He then looks around at the unfamiliar surroundings
“Where are the Red Coats, and who are you?”
The teacher asks, “Tell us who are you first?”
Ned confirms that the teacher is a patriot. Then Ned gives the teacher a paper to be read aloud.
“My orders.”
March 10, 1777
There under the command of General Washington he is
to serve to halt and repel the advancing British forces.
“Last thing I remember is the Red Coats breaking through our lines and over-running our position. I ran into an odd fog and here I am.
It was our assignment to stop the Red Coats from taking Philadelphia. Or at least to slow them down enough so the Continental Congress could relocate our capital from Philadelphia to Harrisburg.
You see, if our leaders, Jefferson or Franklin or Adams are caught, they will be hung as traitors and our efforts to be free will end.
I hope we won’t be remembered as cowards. When the soldiers at Brandywine ran we left a lot of rifles and cannons. I went back and saved what I could to keep those thieving red coats from using them against us. I had charge of the ammunition wagons for the artillery. And I will not let them have it!
Why should I, a black man, risk my life to fight for a country that enslaves my people?
I’d heard the words of Jefferson. About how “all men were created equal and endowed with unalienable rights by God.” Like “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
They are grand sounding words. I hope he meant them. They may not be true for many of my people now,
but I hope with God’s help some day they will be. That is, if we can win.
You know there’s a lot of us colored people that feel the same. I hears about 3000 or more of us are fighting.
Of course you know that lying ol’ King George promised freedom to all slaves who would fight for the king. But it does not figure, look at how he treats his own people.
He taxes the colonies without representation. We can only buy things with his stamp on it. He treats us all like slaves.
I’d heard in Boston the boys did something about it. They gave fat ol’ King George a tea party he’ll never forget!
But enough of such things.”
What happened to the General?
What’s a president?
Why are you dressed so oddly?
There are girls in the class.
There are so many different people of such I have never known. (if other cultures are present )
Remember why we fought.
Remember not to give up your freedom nor abuse it.
Remember freedom came at a high price. Many of my dear friends have died trying to win it. And if need be I will too!
11 Wellington Road
Upper Darby, PA 19082-3320
Copyright NTLewis 2004