john ebenreiter

It is 1774 and the stage has already been set for the War of Independence. As a Continental Congress is called to deal with the deteriorating situation between the colonies and Britain, six soldiers begin penning heartfelt letters to Eb Chaplin, the owner of the Blaze Horse Tavern in Philadelphia.

Soldiers Moses, Ben, Teunis, Roelof, and Felix are Patriots. The sixth soldier, Zack, is loyal to King George III of Great Britain. In letters addressed to Eb Chaplin written over the course of several years, the Patriot soldiers sound off about Loyalists, their hopes that Congress can come to a resolution with Britain, the opening salvo of slaughtering fifty Americans by the Kings Men, the capitulation of General Cornwallis, the Loyalists dismay over the Rebels win against the Crown, and their relief when the war is over. In his return letters to the soldiers, Chaplin tells of the political and diplomatic events affecting the War of Independence from the beginning to the end when America bids King George farewell with the signing of the Treaty of Paris.

In this historical novel, six soldiers reveal their battle experiences, hopes and fears, and lessons learned through letters to a Philadelphia tavern owner before, during, and after the War of Independence.