We Were There, Part 2

 

We're continuing to look at the We Were There books regarding the Revolutionary War with We Were There When Washington Won at Yorktown, by Earl Schenck Miers. Bit of a spoiler title, isn't it?

Following the typical formula mentioned when we covered the Ethan Allen book, the story is told from the points-of-view of a young boy and young girl caught up in an important historical event. This time, we meet 15-year-old Jed Barnes and his younger sister Fran, who live with their parents on a farm near Williamsburg. The routine of their lives is disrupted when British troops under Cornwallis occupy the area.

It isn't long before Jed is caught up in the events. He meets some Pennsylvania militia serving under Mad Anthony Wayne and soon after meets General Lafayette. The young French general is impressed with Jed's intelligence and grasp of military tactics, so he employs Jed as a spy. Soon, Jed is offering to care for the horses of British officers in Williamsburg, listening to snatches of conversations and picking up bits of important information.

He experiences his first taste of battle alongside Mad Anthony's men, several of whom he's befriended. The book was written for kids, so the battle is not described in graphic terms in regards to blood and guts (though Jed does see a man beheaded by a cannon ball), but the author does an excellent job of describing the terror Jed feels as musket balls fly past him and Redcoats do their best to kill him. As is true with all the We Were There books, the author is not writing down to his audience. 

Jed is later tasked with taking a message to General Washington, whose with his troops in New Jersey. The journey involves dodging and hiding from the British, something accomplished in part because he's helped by a 15-year-old girl named Nell. Nell will end up being adopted by the Barnes family. Jed thinks of Nell as another sister without a hint that there might eventually be a romance. It's my guess that the series--aimed at boys who were often still of an age where you think girls are gross--deliberately avoided even a hint of romance. 

Jed meets Washington and Alexander Hamilton, with the book taking time to point out Washington's qualities as a leader and Hamilton's bravery under fire. Taken together with the scenes featuring Lafayette, the novel actually provides us with a sort of basic primer on being a good leader.

Jed eventually gets back to Virginia, where he helps dig trenches during the ensuing siege warfare and takes part in the capture of one of two key redoubts that need to be captured before Cornwallis is forced to surrender.

Mixed in with all this are scenes showing Jed's strong relationships with his parent and his sister, giving the characters depth and empathy. Jed's mom, in particular, is a great character. At one point, she tells off Cornwallis to his face. Several times during the book, she accurately predicts what one army or the other will do based on "common sense."

As with Ethan Allen, this book gives us a great adventure story and strong characterizations while still teaching us a little bit about history.

This finishes the two books that I acquired through interlibrary loan, forcing me to discuss them outside of their historical chronology. Next time, we'll jump back to just before the shooting started to visit the Boston Tea Party. We'll then finish with the book about Lexington and Concord, which would overlap with the Ethan Allen book. If my future biographers wonder when I didn't cover the books in historical chronological order--IT'S NOT MY FAULT!