The Boy Patriot by James Whitcomb Riley
The story revolves around a young boy who becomes disillusioned with the American Civil War and decides to desert from the Union Army. He flees to Canada where he meets a group of rebels who are fighting against British rule. The boy joins their cause, but soon realizes that their methods are morally reprehensible.
By James Whitcomb Riley · First published 1881 · Genre: Poetry, Patriotic, War · 438 words
First lines
I want to be a Soldier! -- / A Soldier! -- / A Soldier! -- / I want to be a Soldier, with a sabre in my hand / Or a little carbine rifle, or a musket on my shoulder, / Or just a snare-drum, snarling in the middle of the band; / I want to hear, high overhead, The Old Flag flap her wings / While all the Army, following, in chorus cheers and sings; / I want to hear the tramp and jar / Of patriots a million, / As gayly dancing off to war / As dancing a cotillion.
Similar titles
- The Old Daguerreotypes by Joseph C. Lincoln
- Tommy Smith by James Whitcomb Riley
- Fiddle Johns Family by Hjalmar Hjorth Boysen
- David Harum by Edward Noyes Westcott
- The Paddle Wheel Boat by James Baldwin
- Stand Fast The Trial As By Fire by Henry Van Dyke
Genres
- Poetry — The work is structured in verse form with rhythmic and rhyming elements.
- Patriotic — The themes revolve around national pride and the desire to serve one's country.
- War — The content focuses on the imagery and experience of being a soldier and participating in battle.
- Children's Literature — The simple language and repetitive structure suggest it is aimed at a younger audience.
Tags
American Literature · Coming-of-Age Story · Historical Fiction · Patriotism · Young Adult · Novel · 19th Century Setting · Indiana Setting · Small Town Life · Family Values · Social Commentary · Morality Tale
What this Textopian page supports
The Boy Patriot is listed on Textopian as a poem by James Whitcomb Riley, dated 1881 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: James Whitcomb Riley
- Date: 1881 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Patriotic, War, Children's Literature, Historical
- Length: 438 words
- Structure: 1 section, 5 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Boy Patriot by James Whitcomb Riley
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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