Rush Revere and the First Patriots: Time-Travel Adventures With Exceptional Americans

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  To my audience, the genuine people who make this country work.

  In honor of our friend Vince Flynn, “Keep The Faith!”

  Foreword

  I have dedicated this book to some people I often talk about, people for whom I have the greatest respect and admiration. These are the everyday, anonymous people we don’t know by name, who are out there working hard, trying their best to play by the rules and do what is right. They are not trying to become famous, because they don’t have time. They are focused on things they consider far more important than fame and notoriety. These people define the uniquely American spirit. They are the people who, I like to say, “make America work.”

  These people truly define and exemplify what is great about this country. Their toil and productivity created an abundance of goods, services, and compassion the likes of which the world had never before seen. Because of them, the Unites States of America became a beacon of hope and inspiration for people all over the world. Americans are some of the most generous, dedicated, courageous, and sincere people in the world. More often than not, the moment a tragedy or natural disaster happens in a small hometown or anywhere in the world, Americans sprint to help “thy neighbor” not only because they can but because they choose to.

  The Pilgrims planted the seeds of all of this. After they arrived in what became Plymouth Colony on the Mayflower in 1620, under the leadership of William Bradford, they not only survived in the very tough conditions, they thrived. The Pilgrims and Native Americans shared tips of survival. The colonies grew rapidly in size and population. Small towns developed with streets, stores, hospitals, and libraries.

  The Pilgrims paved the way for future Patriots to bond together and stand up for their beliefs. Many everyday people, people who were not famous at the time, took grave risks to voice their opinion, especially when counter to mainstream thought. From the early days of the Pilgrims onward, the people of the original colonies wanted to be free: free to believe in God and practice their religion, free to provide and care for their own families and futures, free to own their own property, and free to speak out against those who wanted to control their lives. We are all the descendants of the people who held these first American ideals.

  If it hadn’t been for these everyday people, people who faced difficult circumstances and overcame what seemed like overwhelming odds, transforming themselves into the leaders of their time, our country would not be the wonderful place it is today. We should never lose sight of this. These leaders took chances—great risks—and thought far beyond their own lives for the greater good of others.

  This is the American spirit that we share with our ancestors.

  Children across the country have been writing in to me, talking about reading Rush Revere and the Brave Pilgrims. Parents, grandparents, stepparents, and siblings from Honolulu to Bangor are sharing the message about true American history: a message that recognizes our failures and challenges, yes, but also one that does not focus on these failures and challenges alone! One that celebrates freedom and the American spirit!

  I love America, and I want you—and everyone!—to also love America. It is my fervent hope that in learning the history of our country you will be inspired to learn about the people, traditions, and institutions that make this a great country so that you will someday make your own contributions to these ideals. And someday maybe you will become a leader yourself. I really want you to be among the millions of ordinary people who accomplish extraordinary things and make America work.

  So now it is time to delve into a new adventure and learn about some other people who stood up and got involved in order to further their dreams. My good buddy Rush Revere and his hilarious pal Liberty are going to take you back in time to the mid-eighteenth century, where you will meet some of the first Patriots!

  So hold on tight and here we go . . . let’s rush, rush, rush into history!

  Prologue

  Smoke billowed from the center of the large rioting mob. The year was 1765 and I was walking along a busy street in Boston, Massachusetts. Large colonial buildings surrounded me on either side; most were two-story rusty-red brick buildings but some were taller, three or four stories. Many shops and businesses lined the street—a silversmith, a candle maker, a clock maker, a bakery, a furniture store. The shops seemed endless. The last time I was near this location was 1621, soon after the Pilgrims landed on the Mayflower. It had grown tremendously! I wish my good buddy William Bradford could be with me! When I last saw him at the first Thanksgiving, he told me he knew Plymouth Colony would develop into an incredible country we call America! He was right, of course!

  As I thought back to my conversations with William, I completely lost track of where I was going! All of sudden I found myself approaching hundreds of men dressed in colonial clothing looking eager to pick a fight. They were yelling things that I couldn’t really understand, but it didn’t sound like they were very happy. I noticed the smoke I had seen earlier was still coming from the center of the crowd!

  Liberty, my horse, spoke loudly enough to be heard over the shouts of the mob and said, “If that’s a fire up there I don’t think they’re roasting marshmallows. It’s too bad because I do love a good marshmallow, but only if it’s slightly browned on the outside and gooey in the middle. I mean I know some people like to set their marshmallow on fire and then quickly blow out the flame, but then all you get is that charred and blackened outside crust that tastes like charcoal. Not that I’ve ever eaten charcoal but I . . .”

  “Liberty!” I said. “I appreciate knowing how you like your marshmallow cooked, but we’re on a top-secret historical mission, remember?”

  “Oh, yes, got it, Captain,” Liberty said as he started humming the theme song to Mission: Impossible.

  “Liberty!” I said. “Shhh.”

  “I was just trying to set the mood,” he replied.

  “Let’s see if we can squeeze our way through the crowd and find out what’s burning,” I said.

  “Call me crazy but normally I don’t like to walk toward fires! I mean, can’t we just assume they aren’t making s’mores and hightail it out of here?”

  “What happened to ‘Got it, Captain’?” I asked with a grin.

  “Right, okay. I’m in. Luckily, I’m wearing my fireproof saddle. Not! But seriously, you won’t hear a peep out of me unless I catch on fire!”

  “That’ll never happen,” I said with a wink. “You’re too cool to ever catch on fire!”

  “Well, that’s true.” Liberty smiled.

  As we made our way toward the smoke I heard a number of comments that were very revealing about the mob’s mood and motivation.

  “This should send a message to that bloody King George III,” said a man who wore his hair in a ponytail.

  “Yeah, he thinks he can tax us and take our money to pay for his debts and support his military in America. We didn’t vote for that!” said another man who wore a white wig.

  “That’s right,” said a third man. “No taxation without representation!”

  I was leading Liberty by his halter as someone bumped into me from the side. He might have knocked me d
own if I hadn’t been holding on to Liberty.

  The man slurred his words when he asked me, “Are you in support of the King or against him?”

  I was caught by surprise. I’d intended to only observe what was happening. I quickly came up with something on the fly and replied, “Oh, well, I’m against anyone or anything that tries to control the people and withhold their freedoms.”

  “How do I know you’re not just saying that? Maybe you’re in support of the King and his Stamp Act and you’re just saying you’re not so we don’t beat you to a pulp!”

  I quickly realized that maybe Liberty was right! Maybe we shouldn’t have walked toward the smoke, but my inquisitive mind just had to know!

  “Who can vouch for ya?! Maybe you’re really a spy!” shouted another man.

  I felt several pairs of eyes glaring at me and realized I had no witnesses, no one who could vouch for my loyalty to the colonies and to this new America. The men stepped closer. It was obvious they weren’t playing around. My palms started sweating and my heart was racing. I felt a nudge from my side. Liberty was trying to get my attention but I was frozen. He nudged me again with his nose, prodding me to hurry up with an answer. Hmm, think, Revere, think. Aha! Got it! Sure hope this works, I thought.

  I finally said, “I do have someone who can vouch for me: my horse!”

  The men surrounding me burst out laughing at the thought of it.

  “Did you just say your horse can vouch for you!” said the man with the white wig.

  It was clear that none of them believed me.

  “Yes,” I said with as much confidence as I could. “You see, I’m so passionate about America’s freedoms that I’ve trained my horse, Liberty, to support the cause of freedom as well.”

  “You’re going to have to do better than that,” said the man with the ponytail, who got right in my face and grabbed my collar with both hands as if he was about to throw me.

  “I will prove it,” I said.

  The man holding my collar released his grip and said, “You had better.”

  I straightened the collar on my coat and turned to look at Liberty. I asked, “Are we in support of King George?”

  Liberty shook his head from side to side with big, sweeping strokes. When he finished he stuck out his tongue as if he were disgusted about something. My accusers thought this was very amusing as they all laughed out loud. Whew! I thought, wiping my sweaty palms on the sides of my pants.

  I steadied my voice and said, “Are we against King George and the unfair taxes that he burdens us with?”

  This time Liberty nodded and let out a high-pitched squeal that sounded like “heeeeeeeeee!”

  I looked each of the men in the eye and said, “Do you know how long it takes to teach a horse verbal commands like that?” I wanted to say about ten seconds if he’s a magical, time-traveling horse that can talk. Instead, I said, “It takes weeks and months, especially if the horse is stubborn and pigheaded!”

  Liberty turned in my direction and gave me the look. The kind of look you give to someone when you think you might have just been insulted.

  “Thankfully, I have a brilliant horse who can smell tyranny a mile away and who fights for freedom. In fact, this horse should be the mascot for the thirteen colonies! After all, his name is Liberty!” I said, proudly.

  The performance seemed to work, as the three men slapped me on the back! “Good on ya! We’ll see you later at the tavern. Only Patriots allowed.”

  “Sounds like a plan,” I said, still nervous inside but trying to sound confident.

  “Holy smokes!” I said, letting out a breath as they left.

  “Go on, admit it, I came through for you, right?” Liberty teased. “I’m going to answer that for you. Liberty saves the day! Oh, and by the way, you didn’t look nervous at all,” he said with a heavy dose of sarcasm, “especially when that guy with a ponytail was about to put you in a headlock!” He laughed like it was the funniest thing he’d heard all week.

  “Go ahead and laugh it up. The truth is, I was scared that they were going to use me as a punching bag!”

  “I would never let that happen,” Liberty said with a determined look. “You should always know that I’ve got your back, Rush Revere. Always! After all, we are best friends!”

  I sighed with relief and smiled. “Thanks, Liberty,” I said. “I owe you one, possibly even two.”

  “But you still want to know what’s up with all the smoke? You know, we could just leave,” Liberty prodded.

  “Aren’t you curious to know what’s making all that smoke?” I asked.

  “Not really,” he said, sounding almost bored. “My nose only smells smoke, not food. Why start a fire if you’re not going to cook something?”

  Food was never far from Liberty’s thoughts.

  “Come on, let’s continue our mission,” I said.

  We got close enough to see a bonfire blazing right in the middle of the street. We could hear the men shouting things like “Repeal the Stamp Act!” and “No more stamps!” Several members of the mob were throwing what looked like newspapers, books, and documents of all kinds. Even playing cards were being tossed in and consumed by the flames. And each item had a stamp on it.

  “I know what this is,” I said to Liberty. “The colonists are protesting the Stamp Act by throwing stamped documents onto the bonfire.”

  “I don’t get it. What does the stamp have to do with anything?” asked Liberty.

  “King George passed the Stamp Act without consulting the colonists. He basically decided that everyone in America who purchases anything made from paper should have to pay an extra charge for it—it’s called a tax.”

  “No wonder they’re ticked off. Didn’t the colonists come to America to get away from the King’s rule and be free from this kind of thing? It doesn’t sound like the King really wants to let them go!” said Liberty.

  Just then a voice shouted, “Redcoats! About two dozen with guns and bayonets are coming!”

  I could see the glint of the bayonets. I could hear their boots against the pavement getting closer and closer. “Come on, Liberty! We better get out of here!”

  I didn’t have time to jump onto Liberty’s saddle so I just sprinted as fast as I could. Liberty galloped ahead of me, looking back now and again to see if I was close behind.

  “Now you want to run!? You could’ve listened to me when I said it was a bad idea to walk toward the fire, but nooooo,” Liberty said.

  Most of the mob dispersed from the scene as the fire was left unattended and burning in the street. We kept running until we were a safe distance away from the commotion. Finally, we slowed down to catch our breath.

  As much as I wanted to stay to see what happened next, I knew it was time to hit the road, and fast! I said to Liberty, “Remind me to tell you more about the Stamp Act later.”

  “It’s funny because whenever you say Stamp Act I think you’re saying Stomp Act. You know, like stomping or clogging. Maybe I should put together a stomp act about the Stamp Act!”

  “If you did I’m sure it would be something unforgettable! But first, let’s get out of here before we run into British troops. Let’s head over to that side street. I saw an alley earlier that should conceal us when we jump through the time portal.”

  I lifted myself up onto Liberty and we trotted over to the alley.

  “Let’s go!” I said as I gripped the horn on Liberty’s saddle.

  “Rush, rush, rushing from history,” Liberty said as he started galloping toward the brick wall at the end of the alley. A swirling gold and purple hole started to open in front of the wall. Two more seconds and we jumped through the cosmic hole—our time portal to the twenty-first century. I was excited to get back to modern-day because tomorrow I had a very important appointment with the principal of Manchester Middle School!

  Chapter 1

  Hundreds of students wearing gold and black sweatshirts, hoodies, and jerseys swarmed the football stadium like honeybees in a h
ive. I guessed that the mascot of Manchester Middle School was a yellow jacket or hornet, but my suspicions were soon put to rest when I saw the actual mascot enter the field with a fluffy golden mane around a large catlike head. Obviously, Tommy, my favorite history student, played for the Manchester Lions. Whoever was inside the mascot costume was very acrobatic as the lion jumped up and did a perfect backflip. He or she stuck the landing and then pumped a large paw into the overcast sky as hundreds of students and families cheered with excitement.

  I was glad to be back at Manchester Middle School and curious to know why the principal had asked to see me in his office after the game. You see, my horse and I had recently taught the Honors History class while the full-time teacher, Ms. Borrington, was on a leave of absence. I know what you’re thinking. Did I just say I was teaching with a horse? Yes. Yes, I did. My horse, Liberty, is not just any horse. He’s, well, special. He’s sort of like the Lone Ranger’s horse, Silver.

  In fact, after I took Liberty to watch the Lone Ranger movie he said, “I should’ve tried out for the part of the Lone Ranger’s horse, Silver. The part where Silver races across the top of those western buildings and then leaps onto that moving train was impressive. But that was clearly a stunt horse. Besides, if they had picked me I could’ve carried on an actual conversation with Tonto! Not to mention my superior good looks.”

  I didn’t say he was humble, I said he was “special.” Yes, Liberty can talk. Oh, and he can time-travel, too. What better way to teach history than actually going there. Jumping back in time is very cool!

  I followed several students into the school stadium and started searching for Tommy. He had bright blond hair that was usually easy to spot. I was pretty sure he’d be at the game since he’s the starting quarterback—a gifted athlete but a closet genius.

  As I walked parallel to the sideline, looking up at the bleachers I heard a voice yell, “Mr. Revere, heads up!” I turned toward the green field and saw a distant player throw a football that was now spiraling directly toward me. The ball soared directly over a Lion who tried to intercept the ball but missed by just a few inches. Instinctively, my hands reached out and, surprisingly, I caught it. The Lion turned around and crouched in a defensive pose as if daring me to try to get past him. Then it motioned for me to come forward with its large mascot paws. I looked beyond the Lion at the player who threw the football. He waved and I could see that he was smiling. Actually, he was laughing really hard! Wait a minute, that’s Tommy!