My Brother Sam is Dead
by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier
Summary
Tim's brother Sam comes home from college in 1775 and tells them that he's going to enlist into the Contenential Army. Tim's father is appaled, but Sam is determined to enlist. Later, Sam steals his family's gun, Brown Bess, and runs away to enlist. Later, Rebel soliders come to their house and demand for their gun, which Sam has. A couple weeks before, Sam had come home and was hiding out with their neighbors. Tim runs to his hideout and tells him that the rebels might kill Father if he doesn't give them his gun. They go home and find that the rebels have left.
Lots of time passes and then their neighbor Mr.Heron comes to the tavern and asks if Tim can deliver some business letters for him. Tim wants to so that he can have an adventure, but Father says no. Despite that, a few days later, Tim sneaks away to deliver the letters. While he's walking, Sam's girlfriend Betsy sees the letters and thinks that they're spy reports on Sam so she takes them away. The summer passes and then it's time to go to Verplancks Point to trade. On the way there, Tim and Father meet "cowboys", who are really Rebels. They get away from the Rebels and go on to Verplancks Point. On the way back home, the cowboys kidnap Father, but Tim manages to get away and bring the goods back home. After that, he becomes much more mature because he and Mother have to take care of the tavern by themselves.
A little while later in 1777, British troops come to Redding and kill many men and boys, including Tim's friend Jerry Sanford. That same day, Tim sees Sam and learns that Sam is going to reenlist. A couple months later, Tim and Mother learn that Father has died on a prison ship. After this, Tim really grows up and starts taking care of his mother and the tavern and making important business decisions. One thing Tim has to do is decide what to do with the cows they got. Tim wants to sell them for a profit, but when Sam visits, he tells Tim to butcher them and hide the meat. Tim is torn and before he can do anything, two men come and try to steal the cattle. Sam tries to stop them, but the men grab him and frame him as the cattle thief. Cattle stealing has been a problem in the army, and General Putman wants to make an example of someone. Tim and his mother try to plead Sam's innocence, but General Putman is determined to make an example out of Sam. Finally, on February 16, 1779, Tim watches as Sam is publicly excecuted.
Summary
Tim's brother Sam comes home from college in 1775 and tells them that he's going to enlist into the Contenential Army. Tim's father is appaled, but Sam is determined to enlist. Later, Sam steals his family's gun, Brown Bess, and runs away to enlist. Later, Rebel soliders come to their house and demand for their gun, which Sam has. A couple weeks before, Sam had come home and was hiding out with their neighbors. Tim runs to his hideout and tells him that the rebels might kill Father if he doesn't give them his gun. They go home and find that the rebels have left.
Lots of time passes and then their neighbor Mr.Heron comes to the tavern and asks if Tim can deliver some business letters for him. Tim wants to so that he can have an adventure, but Father says no. Despite that, a few days later, Tim sneaks away to deliver the letters. While he's walking, Sam's girlfriend Betsy sees the letters and thinks that they're spy reports on Sam so she takes them away. The summer passes and then it's time to go to Verplancks Point to trade. On the way there, Tim and Father meet "cowboys", who are really Rebels. They get away from the Rebels and go on to Verplancks Point. On the way back home, the cowboys kidnap Father, but Tim manages to get away and bring the goods back home. After that, he becomes much more mature because he and Mother have to take care of the tavern by themselves.
A little while later in 1777, British troops come to Redding and kill many men and boys, including Tim's friend Jerry Sanford. That same day, Tim sees Sam and learns that Sam is going to reenlist. A couple months later, Tim and Mother learn that Father has died on a prison ship. After this, Tim really grows up and starts taking care of his mother and the tavern and making important business decisions. One thing Tim has to do is decide what to do with the cows they got. Tim wants to sell them for a profit, but when Sam visits, he tells Tim to butcher them and hide the meat. Tim is torn and before he can do anything, two men come and try to steal the cattle. Sam tries to stop them, but the men grab him and frame him as the cattle thief. Cattle stealing has been a problem in the army, and General Putman wants to make an example of someone. Tim and his mother try to plead Sam's innocence, but General Putman is determined to make an example out of Sam. Finally, on February 16, 1779, Tim watches as Sam is publicly excecuted.