The story I am going to tell you is about how my life almost ended. It all started when I was about thirteen years old, the Patriots and the British were fighting on the green and a British soldier was wounded so I had to go help him. By the time I got out there I saw the British retreating! In the mix of confusion I was tossed and turned through the crowd. When I opened my eyes the British were just shadows in a big cloud of dust in the distance. I got up and saw the Patriots and heard their gleeful shouts, I turned around to catch up with the others when I came face to face with a Patriot. My heart jumped into my throat, I thought I was going to vomit.

The Patriot grabbed my shoulder and pushed me to the ground. I fell next to the wounded official. He was dead. Assuming he knew I didn't speak English he pointed to the dead official and another Patriot threw me a shovel. He wanted me to burry him of course but how could I? I was only thirteen. I dug a hole, not very deep, and went to push the body in the hole when all at once the Patriot hit me on the back of the head. I looked up quickly, my head smarting. He was pointing to the hole again. Did he want it deeper? I had no clue. I picked up the shovel and looked at him again, he nodded and I set to work. It wasn't even five minutes before the Patriot hastily and grumpily snatched the shovel from my hands and dug the hole out the rest of the way. He rolled the official into the hole and buried him. I was surprised, it sounded like he said some sort of prayer. I had heard stories all my life about how spiteful and terrible the Patriots were. I would never have suspected a prayer. When he was done he grabbed a rope and tied my hands first together then he tied the rope to his horse. I couldn't even look him in the eyes without wanting to cry, what were they going to do to me.

I worried all afternoon. As we walked into town I saw a black building that we then walked into. When I got inside there was a man sitting at the table. " I am General George Washington,"  he said. " I would like to know everything that you know about the British."  " You must tell me or your life might be threatened in some way,"  sneered the General. I looked around; one soldier gave a fake smile. "  CONFESS,"  yelled the General again. " He doesn't know a word of English,"  mumbled the Patriot. " WHAT?"  said the enraged General? " You mean to tell me this Tory doesn't speak any English at all?"  he yelled. " Yes sir."  " Then you can pay for a tutor to teach him English."  " Yes sir."  " Then off with you, all of you."  I did not know what was going on of course at the time I didn't know any English.

That night I followed the Patriot into the tavern where he got what looked like a tankard full of pretty strong ale. He took a couple of swigs and got up. He gave me a push towards the door, I stumbled and the next thing I knew I was on the floor. Everyone started to laugh except for the Patriot. " Com'n Bridges he 's jus' a Tory,"  " Hey watch it!"  yelled the Patriot. I couldn't believe, it was actually standing up for me? But why? All of a sudden he stormed out the door taking me with him. " Let us go find you a tutor,"  he said finally.

We then came up to a brown building with a church bell in the tower. It was some sort of school. We went in and he started talking to a broad shouldered man. All of a sudden the Patriot pushed me and I landed on a bench. Then the man pointed to himself and said, " Man,"  not knowing what to do I said " M-M-Man?"  Then he pointed to the to the Patriot and said " Soldier,"  and I stammered back " S-S-Soldier."  This went on late into the night when I finally fell asleep on the bench.

I awoke the next morning to see the " Teacher"  sitting next to me. I gave a groan and sat up. The teaching continued all day occasionally taking brakes to eat.

I was learning English! I was so excited that I didn't even care if I was stuck with the Patriot the rest of my life! And every time I thought about the British I encouraged myself even more about telling the Patriots. I worked just as hard for almost three weeks. By the fifth week I could speak full English. General Bridges was now like a father to me and decided to celebrate at the tavern; he even bought a round of ale for everyone including me. All at once I looked out the tavern window, there was a British official staring at me. General Bridges saw him too. " Come on out the back door,"  he whispered to me. We walked very slowly to the back door. From there it was a sprint, as fast as our legs could carry us. We ran into the black building and bolted the door behind us. " General George Washington the British are heading towards Breed's Hill, That's all I know!"  " Thank you, don't worry we'll keep you safe."  All of a sudden the pounding on the door stopped. General Bridges and I would finally go home.