New Book Uncovers Espionage in Early Rhode Island
Wednesday, October 22, 2014
Author Christian McBurney has uncovered Rhode Island's history of espionage in his new book: "Spies in Revolutionary Rhode Island."
McBurney found inspiration to pen the book from "old letters written by the spies in Newport at the time and local history books" which he used primary sources.
"He has written creatively about Rhode Island's history and the kidnapping of General Charles Lee and Richard Prescott in particular," said McBurney's editor Tabitha Dulla.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTThe book uncovers the role of various spies including: continental Navy Lieutenant John Trevett, Metcalf Bowler, and Ann Bates.
These spies gathered intelligence by dressing up in disguise (as peddlers and ordinary sailors), and betrayed American Patriots while spying for the British.
Espionage was a vital source of information for both the British and the American sides and some spies (like John Hart) died for their cause. Others were jailed and marked as traitors to their country.
"I thought that Rhode Island readers would be interested in the state’s own spy stories," McBurney said of Spies. "In light of two recent releases dealing with spies in the Revolutionary War, AMC’s cable television show 'TURN' and the recent bestselling book The Secret Six. Providence [also] plays an important role in the book."
The covert world that existed long ago in Rhode Island is uncovered in McBurney's work. McBurney, a historian from Washington DC, will be in Massachusetts and Rhode Island for all of his events.
The book will be made available on Amazon and in Rhode Island bookstores in early December of this year.
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