1. What drives Joseph to enlist in the American army? How do his motivations reflect upon his character?

2. Murphy notes that numerous soldiers deserted and returned home throughout the war, enduring incredible hardship. Despite Joseph's own trials and his reflection at the conclusion of his initial enlistment, "Here ends my first campaign. I learned something of a soldier's life—enough, I thought, to keep me home for the future," why does he choose to remain? What compels him to re-enlist and continue his service?

3. Faced with the task of capturing a deserter, why do Joseph and his men display a marked lack of enthusiasm for the pursuit?

4. Joseph expresses disdain for seizing provisions from unwilling civilians, likening it to "a whit better than plundering," yet he participates in such acts. What drives him to do so?

5. Did Joseph glean any personal benefits from his service in the American army?

6. What draws Murphy to recount the Revolutionary War through the eyes of an obscure soldier? How does Joseph's viewpoint enrich Murphy's storytelling?

7. At the tender age of fourteen, Joseph joined the army. Was this age too premature for such a commitment? What reasons might the army have for accepting soldiers so young?

8. Murphy remarks, "The sad truth was that while many citizens supported the rebellion against the British in theory, few were willing to support it in a way that might cost them money." Why would those who favored the revolution hesitate to provide sustenance and clothing to the soldiers?

9. Joseph dedicated nearly eight years, the bulk of his teenage years, to the Revolutionary War. Was the forfeiture of his youth justified by the cause? Consider the experiences and milestones of adolescence he sacrificed. Would such a sacrifice be worthwhile for you?

10. Concerned that life outside the army would leave him devoid of stories, did Joseph's wartime experiences furnish him with tales worth telling?