Revolutionary War on Wednesday

Jack. “We just wanted to know if you were redcoats or patriots.”
    â€œWhich would you like us to be?” the shadowy figure asked.
    â€œPatriots,” said Jack.
    â€œWe
are
patriots,” the captain said.
    â€œThank goodness!” said Annie.
    The captain smiled.
    â€œWhere are you from?” he asked. His voice had softened.
    â€œWe’re visiting relatives nearby,” Jack said.
    â€œFrog Creek, Pennsylvania,” said Annie at the same time.
    â€œBut that’s amazing!” the captain said. “My farm is in Frog Creek. Where is your farm?”
    Jack didn’t know how to answer.
    â€œIt’s near the Frog Creek woods,” said Annie.
    â€œAll farms are near woods,” the man said with a laugh. “What—”
    Just then, someone called from up the river. “It’s time, Captain!”
    The captain turned to the other men near the campfire. “It’s time!” he repeated.
    The soldiers quickly put out their fire. They stood with their muskets on their shoulders.
    â€œTime for what, Captain?” Annie asked.
    â€œTime to meet up with our commander-in-chief,” he said. “Return to your family now so your mother and father won’t worry about you.”
    â€œYes, sir,” said Jack.
    â€œIt is nice to see children,” the captain said. “I was just trying to write a letter to my own son and daughter. I didn’t know what to say.”
    â€œTell them that you miss them,” said Annie.
    The man smiled.
    â€œAnd I do, indeed,” he said softly.
    Then he turned and headed up the riverbank. His ragged men followed behind. Soon they all disappeared into the cold mist.
    Jack looked around. The wind was blowing harder. The snow was sticking to the ground.
    â€œWhat now?” he asked.
    More than anything, he wanted to go back home. With the soldiers gone, the riverbank felt lonely and scary.
    â€œWe still have to find
something to send
,” said Annie.
    â€œI know,” said Jack.
    â€œMaybe we should just follow the captain and his men,” said Annie. “They might lead us to something.”
    Jack wasn’t sure that was a good idea. But he didn’t have a better one.
    â€œOkay. But let’s try not to get caught this time,” he said.
    He and Annie took off through the frozen twilight, following the snowy footprints of the American patriots.

Jack and Annie ran along the riverbank. The wind whooshed over the cold water. Wet snowflakes hissed in the dark.
    But then Jack heard other sounds. He heard voices, lots of voices.
    He and Annie soon came upon hundreds and hundreds of soldiers gathered near the dark river.
    Many carried oil lanterns. The lanterns gave an eerie glow to the snowy twilight.
    â€œThe captain and his men must be here somewhere,” said Jack, looking around.
    Boats like giant canoes were tied near the river. Men were leading horses and loading cannons onto the boats.
    â€œWhat are they all doing?” said Annie.
    Jack pulled out their Revolutionary War book. He read in a whisper:
    On Wednesday, December 25, 1776—
    â€œDecember 25? That’s Christmas!” said Annie. “Today’s Christmas!”
    â€œCool,” said Jack. He started reading again:
    On Wednesday, December 25, 1776, the patriots were losing the war. Ragged and weary, many were ready to give up. Then something began to happen that would turn the war around. About 2,400 American patriots gathered on the west bank of the Delaware River in Pennsylvania. They prepared to cross the river to go on a secret mission.
    â€œA
secret
mission? Oh, man … ,” said Jack.
    He started to pull out his notebook.
    â€œAttention, troops! The commander-in-chief!” a soldier shouted.
    Jack and Annie saw a man in a dark cape and a three-cornered hat ride up on a white horse.
    The commander-in-chief loomed above the crowd of soldiers. His cape flapped in the wind.
    He sat calmly and with dignity on the back of his horse.

    Even at a distance, Jack thought the commander-in-chief looked familiar,
very
familiar. But he couldn’t figure out why.
    â€œA dangerous mission lies before you all,” the man shouted above the wind. “But I want you to have courage. You must remember the words of Thomas Paine.”
    The commander-in-chief held up a piece of paper. He read to his men:
    â€œÂ â€˜These are the times that try men’s souls. The summer