Revolutionary War on Wednesday - Mary Pope Osborne [4]
On Wednesday, December 25, 1776—
“December 25? That’s Christmas!” said Annie. “Today’s Christmas!”
“Cool,” said Jack. He started reading again:
On Wednesday, December 25, 1776, the patriots were losing the war. Ragged and weary, many were ready to give up. Then something began to happen that would turn the war around. About 2,400 American patriots gathered on the west bank of the Delaware River in Pennsylvania. They prepared to cross the river to go on a secret mission.
“A secret mission? Oh, man … ,” said Jack.
He started to pull out his notebook.
“Attention, troops! The commander-in-chief!” a soldier shouted.
Jack and Annie saw a man in a dark cape and a three-cornered hat ride up on a white horse.
The commander-in-chief loomed above the crowd of soldiers. His cape flapped in the wind.
He sat calmly and with dignity on the back of his horse.
Even at a distance, Jack thought the commander-in-chief looked familiar, very familiar. But he couldn’t figure out why.
“A dangerous mission lies before you all,” the man shouted above the wind. “But I want you to have courage. You must remember the words of Thomas Paine.”
The commander-in-chief held up a piece of paper. He read to his men:
“ ‘These are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country. But he that stands it now deserves the love and thanks of man and woman.… ’ ”
“Wow, that’s great,” whispered Annie.
Listening to the powerful words, Jack felt his spirits rise, too.
“ ‘The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph,’ ” the commander-in-chief read on. “ ‘What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly. It is dearness only that gives everything its value.’ ”
There was a silence, as if everyone were thinking about the words the man had read. Then the soldiers started cheering and clapping. They didn’t seem tired at all anymore. Now they seemed eager to set out on their mission.
The commander-in-chief saluted his men. He steered his horse toward the river.
As the horse moved past them, Jack got a better look at the rider.
He gasped.
Of course! he thought. He’d seen that face before—on dollar bills!
Jack grabbed Annie’s arm.
“I know who the commander-in-chief is!” he exclaimed. “He’s George Washington!”
“George Washington? Really?” said Annie.
“Yeah, I think he is!” said Jack.
“Wow! Where’d he go?” said Annie. “I want to see him again! Come on!”
She started toward the river.
“Wait—don’t go far,” said Jack. “I just want to make sure it’s him.”
He opened the Revolutionary War book. He found a picture of the boats on the riverbank. He read:
When General George Washington gathered his troops by the Delaware River, he was commander-in-chief of the whole American army. The general led the army for six years, until America became a free and independent nation. In 1789, he was elected the first president of the new United States.
“Oh, man, it is him,” said Jack.
He pulled out his notebook and wrote:
“Hey, what are you writing?” someone asked.
Jack looked up.
A bearded soldier was pointing at him.
Jack shoved the Revolutionary War book and his notebook into his bag.
“Nothing, sir,” he said. He started walking away.
The man shouted after Jack. But Jack ran down toward the river and lost himself in a crowd of soldiers.
When he looked over his shoulder, he was relieved. The bearded man was nowhere in sight.
“Stop, young man!” Someone shone a lantern right in Jack’s face.
Jack gasped.
It was the captain.
“I told you to go home, Jack,” the captain said sternly. “Where’s your sister?”
Jack looked around. Where was Annie?
“I don’t know,” he said.
“Find her at once and go back to your family!” the captain ordered. “Our secret mission is very important. Children will only get in the way.”
“Yes, sir!” said Jack.
The captain started to leave. But he stopped.
“I wonder if you could do me a favor, Jack?” he asked.
“Sure,” said Jack.
The captain pulled out his letter.
“This is my letter to my children,