#JeanneBrownleeBecijos – Rosepoint Publishing

Rosepoint Publishing: Five Stars

Book Blurb:

An amazing true story of a young sailor during the American Revolution
**For readers of all ages
The Revolutionary War is raging, and 12-year-old Christopher Hawkins runs away to follow his dream of being a sailor and a patriot. During his first sea adventure, the British capture his ship. Quick-witted Christopher escapes at his first opportunity.

At 17, Christopher joins another American privateer ship but is soon captured by the British. This time, he is delivered to the notorious British ship HMS Jersey, the war’s deadliest prison. Armed with only courage, cunning, and a sense of humor, Christopher Hawkins will face death unless he can escape from his British captors twice more.

His Review:

The picture of George Washington crossing the Delaware River to win our freedom sticks in most people’s minds. This tale is quite different but nevertheless very informative. The “Red Coats” were a brutal contingent of soldiers who held no sympathy for the American Colonists! Our forefathers were, after all, rebelling from the true monarch.

Christopher Hawkins and His Daring Escapes — Christopher Hawkins – UK cover

Christopher Hawkins is a young man intent upon helping the cause of freedom. He is young and idealistic. Indentured servants were common and he was sold by his father to help in a tannery. He hated the job and the smells and got word that those sailing on ships could expect to share in goods captured on the high seas. His problem was that the British ships were larger, better manned and the end result was capture and imprisonment.

Young Hawkins is able to escape the prison ship and tries to get back to his home in Rhode Island. The journey is a very long and dangerous journey on foot. There are families who give him shelter and food as he travels.

Ultimately, he is captured and returned in chains to a ship off the coast. The ship, however, is badly over-populated and in the melee, he slips overboard and swims to land. He travels at night and hides during the day. Without a light to guide his way, his travels are fraught with danger.

His memories are very enlightening and entertaining. They have given me an entirely new perspective on the Revolutionary War. Enjoy! 5 stars – CE Williams

Geared for the younger crowd, this is also informative for adults. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book. Any opinion expressed here is my own.

Book Details:

Genre: US Revolution & Founding History
Publication Date: July 24, 2023
Source: Publisher and NetGalley

Title Link(s):

Amazon-US | Amazon-UK | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

The Author: As a fan of family history, Jeanne Brownlee Becijos has enjoyed digging into the story of her ancestor Christopher Hawkins and traveling to New York, Long Island, Connecticut and Rhode Island to explore the roads Christopher traveled during his escapes. Jeanne has taught K-12 and college students and has written educational textbooks and award-winning plays. She lives in San Diego with her husband.