The Lives of Children During the American Revolution

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I couldn’t work any slower than I already was. The summer heat wafted through the open door, blanketing itself around my shoulders, sucking all the precious air out of my lungs. Drowsily, I continued. Over and under. Under and over. With my needle and thread. Sewing, sewing, sewing. It was endlessly mundane. Waist coats, shirts, knee breeches and trousers, jackets, stockings and socks. Over and under. Under and over. Needle and thread. Again and again. A musket ball to the head couldn’t make it any better.

My mother sat across from me. I mimicked her, just like I always did - cross legged on the wooden chair, the garment on my lap, sewing, over and over again. Outside, I could hear the cacophony of grumbling, mumbling, and some cheering soldiers, loading muskets, inventorying gunpowder, taking nips off whatever rot-gut we had in store. I wasn’t old enough to drink, but I knew what they called bad liquor nowadays. We all had to chip in and make some every now and again - people these days didn’t like buying from the red coats. Unless you were a Loyalist, you probably wouldn’t spit around the likes of King George.

Except me. I’m funny like that. It’s not that I’m a lobster back or anything, I’m just…

Different. My father’s a British soldier. Mother and I sew uniforms for the colonial army. He sends me letters whenever he can, but I haven’t gotten one in quite a spell. We stay in Maryland - Father stays wherever. My parents were never divorced - they aren’t granted as easily as you’d think these days. Only about thirty a year around these parts, I think. Mother still wears her wedding ring; I don’t think Father does. It’s been hard, but I can take it.

My political views are, like I said, different. I guess I’m undecided. I help Mother out wherever I can, but I know Father is disappointed in me. Sometimes I lie to keep them happy, even though I know they don’t believe me. I’m sure it hurts them, and I guess I’m too selfish to care. I have to guess a lot of things in these hard times - when we have to move, what we have to eat at night, who’s coming in and out, the safety of my family, how my life will be ten years from now. We live in a fort - me, Mother, my uncle, and other families.

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