The Bully Boys

Dave Jenkinson is a professor in the Faculty of Education at the University of Manitoba and the author of the “Portraits” section of Emergency Librarian.

The War of 1812 serves as the backdrop to this excellent story, which
begins in July 1813, as Thomas Roberts, 14, who is now the “man” on
the family farm because his father is serving in the militia alongside
the British redcoats, laments, “I was stuck on the farm, missing out
on all the adventure.” American troops are stationed at Fort George,
near the village of Queenston, and it is in the village store that
Thomas becomes involved in an incident that sees him joining Lieutenant
James FitzGibbon’s Green Tigers, known as the “Bully Boys,” a
small group of mounted British army regulars feared by the much larger
American forces. While Tommy’s connection with the Bully Boys was
initially to be short term, circumstances lead to his involvement in a
number of engagements, including being present when Laura Secord brings
her famous warning. Canadian youth will be amazed by FitzGibbon’s
daring feats wherein he successfully uses his quick intelligence to
bluff superior American forces into surrendering.

While much of the book’s action focuses on the actual exploits of
FitzGibbon and his troops, Walters provides a separate storyline for
Tommy, which includes his need to find his wounded father and his coming
to terms with his killing of two American soldiers—one of whom he
watches die. As FitzGibbon has told Tommy, “You shoot a

man and you change the lives of two men—the man you shot, and you.”
Highly recommended.