My Brother Sam Is Dead Chapter 1 Summary

My Brother Sam Is Dead

Chapter 1: Page 1-22 Sam is Tim Meeker 's older brother. Tim always looks up to his older brother. Sam then comes home in a uniform at the tavern during April. He starts out by saying "We 've beaten the British in Massachusetts," which sparks up a fight between him and his father which is a loyalist (someone who respects the government and the king). Sam has a discussion with the guests at their tavern and his family on how the Minutemen had surprise attack on the "Lobster backs" (the British) in Lexington. Mr. Beach and several farmers are also loyalists so they are on the father’s side. And they argued with Sam, on how the loss of tons of lives is worth saving a few pennies (taxes). Sam says that the principle is what matters and not just the amount of money. When the argument was over, everyone returned to their daily routines. And at night Tim (Sam’s brother/the narrator) goes to bed and hears Father and Sam arguing where Sam wants his father’s gun so he can fight with the rebels. Later on Sam leaves the house with the Brown Bess and

Heron since he didn’t deliver the message. Soon Tim forgets about the letter. The food is still short but that didn’t affect the Meekers. They received two letters from Sam; it displayed the high spirit of the troops but their bad conditions. And as a forum of discipline father did not want to send a letter back to Sam, but Sam’s mother felt bad for Sam and decided to write back regardless of her husband’s disapproval. During November the father usually goes out with Sam to trade supplies for the tavern, and although the father was a bit unsure at first (because of the weather and Tim being too young) he decided to make the trip. On the harsh trip they are stopped by cow-boys that wanted to take the fathers cattle. They argue for a long while and even point their pistols at Tim’s father until they are scared off by loyalists that then escort them to their relives