Harper's Young People, February 17, 1880

In the summer of 1777 a notorious British commander holds sway over Rhode Island, ruling the streets of Newport with an iron cane and a harsh appetite for discipline. His petty tyranny fuels open hatred among the townspeople, who whisper of rebellion whenever his boot‑spurred boots echo through the town. The tension builds until a small, daring force of patriots slips silently into his summer quarters, seizes the sleeping general, and whisks him away across Narragansett Bay in a daring night raid.

Months later, the same general finds himself a guest on a British admiral’s ship, where a young, frightened Yankee boy is forced to perform for the officers. The child’s trembling voice carries a spirited ballad that recounts the very raid that captured the general, turning a moment of cruelty into unexpected levity. The scene captures the clash of authority and defiance, hinting at the larger struggles that will continue to shape the island’s fate.