The Big Brother: A Story of Indian War

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

20849

Title

The Big Brother: A Story of Indian War

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

Set in the perilous Alabama frontier of 1813, this historical adventure follows Sam Hardwicke, a resourceful boy, and his family as they flee to a stockade fort only to face a brutal Indian attack. When the fort falls, Sam, his younger brother, and their enslaved friend Joe must hide in a tree fortress while surrounded by warriors. Through wit, courage, and a daring rescue mission, they survive starvation and fire until help arrives. A tale of bravery, friendship, and the...

Summary up to 500 words

Set in the volatile summer of 1813 on the Alabama frontier, George Cary Eggleston's *The Big Brother* chronicles the terrifying Creek War, a savage conflict fueled by British agents and Creek prophets who urged the extermination of white settlers. Following the massacre at Fort Mims, the Hardwicke family—widower Mr. Hardwicke and his three children, Sam, Tommy, and Judie—retreat to the fortified stockade at Fort Sinquefield. There, they are joined by Joe, an enslaved boy and loyal friend of the family. The narrative intensifies when the fort is attacked by a large force led by the prophet Francis. During the chaos, Sam saves his family by leading them into a nearby thicket, where they hide with Joe in a dense bush, cut off from the fort and unarmed. They endure a harrowing siege, surviving on raw corn and sweet potatoes while hostile Indians camp nearby, cooking game and threatening their lives. The situation reaches a critical point when a fire ignites in the drift-pile where the group is hiding. The boys must extinguish the flames using water and moss while maintaining absolute silence to avoid detection. Eventually, Joe executes a daring plan to escape to Fort Glass, returning with a rescue party led by the legendary scout Tandy Walker. Rescued and reunited with their father, the boys are taken to safety. In a poignant moment that underscores the novel's themes of courage and racial bond, Mr. Hardwicke purchases Joe's freedom as a reward for his loyalty and bravery. He then offers Joe the opportunity to buy a farm, promising to support him until his twenty-first birthday, effectively making him a partner. The story concludes with the war winding down following General Jackson's victories, allowing settlers to return to their homes. The narrative highlights the resilience of the American spirit and the profound friendship that transcended the racial divisions of the era.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

Download URL

https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/20849.epub.noimages

Local file path

data/epubs/pg20849.epub

Removed after upload

Downloaded at

2026-07-04 21:09 UTC

Categories

• Adventure
• History
• Indians of North America
• Voyages and Travels
• Brothers
• Famines