My Brother Sam is Dead Chapter XII:
Tim: "In June of that year, 1777, we found out that father was dead…we found all this out from one of the men who'd been taken away during the raid on Redding that spring."
Life dying in a British prison ship is ironic seeing Life is loyal to the British cause. But it highlights the hardship of the loyalists who chose "passive resistance" in the war…they were caught in the middle of a war they didn't support, suffering injustices when attempting to go on with their lives as they always had.
In Real Life: Redding prisoners taken away during the raid were: *Redding militiamen captured in Weston (James Rogers, Timothy Parsons, Russell Bartlett, Daniel Chapman, Thomas Couch, David Fairchild, Ezekial Fairchild, Jabez Frost, Daniel Meeker, Jonas Platt, Oliver Sanford, Nathaniel Squire and 13 year old, Jacob Patchen were among the captured.), Patriots Stephen Betts, Daniel Sanford, Jeremiah Sanford and a non-combatant (Benjamin Lines) captured on Redding Ridge.
*Betts, Bartlett, Lines, Patchen, and most of the Redding militiamen would all eventually return to Redding. Daniel and Jeremiah Sanford, Daniel Chapman, David Fairchild died in captivity while being held in the "sugar houses" of New York, where sanitation and disease was overbearing.
Tim: "We couldn't get over to Verplancks Point that fall. The Rebels were holding all of northern Westchester County - Peekskill, Verplancks, Crompound, all of it.
In Real Life: By the time of the American Revolution, the tiny community of Peekskill was an important manufacturing center from its various mills along the several creeks and streams. These industrial activities were attractive to the Continental Army in establishing its headquarters there in 1776.
The mills of Peek's Creek provided gunpowder, leather, planks, and flour. Slaughterhouses were an important part of the food supply. The river docks allowed transport of supply items and soldiers to the several other fort garrisons placed along the Hudson to prevent British naval passage between Albany and New York City. Officers at Peekskill generally supervised placing the first iron link chain between Bear Mountain and Anthony's Nose in the spring of 1777.
My Brother Sam is Dead Chapter XIII:
Tim: "In the morning I went back to Captain Betts' house to talk to Colonel Parsons."
In Real Life: Parsons' 1st Brigade Connecticut Line regiments wintered with General Israel Putnam's division of the Continental Army encamped in Redding in 1778-9 and Parsons was headquartered at Stephen Betts house/tavern. He remained headquartered on Redding Ridge until 1781.
My Brother Sam is Dead Chapter XIV
Sam's character takes the place of John Smith in the executions. Which are very close to the real-life events that occurred that day.
In Real Life: The scene which took place at the execution of these men on February 16 was described as shocking and bloody, it occurred on a lofty hill (known to this day as Gallows Hill) dominating the valley between the three camps. It was a grusly seen, just as Tim described it.
Sam's death is another ironic twist in the Collier's story: A father and son's loyalty to their beliefs results in death at the hands of their own troops.
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Very interesting connections. I like how you showed the section in the chapter then mirrored it with the real life event. it's amazing how the names of solidiers and casualities can be found so easily. Reading real names leaves a strong impact.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading about the developments of the small towns during this time. It shows that the authors really did stay true to the events.
All of these events, people, and places all tie into history somehow. The authors of this book did a wonderful job tying in history with fiction. Students would love the story alone, but to later find all of the truth associated with the plot would add so much for them.
Well done!