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Dorothea Graham Jensen
a book bubble about
The Riddle of Penncroft Farm
Children's Books
Author Insight
Was Geordie Subject to Arrest?
In Thomas Fleming's excellent book, THE STRATEGY OF VICTORY, I found the following about Valley Forge: "There the men began building a veritable village of log cabins, while the commissary department frantically sought food to feed them. Philadelphia was only twenty miles away, enabling Washington to patrol the roads around the city with fifty-man detachments of picked troops and arrest farmers caught selling the British food for their army." Now Geordie was not selling food or drink directly to the British, (although readers know that he used some to bribe his way past British sentries and such), but he did sell to the City Tavern. This was a favorite dining spot of British officers during the occupation of Philadelphia. I wonder if any farmers were arrested for INDIRECTLY supplying food or drink to the enemy.
Book Excerpt
The Riddle of Penncroft Farm
“Today I want you to take a load of fruit and cider into Philadelphia, to the City Tavern.”
“The City Tavern?” my mother said, a puzzled expression on her face. “But I thought they were too elegant to serve country brews. Why, they always have the finest wines from Europe—or so Mistress Derry tells me,” she added hastily when Father looked surprised at her unexpected worldly knowledge.
“What with the rebels lobbing cannonballs from Fort Mifflin and putting barricades across the channel, no British ships have been able to bring supplies up the Delaware River to the city, all fall. And even though Fort Mifflin fell a fortnight ago, the taverns in the city must lack sufficient drink. They’ll be happy enough to buy from us.” Father scraped his trencher clean.
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