Choice Read Post #2

The Harder The Conflict Book Cover

Last month I created my first post on my choice read book, The Harder The Conflict, by Joseph H. Dempsey.  I have actually just completed the novel on Friday (November 18).  I really enjoyed the historically accurate story about young boy Jimmy Stiles and his role in the American Revolution. 

When I left off last, Jimmy had just returned home after working as an assistant to the Colonial Army.  Soon after his return home, Jimmy enrolls in the Morris Militia (as I predicted that he would).  However, his first task as a soldier isn't on the battlefield.  Jimmy and the other members of the militia were asked to transport supplies and food from the next town over to the soldiers located in Morristown.  The trip took several days because there was so much snow and ice that travel was slow.  The men made it back just in time to save the troops from starvation and frostbite. 



George Washington

While still stationed in Morristown, General George Washington asks Jimmy and his friend Aaron to listen in on a court hearing, and then report back to him after.  When they arrived General Benedict Arnold was being the one being accused of assisting the British forces.  The boys report back to Washington who absorbs the information and sends them on their way.  After looking into the trial deeper, Washington discovers that what Jimmy says is exactly what was said in court.  He wonders whether Jimmy just remembered well or has an amazing memory. 

After some time, Jimmy has his first experience on the battlefield.   The Patriot forces and the British were separated by a river.  The Patriot forces were given the task of waiting until the British fired and began to charge before they shot.  Once the British charged one began to run right toward Jimmy.  Jimmy took aim at the soldier, but missed.  Not having time to re-load his gun, Jimmy charged at the British soldier and they got into a duel with their bayonets.  Using the skills that he copied from the pamphlet, Jimmy pins him on the ground.  Jimmy rises up the bayonet, set to stab the man, but before he does the soldier says he will run away if he doesn't stab him.  Jimmy lets him go and later says that he doesn't think that he could have stabbed him.  I personally find that it is incredible on Jimmy's part being able to apply something that he copied and never practiced.

Rifle with Bayonet

Later on in the story Jimmy meets up again with General Washington who said that he has been very impressed with what he has been hearing about him.  Washington stated that he heard about the bayonet experience and was impressed with Jimmy's skills.  He goes on to say that he wants to use Jimmy’s amazing memory as a way to communicate with the French forces because their notes keep getting intercepted by the British.  So for months Jimmy travels caring messages in his head back and forth between the two sides.  Finally the two sides agree on a big move.  They want to trap the British at Yorktown.  The French send their ships around behind the British so they cannot escape by sea.  Then Washington leads the troops on land (including Jimmy) and they attack the British on land.  After a few days, the British surrender and the war has been won.

Jimmy returns home for the first time in months where his mother has not yet heard that the war has been won.  Even though she is happy about the war, she was happier to see Jimmy.  She gives Jimmy some soup and gathers the rest of the family to see Jimmy.

Soldiers during battle

I really like the book The Harder The Conflict.  I like that it was historical based and accurate, it made it much more interesting.  I really enjoyed reading the appendix of the book which talked about all the locations in the novel and the characters.  In the characters section it explained which ones were real and fictional.  Only five of the characters in the novel were fictional which is a credit to Mr. Dempsey's researching.  But just because the character is real doesn't mean their actions are.  That was the case with Jimmy.  Jimmy was a boy who grew up in Morristown, New Jersey, who was in the Morris Militia, but the story of his involvement in the war was fictional.  The one thing that I didn't get about the story was the title's relevance to the story.  It is a quote said by Thomas Paine, but doesn't relate well to Jimmy or the story.  Personally I feel that Dempsey could have chosen a better title for the novel.  Overall I felt that it was a pretty good book and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a story about the American Revolution. 

Rating (out of 10): 8.5