The Dare Boys with General Greene

In Short

This historical adventure follows twin brothers Dick and Tom Dare and their friend Ben Foster as they scout the treacherous South Carolina frontier in 1781. The boys find themselves embroiled in a desperate race against time to save innocent settlers from Indian raids and British occupation. A staple of early 20th-century juvenile fiction, the story captures the idealized spirit of patriotism through a series of high-stakes escapes and military maneuvers. It remains a spirited window into how the Revolutionary War was dramatized for young readers generations ago.

The Story

The narrative begins with Dick, Tom, and Ben scouting in the South Carolina wilderness during the spring of 1781. While caught in a flash flood, they stumble upon a group of settlers in "Peaceful Valley" who have been driven into a makeshift fort by a band of hostile Indians. The settlers’ homes have been burned, and they are desperately holding out until help arrives. Dick volunteers to trek a hundred miles back to General Greene’s encampment to report the atrocities and secure reinforcements.

While Dick is away, the situation at the fort turns dire. Tom stays behind to assist the settlers, but he is soon captured by British soldiers who take him toward Fort Ninety-Six. Meanwhile, Dick’s journey to the General is fraught with peril; he is briefly captured by a local Loyalist named Gabe Gurley, who ties him up in a cabin. Through grit and luck—including a terrifying encounter with a hungry timber wolf that happens upon his bonds—Dick escapes. He successfully reaches General Greene, who immediately orders the patriot army to march to the aid of the besieged valley.

The plot then follows the parallel plights of the two brothers. Tom, while being marched toward Fort Ninety-Six, manages to escape his captors by intentionally tumbling down a steep mountain slope, eventually landing in a tree and making his way toward the fort to gather intelligence from within. He is eventually recaptured but remains undeterred. Simultaneously, Ben Foster, who was separated from the group, is briefly held by Indians but manages to reconnect with a patriot scouting party.

The climax converges near Fort Ninety-Six. After surviving a series of narrow scrapes—including a tense night trapped in a pit with a panther—Dick manages to infiltrate the fort by disguising his presence and tagging along with a local merchant delivering supplies. He reunites with Tom, and the two brothers share vital information about the fort’s defenses with General Greene. Despite learning that a large British reinforcement force is approaching, the patriots successfully engage the enemy. Through a series of strategic maneuvers, the patriots disrupt British operations and force their retreat. The book concludes with the boys reflecting on the necessity of their dangerous work. They acknowledge that while they relish the excitement of the struggle, their ultimate desire is for the war to end and for peace to return to the colonies, setting their sights on the eventual victory at Yorktown.

How It Unfolds

A perilous mission The story opens with the three friends caught in a storm while scouting near a threatened settlement. They find refugees trapped in a stockade, leading to the decision to seek out General Greene for military intervention.

Captivity and near-misses Dick is captured by a hostile settler but escapes after a tense standoff with a wolf inside a cabin. Tom is taken prisoner by British soldiers and forced to leap down a mountainside to avoid being used as a pawn against his own kin.

Gathering intelligence Ben finds himself surrounded by Indians and must navigate the woods to regroup with patriot forces. Meanwhile, Dick and Tom independently maneuver around Fort Ninety-Six, with Dick sneaking inside under the guise of a merchant’s assistant to map the defenses.

The final confrontation The boys provide General Greene with the critical layout of the fort, allowing the patriots to plan their strike. Though the British reinforcements are massive, the patriots launch a surprise attack that scatters the enemy and secures the region.

The People

Dick Dare is the pragmatic, cool-headed leader of the trio. He is driven by a profound sense of duty to the patriot cause, often acting as the strategist who determines when to risk a daring escape and when to wait for reinforcements.

Tom Dare is the more impulsive and adventurous brother. His willingness to throw himself down a mountain or infiltrate a British fort highlights a youthful, reckless bravery that often places him in the center of the action.

Ben Foster serves as the steadfast companion. He provides essential support, often acting as the bridge between the brothers and the larger army. His patience during the scouting missions is a vital counterpoint to the Dares’ more aggressive tactics.

General Nathanael Greene is the calm, authoritative mentor. He represents the legitimacy and tactical wisdom of the Continental Army, relying on the boys’ reports to make life-or-death decisions for his troops.

Gabe Gurley acts as the primary antagonist of the early chapters. A treacherous man who profits from the war, his capture of Dick serves as an obstacle that forces the protagonist to rely on his own wit and physical resilience to survive.

In Its Own Voice

“And there was reason for their thinking thus, for there was terrible force in the volume of water sweeping irresistibly upon them.”

The boys face the physical reality of the wilderness during a flash flood early in their scouting mission.

“The redskins, finding that to attempt to break down the gate, or to scale the wall would be to lose a number of their braves, turned their attention to the houses, and began helping themselves to the contents.”

The author details the brutal tactics used by the attackers during the initial siege of Peaceful Valley.

“I don’t like fighting for the sake of the excitement of the fight; but I am always glad to be fighting when it is to be for the benefit and good of the patriot Cause.”

Dick reflects on the moral weight of their actions during a quiet moment in camp.

What It's Really About

The book is a study in the transition from youth to manhood through the lens of wartime sacrifice. It argues that true patriotism is not found in the desire for glory, but in the willingness to suffer for the collective good of one's community. The narrative constantly weighs the value of individual survival against the necessity of duty, positing that the "Dare" brothers are defined not by their lack of fear, but by their ability to overcome it. Underneath the action, the book poses a question of loyalty: how does a young person determine the right side to stand on when the local environment is divided between patriots, Loyalists, and those merely looking to survive?

Why Read It Today

Readers who enjoy fast-paced, episodic adventures will find the Dares’ journey engaging. The book moves quickly, jumping from one survival scenario to the next—a structure that rewards readers looking for constant action. There is a specific, vintage pleasure in its earnest, straightforward prose, which reflects the moral clarity often found in early 20th-century boys' adventure novels.

However, a modern reader should be prepared for the limitations of its period. The narrative employs simplified archetypes, and its depictions of indigenous peoples and the complexities of the Revolutionary era are heavily filtered through the perspective of 1910, often lacking the nuance expected in contemporary historical fiction. The dialogue occasionally shifts into stylized, phonetic dialect—common for the era but potentially jarring today. If you go in expecting a high-octane, G-rated historical romp that prioritizes plot and heroism over deep psychological character study, you will find a charming, if dated, piece of Americana. It is best enjoyed as a relic of its time, capturing a specific, romanticized version of American history that values grit and brotherhood above all else.