Deborah Samson, an indentured servant in late eighteenth-century Massachusetts, secures her freedom only to encounter the limitations placed on women during the American Revolution. She disguises herself as a man, enlists in the Continental Army under the name Robert Shurtlieff, and joins the Fourth Massachusetts Regiment. The narrative tracks her experiences in the Light Infantry, where she faces combat, handles the physical demands of soldiering, and manages the constant risk of medical exposure or execution for her deception while serving under General Patterson.
Historical fiction enthusiasts read this account to understand the granular details of the Revolutionary War from a marginalized perspective. Readers gain a specific look at the logistics of military life in the 1780s and the social strictures of the early United States. The book provides a factual basis for how a woman successfully navigated a male-only society, leaving the reader with a clear picture of the psychological toll of living a dual identity during wartime.
- Published
- 2023
- Language
- EN
