As you may or may not know, my next book series – a dystopian action-adventure – will have a lot of references to President George Washington and the American Revolution. While doing research for it, I picked up this book. If you didn’t know, Brian Kilmeade also wrote Andrew Jackson and the Miracle of New Orleans: The Battle That Shaped America’s Destiny. It’s about Andrew Jackson during the War of 1812. Kilmeade is on Fox and Friends and also hosts the radio show The Brian Kilmeade Show.
I don’t know how good your history curriculum was in school, but it’s always good to improve your knowledge.
During the Revolution, New York City was held by the British for most of the war. It was a strategically and economically valuable port. America didn’t have a localized capital that the British could take, so the invaders instead occupied New York. There were a number of Patriots there, but many left.
George Washington knew of the strategic importance of the city. He knew also that he needed spies. You might know of Nathan Hale, who attempted to spy, but ended up having his cover blown and then dying at the end of a British noose.
This book tells of six American Heroes, led by Benjamin Tallmadge, an extremely talented young officer in the Colonial Army. The first of the group was Abraham Woodhull. He was not at all the James-Bond type. He really wanted to stay to himself. He was also a Long Islander with business and family excuses to travel to Manhattan.
Also in this group was Robert Townsend, who took over for Woodhull’s job for a large part, since Robert Townsend was a merchant and a reporter in the city itself.
Austin Roe was a tavern keeper who could sniff around. Caleb Brewster was a daredevil longshoreman who ferried messages across from Connecticut and New York.
James Rivington owned a coffee house and a printing shop. He was at first a Loyalist, and his newspaper supported the British. After he came back from Britain, he was recruited into the spy ring. His paper still supported the British, but only as a cover.
Last but not least was an unnamed lady of importance, who is referred to as agent 355 and who could “outwit them all.” It’s believed she was captured and may have died aboard one of the British prison ships. Over 8,000 Americans starved to death or died of disease in the absolutely horrendous conditions on the ships.
This book is well written and engaging. At 220 pages, it’s a quick read. If you’d like to improve your knowledge of Revolutionary history and get to know the great heroes of our country, pick up this book.