Guns for General Washington

                 

                “Yankee Doodle keep it up,

                      Yankee Doodle dandy,

                      Mind the music and the step,

                      And with the girls be handy!”  (Reit)

           

                 The soldiers chanted songs as they trudged on their mission. They had been ordered to deliver the guns from Fort Ticonderoga to Dorchester Heights. There were many strong guns like iron and brass cannons that could majorly help the Continental Army. On the other hand, the British Army was very strong and greatly outnumbered the Patriot side. The British Army was also well equipped, whereas the Continental Army was not. General Washington thought the new weapons could change this, that is, if the soldiers got them delivered in time. The soldiers went through many hardships in this suspenseful romance.                        

             

               Guns for General Washington can be characterized as a romance. This American Revolution story starts out with a conflict, which is the Continental Army lacking supplies, soldiers, weapons, and power. The soldiers bring the guns to Dorchester Heights, and fight the war with them. The new weapons startle the British and this wins the battle for the Americans. This is a new beginning for the Patriots, for they are now separated from Great Britain. It is as well the birth of a new country. In addition to this, it makes the reader escape into the story, which defines this story as a romance.                                                                                              

  

             Henry Knox was a strong, brave leader, and truly believed that the Patriots had a chance in the war. This Patriotic feeling kept the train of guns and soldiers moving along during the many hardships on the journey. There were a few times that most soldiers thought that there was no chance at all of making it, but Henry Knox said, “We won’t know until we try.” (Reit) Henry was also an intelligent soldier in this novel. To begin with, the crew was trying to transport the big guns across the Mohawk River, but the ice was not holding up. It was clever Henry Knox who came up with the idea of plunging holes into the ice, so that water flooded the top of the ice. It then froze over, and was much stronger. Henry was a great role model for his younger brother, Will, during the expedition.          

     

           In addition to being a good role model for his brother, Henry was also a good one for J.P. Although J.P. was only twelve years old, he was a very brave soldier. He had asked to come along on the journey with Becker, his father. After Becker was injured, J.P. bravely took over managing the horses. Although he was courageous, J.P. was startled when they came to Bloody Pond. He screamed, “It’s the ha’nts, pa!” “Bloody Pond! The horses can see ‘em!” (Reit). It was easy to tell that he knew about the rumors of the ghosts at the pond. Even then J.P., with a little help from his father, was able to keep the snorting and bucking horses under control. This was extreme bravery and definitely something to be proud of.                                                 

           The extreme challenges that the troopers went through were unbearable. There were also many injuries along the way. Overall, the soldiers knew that they were doing this for their country. They didn’t say “No I won’t help fight the war.” They just took their problems and got over them. Many people today couldn’t stand the challenges back then. What would you say if you were asked to join the militia?

Bibliography

Reit, Seymour. "Guns for General Washington." Reit, Seymour. Guns for General Washington. Orlando: Harcourt, Inc., 1990. 1-190.