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The title of this book, Forge for Heroes, by Edward Buell Hungerford, has a double meaning. It is a historical novel about Valley Forge in the American Revolution, so the title refers to the heroes of the Continental Army who went through that terrible winter at Valley Forge, which was not far from the British troops occupying Philadelphia. The second meaning refers to a blacksmith’s forge in which the blacksmith heats and with his hammer forges and shapes the red-hot metal into useful and even beautiful forms. The experience of Valley Forge, through suffering, training, and discipline, forged/produced a much better army, one that could go on to victory against the professional British and Hessian troops.
The hero of this historical novel, for middle to high school readers, is teenaged Mark Meriel, whose father owns several forges in Connecticut. Mr. Meriel, who is a patriot, puts together a load of axe heads to donate to the American Army at Valley Forge with Mark as the driver of his father’s wagon. Mark is almost captured by raiding Hessian troops from Philadelphia only one day’s travel from Valley Forge but is rescued by patriot troops. He then becomes involved with the Army and uses his wagon to help forage for supplies and contact patriot sympathizers in Philadelphia. There was a lot going on during that winter of 1777 to 1778 besides the mental picture we have of cold men sitting in small cabins shivering around a fire. It was a very active time for the army as it interacted with the countryside and with occupied Philadelphia. We get to see an exciting piece of that time in Forge for Heroes.