Chapter Four

(In the previous installment, Mr. Dreamer and the children passed through the door and found themselves near Moore's Creek Bridge. They see a group of armed men on a small rise, looking down at the bridge, where other men are working. It is growing darker as night approaches.)

  "This is the Revolutionary War? It doesn't look much like a war to me. Those men  up there aren't fighting – they're building something," Kate said.

 "You're right, Kate. They are building something – they're using the earth to build a buffer between themselves and the enemy soldiers. See," Mr. Dreamer pointed to one side of the bridge, "They're constructing an embankment to give them some protection from which to attack."

 "Who are they fighting? The Redcoats?" Sam asked.

 Mr. Dreamer explained the enemy soldiers weren't regular British Army troops, but Highland Scots who'd recently moved to North Carolina and were loyal to the King..

The Bridge at Moore's Creek today  Photo from the National Parks Service

"Why are they fighting over this bridge? It doesn't look like very much. Wouldn't it just be easier to go and build a new one some place?" Sam asked.

 "Good question, Sam. And you're right – the bridge itself isn't much," Mr. Dreamer said. The three of them looked at the creek. It was only about 35 feet wide, the water muddy and sluggish looking.

 "So, why are they going to fight for it?" Kate asked.

 "The Highlanders were trying to get to Wilmington, which is about 25 miles from here and they had to cross this bridge to do it. The Patriots – our forefathers – knew they had to stop them. They wanted to live free of British tyranny and rule. Since the English wanted to keep us as a colony, the stage was set for an armed conflict. In this instance – a battle over this bridge," he said.

 "Today is February 26, 1776, and the people who live in this part of the state are divided into three political camps: the Loyalists, the Patriots and those who remained neutral. The split was about even: one-third to each camp.

 Kate nodded. " And the Loyalists were Highland Scots, right?"

Click on the map to make it larger. Find  New Hanover County -- that's where Wilmington is located and where the Highlanders were headed.

 "Right. The Loyalists were promised land and temporary freedom from taxation if they would take up arms on behalf of the crown. At this moment, they're moving closer to this place, where tomorrow, at dawn on the 27th, they will engage the Patriots in a fierce battle.

 "I know you two see a lot of fighting on television and in the movies, and even in those video games you play. But this is different. In movies and TV, the soldiers who are shot are actors. These are real people, real people who are much like you and me – on both sides. Most didn't want to fight, but felt they had to."

 Dreamer explained that when the Battle for Moore's Creek was over, the British left North Carolina in the hands of the Patriots.

"That lasted for about four years, until a Lord by the name of  Cornwallis brought his troops to the state, provoking another outbreak of fighting," he said.

 Sam yawned. "Right now it looks like a lot of grown men playing in the mud to me," he said.

 "Oh, I see. Kind of boring looking, huh, Sam?" Dreamer asked. Sam grinned sheepishly.

Dreamer explained how the Highland Scots would come marching up to the bridge with ceremonial bagpipes playing, ready to engage the Patriots.

 "When it's over, 50 Highlanders were killed or wounded and another 850 captured. One Patriot died and one was wounded." Dreamer looked around. 

"Today they're preparing for battle. Tomorrow these men – the Highlanders and the Patriots – farmers

and merchants and laborers, ordinary, boring people all – will take the first step toward creating a new country and giving you the freedom to be whatever you want. It took a lot of courage to stand up to the King of England," Dreamer said.

Highlanders went to Moore's Creek with ceremonial bagpipes playing.

"What happened to the losers?" Kate asked.

 "They were removed from their lands and sent back to Scotland or forced to move to Canada," Dreamer said.

 "Can we stay and watch the battle?" Sam asked, while Kate made a face.

Vocabulary words:

buffer: Something that serves to separate two items.

sluggish: Moving slowly and lacking in energy.

tyranny: Cruel or unjust rule.

ceremonial: Something formal that is done in order to mark an occasion.

somber: Very sad or depressed.

Did You Know?

 When the Loyalists charged at the Battle of Moore's Creek, the Patriots had a little surprise waiting for them. They had removed many of the bridge's floor boards and greased other parts of the bridge, so that it was nearly impossible to cross. When some of the Loyalists began to pick their ways across the bridge, the Patriots opened fire. Even though there were 1,600 Loyalists and only 1,000 Patriots, the Patriots won a decisive battle at the site of the small bridge.

"Sorry. No time. There's the door. We need to pass through it quickly or we'll be in trouble, " Dreamer said, as he hustled them through.

 And as they stepped out on the other side, they found themselves in the cold, watching a large group of weary Native Americans preparing their evening meal. Dreamer's face was somber as he looked at the group of men, women and children.

 "This is the Trail of Tears, my children, and it's one of the saddest moments in North Carolina's  history."

On to Chapter 5

Something to Talk About:

 You don't have to go to war to be a patriot. You can be a patriot by supporting and believing in your country, and that doesn't mean you can't disagree with its leaders. One of the greatest things about the United States is that its citizens can openly disagree with government policies and procedures. We exercise our right to disagree through free speech – such as the kind that's in the newspapers you read – and through voting. But in times of war, special limitations may be placed on what you can and cannot say. That type of limitation was placed on citizens during the Civil War and both world wars.

Do you think it is unpatriotic to speak out against one's country in time of war? Can of you think of reason why free speech would be prohibited during those times? If you disagree with your country's policies, can you still be a patriot?

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