Josh Bolton and his best friend Ben Wright are two average guys from Baltimore, although Josh is the son of a white merchant who makes his living on the docks, and Ben is a free black man. After an incident where they rescue a man and his young son from some violent British sailors, the pair become enthralled by the rumblings around town about the start of a militia in Baltimore, as they want to do their part to throw off their over-taxing British rulers. When a childhood friend of the pair is killed in a skirmish right after signing up, Josh can no longer contain his need to fight, despite the protestations of his family, and of course, his righteous best friend, Ben, is right there with him. However, a pretty new barmaid at their local watering hole named Tessa, some 10+ years older than Josh, has taken a shine to him and it will be tough to leave such a pretty face. But is Tessa everything she appears?
Meanwhile, a disgraced British military man by the name of David Brown has enlisted a pair of local brothers named Levi and Moses Doan in order to gain intelligence on the local growing militia. As Brown's spy network grows, so does the Baltimore militia, and they'll soon learn to rely on one another in training, as well as in battle. Fortunately, Ben and Josh will remain in the same group, but they'll also meet others far different than them: men like Paddy, a Maryland mountain man who is much better as a friend than foe, and Conway, a racist who'd rather fight Ben than the British. Little do any of them know that they will soon be embroiled in a bitter battle with the redcoats, and the training they receive under military leaders Mordecai Gist and Lord Stirling just might help them save the day, as General George Washington fights to defend Brooklyn, New York.
Saving Washington is rousing, heartwarming and exciting, and taught me about an aspect of the Revolutionary War I was previously completely unfamiliar with until reading this book. The characters are interesting and well-written, the story is approachable and compelling, and I loved every minute of this book. If you have any interest in history, do yourself a favor and check out Saving Washington.
