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Sam comes home from college (Yale).
(Explication). Sam comes home with news of the battle at Lexington and Concord. -
Sam wants to join the American Revolution.
(Explication). Sam wants to join the American Revolution after hearing abotu the battles at Lexington and Concord. -
Sam runs away from his family and joins the American Revolution.
(Conflict). In the beginning of the book, Sam runs away from his family and joins the Patriot side of the American Revolution. None of his family wants him to go, and nearly everyone in town thinks he is being foolish. -
Tim doesn't know which side to be on; Father or Sam's side.
(Conflict). Throughout the book, Tim questions both sides of the American Revolution. Father is on the Loyalist side, and Sam is on the Patriot sidse. -
Mr. Heron wants Tim to deliver a questionable letter for him. Father doesn't want Tim to deliver it. Tim ends up delivering it.
(Conflict/ Rising Action). Mr. Heron asks Tim to deliver a "secret" letter for him, and Father doesn't want him to go, thinking he will be caught in the middle of danger. Tim ends up delivering it. -
Father goes missing on the way back from Verplancks Point.
(Conflict/ Rising Action). On the way back from Verplancks Point, Father goes missing. Tim realizes that he hasn't seen Father in a while, so he starts looking for him. He sees many tracks in one area, and many of them are not Father's. Tim goes home without Father. -
British come to Danbury, Conneticut to take the Continental Army's supplies.
(Historical Event). The British come to Danbury, Conneticut to take the Continental Army's supplies. The British, under the command of Major General William Tryon, looted and burned the city. -
Mother and Tim find out that Father has died.
(Conflict). Mother and Tim find out that Father has died. Surprisingly, he died on a British prison ship. Tim decides that both sides are very corrupted at that point. -
The Continental Army are at Valley Forge in Pennsylvania.
(Historical Event) The Continental Army are at Valley Forge in Pennsylvania. Training by Von Steuben helped them to become a more professional army. -
The United States and France sign the Treaty of Alliance.
(Historical Event). The United States and France sign the Treaty of Alliance. This document promised military support in case of attacks by British forces indefinitely in the future. -
Sam comes home again.
(Rising Action). Sam returns home looking worn out and shabby, but is glad to be home. He warns Tim of the cattle thieves, and tells of the horrors of war. -
Sam is arrested for being a cattle thief.
(Climax). Sam is unfairly arrested for being a cattle thief. He is framed by two men that were trying to steal the cattle in the first place. -
Sam is to be executed.
(Falling Action) The results of Sam's trial was that he was to be executed by being shot. -
Tim talks to General Putnam in a desperate attempt to save Sam.
(Falling Action) Tim tries to talk to General Putnam to get him to let Sam go because he didn't actually steal the cattle. -
Tim tries to break Sam out of jail.
(Falling Action). Tim tries to break Sam out of jail. He runs through the prison grounds and throws a bayonet into the stockade where he thinks SAm is being held. Sam is not there. -
Sam is executed; he is shot at.
(Resolution) Sam is shot at by three men. His clothes catch on fire because he had been shot way too close. Another single shot kills him. Tim watches the whole execution.