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The Secret Solder

The Secret Soldier by Ann McGovern Connor Diggins

This story is about a girl who has big dreams. Her name is Deborah Sampson. When she is a little girl she moves away from her family, because of a family illness. Later, Deborah wants to enlist in the army. When she gets accepted she needs to make her own army clothes, so that no one will know that she is a woman.

When Deborah is 9 years old her mother becomes ill and she goes off to live with her cousin, Mrs. Fuller. She lives with Mrs. Fuller for 3 years until she became ill and died.

After her cousin, Mrs. Fuller dies; Deborah goes to live with Miss Thatcher. Miss Thatcher is a feeble old lady. While living with Miss Thatcher, Deborah meets the minister of Middle Borough. He makes her a promise that he will find her a good home. She then goes to live with Deacon Thomas, for whom she worked as a servant. She agreed to work around the farm to earn her keep. Deborah lives with the Thomas family for ten years. She was very happy living with them. Deborah stays with the Thomas family until she is 20 years old.

Deborah always wanted to travel. She decided she could do this by joining the army, but women were not allowed to join the army during in revolutionary war. Knowing she has to create a great disguise, she spends a year making army clothes for herself. Once she finishes making the clothes she visits her mother, who doesn’t even recognize her. This is how she knows her disguise is a success.

Deborah finally joins the army and takes the false name of Robert Shurtliff.

While in the army she takes part in a march. While walking along side a friend, he suddenly fell down. Deborah told the commanding officer that she and the other soldier would catch up. But Deborah actually takes him to the nearest hospital she could find. Her fiend is very sick and a few days later he dies.

Deborah rejoins the troops. As part of her responsibilities she has to spy on the enemy. When she is spying on her horse, she is discovered and the enemy shoots her in the leg. A friend pulls her up onto his horse and takes to safety. Deborah is concerned about going to a hospital because she is afraid her secret will be discovered. She ends up in someone’s barn where she has to remove the bullet.

Eventually, someone finds out her secret. Since her secret has been discovered, she decides to show everyone who she really is. She asks her commanding officer to go out and buy her the prettiest pink dress he can find. She then shows all of the other soldiers that she really is a girl even though everyone knew her as Robert, she is truly Deborah. Imagine their surprise.

Page: 55

First line of passage:

Find me the prettiest pink dress you can find me.

__Why I liked this part the best:

This is my favorite part of the book because, everyone who knew Deborah as Robert Shurtliff now discovers that she is really a woman. I can’t imagine their surprise.

Deborah is sitting in a chair in a beautiful garden in her pink dress. When everyone comes into the garden they are wondering who this woman is. Deborah stands up and gathers their attention. She then tells her story to everyone. They let her stay in the army for a few more years, even though she is a woman.

The story ends with Deborah leaving the army and continuing her life as a civilian.

This is a good story. It has lots of meaning. It’s one I think you all would like.__

Beginning

In the beginning Deborah’s mother is very ill. Deborah goes off to live with her cousin named cousin Fuller. She lives with cousin Fuller for 3 years. Then cousin Fuller became ill. Three days later she died. Then Deborah went off to live with Miss Thatcher a very feeble lady. Then the Minister of Middle Borough made a promise to Deborah that he would find her a good home. They made a deal that if Deacon Thomas were to take her home she would work around the farm for ten years. Deborah agreed. So Deacon Thomas took her home with him. As soon as Deborah got there she was so happy.

Middle

In the middle Deborah is finishing up her last year of working on the Farm when she finishes, she decides to join the army. So before she joins the army she has to make army close. She spends a year making them. After she finishes making them she goes to her mother’s house to see if her mother can tell who it was. It was a success, her own mother could not even tell who it was.

End

In the end Deborah Sampson joined the army. Her fake name was Robert Shurtliff. She was to take part in a march. In the march Deborah was walking along side a friend when suddenly he fell down. Deborah told the commander that she and the other soldier would catch up to the rest. Deborah took him to the nearest hospital she could find. When Deborah got to the hospital the solder was not doing very well. A few days later he died.

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 * Connections**

I think when Deborah gets shot in the leg she can’t go to the hospital because she is afraid that her secret would get out. Just like one time, I cut myself with a razor knife really, really bad. I couldn’t go to my mom because I would get in trouble.


 * Theme / Author’s Purpose**

I think the author wants readers to learn that if you really want to do some thing there is nothing standing in your way. She also wants readers to know about Deborah Sampson the young woman who changed the world for everyone. If no one knew about Deborah then women still might not be allowed in the army.