So I just picked up a copy of For Our Cause was Just a "novel of alternate history", by Larry Chiger
So the premise is that in the days prior to The Battle of Brandywine, George Washington and another man ride out to do a recon of the area, which Washington did do, and historically Washington and the other fellow almost got captured by riflemen under the command of Patrick Fergusson (inventor of a breechloading flintlock rifle and who later was a KIA at King's Mountain). Fergusson and his men held their fire because it wasn't honorable for officers to take pot-shots at each other.
BUT what might have happened to history if one of the riflemen there that day didn't hear the order to hold fire, and that rifleman killed Washington?
Full disclosure, I've not finished the book, and I bought a signed copy from the author, but so far, the book really does a good job of illustrating just how important George Washington was to holding together the Continental Army and maintaining the determination of that army to continue the fight. These days that fact is pretty much lost to most Americans, that Washington's leadership was crucial.
I'm very interested as Brandywine was before the disastrous winter at Valley Forge. The previous Winter, Washington had staged and won the Battle of Trenton (after crossing the Delaware River) and Princeton. He'd become the charismatic leader of the Continentals, so what would've happened if a year later he was killed in the field?
I'm wondering how this is going to play out in the author's imagination... looking forward to the rest of the novel.
LD

So the premise is that in the days prior to The Battle of Brandywine, George Washington and another man ride out to do a recon of the area, which Washington did do, and historically Washington and the other fellow almost got captured by riflemen under the command of Patrick Fergusson (inventor of a breechloading flintlock rifle and who later was a KIA at King's Mountain). Fergusson and his men held their fire because it wasn't honorable for officers to take pot-shots at each other.
BUT what might have happened to history if one of the riflemen there that day didn't hear the order to hold fire, and that rifleman killed Washington?
Full disclosure, I've not finished the book, and I bought a signed copy from the author, but so far, the book really does a good job of illustrating just how important George Washington was to holding together the Continental Army and maintaining the determination of that army to continue the fight. These days that fact is pretty much lost to most Americans, that Washington's leadership was crucial.
I'm very interested as Brandywine was before the disastrous winter at Valley Forge. The previous Winter, Washington had staged and won the Battle of Trenton (after crossing the Delaware River) and Princeton. He'd become the charismatic leader of the Continentals, so what would've happened if a year later he was killed in the field?
I'm wondering how this is going to play out in the author's imagination... looking forward to the rest of the novel.
LD