieldBook.“Arnoldhasbetrayedme”:Randall,BenedictArnold.“ThatisnotGeneralWashington”:Randall,BenedictArnold.“Ianswered”:Flexner,GeorgeWashington.“Isawnolikelihood”:Martin,PrivateYankeeDoodle.

TheGreatRacetoYorktown“Thatwhichgivesme”:CommangerandMorris,SpiritofSeventy-Six.“Wasthereever”:Chernow,AlexanderHamilton.“O!theKing’s”:CommangerandMorris,SpiritofSeventy-Six.“Marionneverencamped”:CommangerandMorris,SpiritofSeventy-Six.“Theirnumber”:CommangerandMorris,SpiritofSeventy-Six.“Wefight”:Hibbert,RedcoatsandRebels.“Atthebattle”:Bobrick,AngelintheWhirlwind.“Withathird”:CommangerandMorris,SpiritofSeventy-Six.“HisLordshipCornwallis”:Russell,AmericanRevolution.“Wehavenotamoment”Flexner,GeorgeWashington.“Iamdistressed”:CommangerandMorris,SpiritofSeventy-Six.“Icaughtsight”:Chidsey,VictoryatYorktown.“Wehavegothim”:CommangerandMorris,SpiritofSeventy-Six.“Ifyoucannot”:Hibbert,RedcoatsandRebels.“Aboutnoon”:Martin,PrivateYankeeDoodle.“Huzzah”:Martin,PrivateYankeeDoodle.“Sir,youaretoomuch”:CommangerandMorris,SpiritofSeventy-Six.“Nowwhatdoyouthink”:ScheerandRankin,RebelsandRedcoats.“Wegetterribleprovisions”:Bobrick,AngelintheWhirlwind.“TheBritishofficers”:CommangerandMorris,SpiritofSeventy-Six.“Ihavethehonor”:Washington,Writings.“OhGod!”:CommangerandMorris,SpiritofSeventy-Six.“Ihavenodoubt”:Bobrick,AngelintheWhirlwind.“HisMajesty”:Cook,LongFuse.“Ifoundthat”:Evans,WeatheringtheStorm.“Icanassure”:Martin,PrivateYankeeDoodle.“Withaheart”:ScheerandRankin,RebelsandRedcoats.“Suchascene”:ScheerandRankin,RebelsandRedcoats.“Havingnowfinished”:CommangerandMorris,SpiritofSeventy-Six.

Whateverhappenedto…?“Thewholeofherlife”:McCullough,JohnAdams.“Heiseighty-two”:Brands,FirstAmerican.

“Igivemyassent”:Unger,JohnHancock.“Atthattime”:Langguth,Patriots.“Igreatlyfear”:Randall,GeorgeWashington.“Ifeel”:Freeman,GeorgeWashington.

IndexTheindexthatappearedintheprintversionofthistitledoesnotmatchthepagesofyoureBook.PleaseusethesearchfunctiononyoureReadingdevicetosearchfor termsof interest.Foryourreference, the termsthatappear in theprint indexarelistedbelow.

A

Adams,Abigail:adviceongovernment;deathof;lettertoJohnAdamsAdams, John: death of; Declaration of Independence and; election of; peacewithThomasJefferson;quoted;replytoAbigailAdams’advice;triptoFrance;walkwithSamuelAdamsAdams, Samuel: Boston Massacre and; escape of; “glorious morning” of;marchingchantand;PaulRevere’swarningfor;personalhistoryof;StampActand;stateelectionsand;walkwithJohnAdamsAllen,Ethan:deathof;FortTiconderogaand;introductionto;asprisonerofwarAmericanRevolution: casualtiesof; endof; expenseof; first shotof; startof;turningpointofAmericantroops:casualtiesin;versionofApril19,1775André, John; Benedict Arnold and; capture of; theft of Benjamin Franklin’sbelongingsApril18,1775April19,1775Armistead,James:CharlesCornwallisand;freedomgrantedto;asaslave;asaspyArnold,Benedict: asBritishgeneral; deathof; escapeof;HoratioGates and;PeggyShippenand;quoted;recoveryof;reputationof;WestPointandAttacks,surpriseAttucks,Crispus:deathof

B

Bamford,WilliamBangs,IsaacBarker,John(quoted)Barrett,AmosBattleofBunkerHill,The;BritishcasualtiesonBattleofSaratoga,TheBattleofTrenton,TheBearmeatBlockheads,The(play)BonhommeRichard(ship)Boston:Britishretreatfrom;Massacre;TeaPartyBostonMassacre:SamuelAdamsandBostonTeaPartyBoycottsBreed’sHill:seizingcontrolofBridgefightBritishimports:boycottof;TeaPartyandBritishtroops:casualtiesof;comparedtoContinentalArmy;entertainmentand;foodand;retreatfromBoston;southernstrategyof;surrenderof;surrenderonSerapis;versionofApril19,1775Brown,PeterBrown,TarletonBuckman’sTavernBunkerHill:battleof;Britishcasualtieson;seizingcontrolofBurgoyne,John:betonAmericanRevolution;deathof;as“GentlemanJohnny,”;newwarplanand;asaplaywright;asprisonerofwar;quotedBurgoyneSurrender,The

C

Casualties:atBattleofSaratoga;atBunkerHill;attheNorthBridgeClarke,Jonas

Clinton,HenryClinton,Henry:letterstoCharlesCornwallisColonists:taxand;Women’srightsandCommonSense(pamphlet)Concord:Britishmarchfrom;militarysuppliesinContinental Army: comparedwith British troops; creation of; Declaration ofIndependenceand;foodand;hygieneand;needforpowerfulallyContinentalCongress:IntolerableActsand;meetingsofContinentalNavy:FrenchshipdonationCornwallis,CharlesCountdeGrasseCountdeRochambeauCresswell,Nicholas

D

Davis,HannahDavis,Isaac:deathatNorthBridge;introductiontoDawes,BillydeBerniere,HenryDecember16,1773,Declaration of Independence: approved by Congress; British reaction to;decisiontosign;draftingof;introductionandmainpartsof;readtoContinentalArmy;slavesandDelaplace,CaptainDelawareRiver:crossingof;HenryKnoxandDiamond,WilliamDigby,William:quotedDorchesterHeightsdu Motier, Marie Jean Paul Joseph Roche Yves Gilbert. See Marquis deLafayette

E

Emerson,WilliamEntertainment:Britishtroopsand;DeborahSampsonand;JohnAndréandEstabrook,Prince

F

Feltham,JocelynFemmetiaFlatbushFood:Britishtroopsand;ContinentalArmyand;lackofFortTiconderogaFoster,EdmundFrance:Franklin’stripto;aspossibleally;U.S.TreatywithFranklin, Benjamin: Declaration of Independence and; feelings aboutindependence; rescueof library;secretcodesand;secretmissionof;sicknessanddeathof;surroundedbyspies;theoryofcoldsFrauncesTavernFrenchandIndianWarFrenchArmy

G

Gage,Thomas:asBritishCommander;quoted;secretordersof;soundjudgmentof;versionofApril19,1775Garrick,EdwardGates,Horatio“GentlemanJohnny.”SeeBurgoyne,JohnGermain,George:quotedGermansoldiers:as“Hessians,”;rentedbyKingGeorgeGerry,Elbridge:hangingjokeandGlover,John“GrannyGates.”SeeGates,HoratioGreen,William

GreenMountainBoysGreene,Nathaniel:geographicaladvantageand;quotedGreenwood,John:andGermansword;quotedGrenville,George:planofGriffitts,Hannah

H

Hale,Nathan:hangingof;storyofHamilton,Alexander:asarchitectofgovernment;deathof;debatewithHenryKnox;Washington’sapologytoHamilton,WilliamHancock, John: death of; escape of; “glorious morning” and; as governor ofMassachusetts; marching chant and; marriage of; Paul Revere’s warning for;StampActrepealand;taxesandHarrison,Benjamin:hangingjokeandHaynes,Josiah:deathof;asoldestmantofightHays,MaryLudwig:asfamousMollyPitcherHeddart,FrancisHenry,Patrick:deathof;familylifeof;slavesof;speechesofHessians:definedHewes,GeorgeHowe,JohnHowe,William:DorchesterHeights and; plan to lead army fromNewYork;Washington’sconcernwithHull,WilliamHunter,Martin:quotedHygiene:ofContinentalArmy

I

Imports:boycottofIntolerableActs:ContinentalCongressand;defined

J

Jefferson,Thomas:deathof;DeclarationofIndependenceand;peacewithJohnAdams;aspolitician;slavesofJohnson,Samuel:slavesandJones,JohnPaulJuly4,1776

K

King George: Boston Tea Party and; new war plan of; rental of Germansoldiers;statueof;surrenderandKingLouisXVI:FrenchandIndianWarand;quoted;treatywithUnitedStatesKnox, Henry: as cannon expert; debate with Alexander Hamilton; DelawareRiverand;emotionsatend;asSecretaryofWar“Kos.”SeeKosciusko,Thaddeus“Kos”Kosciusko,Thaddeus“Kos,”

L

Lamb,Roger:quotedLanterns:secretsignalandLaurie,WalterLee,CharlesLiberty(ship)Livingston,Robert:DeclarationofIndependenceandLogcabins:constructionofLongfellow,HenryWadsworth:lanternsignalandLowell,John:PaulRevere’swarningfor

Loyalists:defined

M

Malcolm,JohnMarch17,1776Marchingchant:ofBritishsoldiersMarion,FrancisMarquisdeLafayetteMartin, Joseph Plumb: as author; decision to enlist; quoted; as Steuben’ssoldier;watchonwaterMeriam’sCornerMinutemen:defined;numbersofMollyPitchersMonmouthMontaguMountVernonMunroe,William

N

NarrativeofaRevolutionarySoldier,A(Paine)NativeAmericansNewJerseyNewman,RobertNorth,Frederick:quotedNorthBridge:marchonNorthernArmy

O

October7,1777October17,1781October19,1781“OldWoman,The.”SeeGage,ThomasOliver,Andrew

P

Paine,Thomas:deathof;personalhistoryof;writingtalentofParker,JohnPatriots:definedPearson,Richard:quotedPendleton,EdmundPercy,HughPhelps,NoahPitcairn,John:quotedPoland:helpfromPoor,EnochPrescott,SamuelPrescott,William:Breed’sHillandPrinceton:victoryatPrivateer:defined

Q

QueenCharlotteQuincy,Dorothy:PaulRevere’swarningfor;quoted

R

Rahl,Johann“TheLion,”Rawdon,Francis:quotedReed,MarthaRegulars:definedRevere,Paul:missionof;assilversmith;spyringand

S

SalmonSampson,Deborah:serviceof;stageshowofSaratoga:battleofSeptember3,1783Serapis(ship)SevenYearsWarSherman,Roger:DeclarationofIndependenceandShippen,Peggy:BenedictArnoldand;JohnAndréandShippen,William:quotedShurtleff,RobertSlaves:DeclarationofIndependenceandSmith,FrancisSmuggling:toavoidtaxesSoldiers:desertingSomerset(ship)SonsofLiberty:birthof;gatheringinBostonHarbor;teapartyandSouthernstrategy:ofBritishtroopsSpies:BenjaminFranklinand;inBoston;JamesArmistead;NathanHaleandStampAct.SeealsoGrenville,George:defined;repealofStampagentsStormont,DavidSurrender:ofBritishtroops“SwampFox,The.”SeeBrown,Tarleton

T

Tallmadge,BenjaminTarringandfeatheringTaxes:Colonistsand;onteaTaylor,DanielTea:taxonTeadutyTeaPartyThacher,James:quotedTownshendActs:introductionof;repealofTraitors:punishmentforrenton:battleof;marchto

V

ValleyForge:casualtiesat;marchtowardVan,CharlesvonRiedesel,FrederikavonRiedesel,FriedrichvonSteuben,Friedrich

W

Waldo,Albigence:quotedWalker,PatrickWarren,MercyOtisWashington,George:angerattroops;apologytoAlexanderHamilton;deathof;dreamsofmilitaryheroism; introductionof; letter toMarthaWashington; lovepoetryof;namedCommander;plantowin;asPresident;rightarmof;slavesof;winterof1777,Washington,LundWashington,MarthaWeather:andhistoricaleventsWeedon,George:quoted

Wheeler,RichardWhite,Hugh:EdwardGarrickandWilkinson,ElizaWilliams,OthoWomen:lackofrightsWood,Sylvanus:quotedWorldTurnedUpsideDown,The(song)

Y

Yorktown:entrapmentat;mapof

SteveSheinkinDuring many years spent writing American history textbooks, Steve Sheinkinfilled fat files with all the amazing stories and surprising quotes that texbookeditorswouldneverlethimuse.Nowheisfinallyusingallthatmaterialtowritehistorybooksthatkidswillactuallywanttoread.HehasalsowrittenWhichWayto the Wild West?, which relates the breathtaking adventure of America’swestwardexpansion,andTwoMiserablePresidents,theamazingandterribletaleoftheCivilWar.StevelivesinBrooklyn,NewYork,withhiswifeanddaughter.TimRobinsonTimRobinson’sworkhasgracedthepagesofmanychildren’sbooksandappearsregularly in major newspapers and magazines. He lives in Croton-on-Hudson,NewYork,withhiswife,Marguerite,andtheirtwosons,WyattandLuke.

Notes

1pronouncedlike“draft”

2supply

3spark

4protectivewall

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