Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, Part 17 summary

What happens

1. The governor gives Franklin frontier command, and he gathers troops at Bethlehem, where Moravian defenses challenge his assumptions about their beliefs.
2. Rain disables the guns of eleven farmers; ten die, while Franklin’s troops reach Gnadenhut and build a fort within a week.
3. Franklin observes that work improves morale and helps Mr. Beatty increase prayer attendance by distributing rum afterward.
4. With three forts complete, Franklin transfers command to Colonel Clapham and studies Moravian worship, communal living, and marriage arrangements at Bethlehem.
5. Philadelphia officers elect Franklin colonel, but repeal ends their commissions; an unsolicited mounted escort increases the proprietor’s hostility toward him.
6. Franklin describes civil dealings with the governor, who drops a proposed expedition when Franklin shows little eagerness to command it.

In this part

What to notice

Franklin contrasts cheerful working days with quarrelsome idle days. The observation connects his account of construction with his practical approach to managing soldiers.

Quick check