April Morning

Joseph and Adam march toward Lexington. Adam again declares that he is sick of war and wishes it to be over. Joseph says that there will be no diplomatic or reasonable end to the conflict now that people have died. He predicts that the war will not end until the colonials have won and the British “ships sail away from here and leave us in peace in our own land” (160).

Someone reports that Lexington is burning, and there is a large amount of smoke over the village. Both Adam and Joseph are alarmed, unaware in the moment that only three houses are on fire, none of which are their own. There is talk of attacking the British in Lexington, but nothing comes of it, as the militia realize the British are most formidable when attacked directly and in the open without cover.

Some Committeemen arrive with a force of 100 men. They plan to ambush the 1,500 British who are currently in Lexington when the British march back to Boston that evening. Adam and his comrades follow this new militia. In Adam’s words, “we were in the grip of a force outside of ourselves” (164). The ambush never materializes, however, as the British have already begun to withdraw. The militia content themselves with doing more of the same, firing at the lines of British from thickets and stone walls, and then shifting position.

Adam fires once, then realizes his birdshot cannot do any good from his hiding place, as the range is too far. He crawls away from the front lines and falls asleep. He awakens an hour later, and he hears Joseph Simmons and the reverend looking for him, fearing him dead.

When they find Adam, they head back to Lexington together. The battle has moved on to Boston without them. When Adam returns home, Levi greets him first, crying. Someone had told them that Adam was killed in battle. His mother embraces him tearfully. The house is full of people, including Ruth and her mother. Adam is led into the room containing his father’s body by Mrs. Cartwright, whom Adam dislikes intensely. She tells him to “pay [his] respects” (172), and he tells her to leave the room. She leaves, and Adam sees that the body holds nothing significant anymore. He determines that he will not remember his father like this.

Adam returns to the kitchen. Levi relates the day’s events while Adam bathes. Adam is upset to hear that the British took their horses. He tells Levi that they will have to grow up and take on responsibility now that Moses is dead. Once Adam is dressed, he helps Joseph and others take the coffin to the meetinghouse. On the way he sees the remains from the battle on the common. He realizes that he has “parted with childhood and boyhood forever” (182).

They put Moses’s coffin with the others in the meetinghouse. A journalist tries to interview Adam, and another man gives a speech, but he puts off the former and falls asleep to the latter. Joseph finds him and tells him not to build his father into a saint in his memory, or “you will lose him” (185). He says his father had good qualities as well as frustrating ones, but that he died well.

Joseph then points out that a new muster book is being prepared. The colonists want 5,000 men for the siege of Boston. Adam asks if Joseph if plans on signing, and Joseph explains that the decision is difficult for him, as he is the sole blacksmith in Lexington, and people rely on him. Joseph notes that Adam has some choices to make as well, for now there is a war. He tells Adam to go to bed; they will meet again in the morning.