The
Trial and Execution of the Traitor George Washington
by Charles Rosenberg is a great Fourth of July novel. Anyone
who feels a sense of patriotism will want to read this gripping
story about America’s General George Washington. The
suspense ratchets up as readers wonder what will happen to
one of America’s greatest heroes.
This thought-provoking alternative history book takes place
in the midst of the American Revolution. An English plot to
kidnap General George Washington brings him overseas to England
and puts him on trial as a traitor. But some like British
Prime Minister Frederick North want to use him as a bargaining
chip to put an end to a very costly war. British special agent
Colonel Jeremiah Black, an officer of the King’s Guard,
is assigned the task of landing on a deserted beach in late
November 1780. Aided by “Loyalist” Americans he
is able to sprint Washington aboard the HMS Peregrine. Upon
their arrival, Washington is imprisoned in the Tower of London
to await trial on charges of high treason.
An interesting controversy explored, are the US colonies in
rebellion and therefore subject to charges of treason, or
are they a separate country; thus, Washington should be treated
as a prisoner of war? “I found out these were actual
arguments at the time. Washington would argue he was a prisoner
of war, and that under the laws of war, he must be released
at the end of hostilities or exchanged for another prisoner.
The debate: were the colonists a legitimate authority or rebels,
as the King proclaimed in 1775, in a state of rebellion? Although,
there were actually exchanges of prisoners. In 1781 Henry
Laurens was swapped for the British General Lord Cornwallis
who was famous for losing the Battle of Yorktown. I think
given the chance George III would have wanted Washington executed.”
Although Washington is more
of a secondary character, throughout the novel his presence
looms significantly. Key characters include the American ambassador,
Ethan Abbott, sent to negotiate Washington’s release,
the British Prime Minister Lord North, and the defense attorney
chosen to defend Washington, Abraham Hobhouse, an American-born
barrister with an English wife. An added highlight has all
the characters’ debating key issues of the time. Rosenberg
does this with a great writing style where readers do not
feel as if they are being hit over the head with a history
lesson.
Rosenberg noted, “He is definitely not the protagonist
of the novel, but is more of a topic in it. I realized that
the first third of the book, where the planning and capture
of the General happens, would have him not commenting at all.
For the second part, where he is on the ship, he is a prisoner,
who is basically helpless. This means that he would not have
a lot to say. Because various people would have objected and
commented that Washington would not have thought that or done
this. I tried to present him as his contemporaries described
him. There were not a lot of personal writings since Martha
Washington burned his letters after he died. This made it
hard to get a lot of material. However, I did read his speeches
and hope that I came close to the way he would have said things
when I did quote him.”
This alternative history is informative and interesting, within
a gripping novel. Part adventure story, part spy novel, and
part courtroom drama it has many twists. This what-if plot
has an intriguing storyline.
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