Newbery Medal Winner
The Matchlock Gun
by Walter D. Edmonds
Summary
Set in the Hudson Valley during the colonial wars of the 1750s, this short story follows a young Dutch settler boy named Edward who must defend his mother and sister using an old Spanish matchlock gun while his father is away with the militia. The tense narrative builds to a single dramatic confrontation on the frontier. Walter D. Edmonds based the tale on a real family account from the period.
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Historical Context & Significance
Walter D. Edmonds drew the story from a documented incident in colonial New York, though its portrayal of Native Americans has drawn criticism in later decades.