FREE ESSAY ON APRIL MORNING

APRIL MORNING

April Morning
by Andrew Machtolff
April Morning was an interesting book concerning a young man, Adam Cooper, and the trials
and tribulations of his taking part in the Battle of Lexington. The story takes place
mostly in Adam's home town of Lexington, Massachusetts, but also partially on the
surrounding roads and countryside.
The novel opens with a glimpse into the daily life of the Cooper family. As Adam
com-ments on the harsh perfectionist opprobrium of his father, I find myself drawn to his
side of the issue. Adam confuses his father's constant animadversion with the feeling
that his father hates him. These feelings of hate are somewhat annulled by Granny, Adam's
grandmother and confi-dant. She tells him that, since she has known Moses Cooper longer
than anyone, she knows that he really loves Adam. This is further exerted when Adam
overhears a conversation between his par-ents.
All this was happening with the rumblings of war nearby. The British taxes and tariffs
were intensifying and by then most New England towns had their own local governments
called Committees. These Committees were supported by local community leaders who also
organized a town militia.
When word reached Lexington that a British army landed, the local militia was mustered
through much urging by Moses Cooper and Jonas Parker, the Captain of the Militia. They
pushed for a marshaling of the soldiers for completely different reasons, however. Moses
stood firm by the principles of freedom and common human decency. Jonas Parker simply
felt that because he was chosen to be Captain of the Militia, it was his right, duty, and
obligation to be out for the blood of any redcoat crossing into Lexington,
Massachusetts.
In any case, the British came to Lexington. The town representatives went to parlay with
them. Jonas Parker, Moses Cooper, the Reverend, and Simon Casper, a confrontational
battle ad-vocate, were there in front of three mounted British officers. All they could
do was watch help-lessly as the redcoats, a thousand strong, surrounded their seventy-man
militia in silence. The Reverend, being the peaceful man that he was, tried to speak
diplomatically to the British officers. They unfeelingly gunned down Adam's father along
with most of the defenders in plain sight of everyone. Adam was one of the lucky few that
made it out alive.
He ran away from the British soldiers, finally hiding in a smokehouse and dealing with
the loss of his father. Eventually Levi, Adam's brother, came looking for him. Adam
helped to con-sole Levi in their father's death, and they soon parted. Levi went home to
tell his mother and grandmother while Adam went to hide in some woods outside town. He
was pursued shortly but outran the redcoats.
It was in these woods that Adam met Solomon Chandler. Solomon had soldiered with the
British in the French War, but now fought for American independence. Adam and Solomon
walked together to a meeting place called Ashley's Pasture. Along the way, they picked up
others who were also journeying to the meeting.
By the time they arrived in Ashley's Pasture they were twenty-one strong, and there were
over thirty waiting. In the next hour of remaining there, many more showed up until there
were at least a hundred of them.
Finally, they gathered around Solomon and discussed their plan of action. They were to
lie in wait next to a stone wall lining the road and as the British passed, rise up and
fire over the wall. When the revolutionaries had fired, they were supposed to run away
from the road and regroup. At their second grouping, they decided to break into groups of
two's and three's, not allowing the British to take advantage of firing into one huge
clump of men. Adam paired off with his cousin Joseph Simmons, the town blacksmith and a
friend of the Cooper family.
After that encounter they again regrouped and decided to proceed along the road and get
ahead of the redcoats. They picked a spot where the road dipped down a hill, and Adam,
Cousin Simmons, and four or five others crawled into a windfall at the bottom. The
shelter was about sev-enty paces from the road, and Adam's fowling gun was only lethal at
thirty. He found this a good excuse to rest from his sleepless night and soon fell into
torpidity.
When Adam awoke, it was to the voices of the Reverend and Cousin Simmons. They were
discussing having to break the news of another death to Mrs. Cooper. Adam then called out
to them and they were gladdened to know he was alive, and dumbfounded to know that he had
fallen asleep. Then, the three of them walked home together, and when they reached
Lexington, they split up to go to their respective houses.
As Adam approached his house, his brother Levi came running out to him and said that
someone had come by with news of Adam's death. They both sat on the ground a moment and
sobbed, happy to know each other was alive. Adam then regained control of himself,
knowing he would have to face his mother soon.
When Adam saw his mother, they embraced warmly. Granny then led them all into the
kitchen. Many neighbors were there, most of whom had brought food. Mrs. Cartwright, one
of the most insensitive and repulsive women Adam knew, took Adam upstairs where his
father was laid out. She then coldly told Adam to pay his respects, and Adam said to her
in no uncertain terms to get out. Having paid his respects, Adam went back downstairs.
All the neighbors had gone, and only Levi, Granny, and Mother remained. It was agreed
upon that Adam needed a bath, and Mother sent Levi to get some water. After his bath,
more neighbors were there with more food. Adam, wanting an excuse to get out of the
house, was al-most glad to see Cousin Simmons, among others, struggling to carry a coffin
downstairs. Cousin Simmons asked Adam's help, and he was glad to give it.
They carried the coffin across the courtyard to the meetinghouse, which was serving as a
temporary morgue. The coffinmaker apologized for the makeshiftness of the coffin, but
with as many deaths as there had been, there was not much he could do. A reporter from
the Boston Ad-vertiser cornered Adam and tried to pin him down with some questions, but
he just pushed past him and out of the meetinghouse.
Outside, a man was asking for volunteers to help with the siege on Boston. Adam stood
there a moment, listening to him. He began dozing when Cousin Simmons grabbed his arm and
suggested that they both go home and get a good night's rest.
When Adam got home, Mother forced him to eat for his own good. She then asked him to
carry a box of candles to the meetinghouse so Father would not lie in the darkness. On
his way out of the house, Ruth Simmons, Adam's childhood sweetheart, was waiting there
for him. Having hugged and thoroughly kissed him, Ruth said that she had worried about
him very much.
Together, they walked to the meetinghouse and put the candles there. After they left,
Adam walked Ruth home and then turned home himself. At home, Adam was in bed when Granny
came to wish him a good night. He told her that he would not be going to Boston to help
with the siege, but she said that she knew him well and that he would leave before long.