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Imagine it's early in the evening on December 7, 1806. You're on a large island in the Ohio River

with about 30 other men. You've been a farmer your whole life in Pennsylvania, but after years

of struggling, eking out a living, you've recently joined an expedition to the southwest, where you

hope you can start over. That expedition has taken you here to prepare for some sort of secret mission.

You and another recruit named Thomas are standing in a snow-covered field near the riverbank,

practicing your shooting.

He looks at you and nods.

All right, your turn.

You squint into the fading light, raising your weapon and aiming at your target.

The center of an X you carved in a tree 20 yards away.

You inhale, exhale halfway, then squeeze the trigger.

As the smoke clears, you see you've hit your mark, just an inch or two off-seter.

Thomas grins, that's not bad for a farmer.

You smile and turn around to look at the other men. Some are setting up camp, but most are

huddled around a fire, swapping stories while they melt lead into bullets. You know, Thomas,

have you heard any more about what we're doing here? The man who brought me in promised I get

$12 a month and a plot of land on the Washington. But now I hear we're going to Mexico? No one knows why.

...