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Jonah Chamberlain: Mountain Man: Upriver To Freedom: A Frontier Adventure

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In the treacherous waters of the early 19th century, a young boy's fight for survival and thirst for vengeance sets sail in Upriver to Freedom.

Jonah Chamberlain's journey begins in the grimy streets of Deptford, London, where he is press-ganged into His Majesty’s Royal Navy at just 13 years old. Torn from his family and the only life he knew, Jonah is thrust into a world of hardship aboard the HMS Executioner. Under the cruel watch of Jack Bradley, the ship's sadistic cook, Jonah and his fellow captive, Daniel Ford, endure relentless abuse while learning the harsh realities of seafaring life.

Yet amidst the turmoil, Jonah's spirit remains unbroken. With each passing day, he grows stronger, more resilient, and ever more determined to seize his chance for freedom. His prayers and plots converge on a single, pivotal the Battle of New Orleans on January 8, 1815. At 15, Jonah makes his daring escape, leaving behind the chains of his oppressors and embarking on a journey of no return which will take him into the wilderness of the American West and onto the path of becoming an indomitable mountain man.

Upriver to Freedom chronicles Jonah Chamberlain's transformation from a captive boy to a determined young man, driven by a relentless quest for justice and liberation. Follow his odyssey through perilous waters and untamed lands as he seeks not only to survive but to reclaim his destiny.

Join Jonah Chamberlain on his gripping adventure—a testament to the unyielding human spirit and the pursuit of freedom against all odds.

Order your copy of Upriver to Freedom today and immerse yourself in the thrilling saga of Jonah Chamberlain, Mountain Man.

131 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 23, 2024

128 people are currently reading
9 people want to read

About the author

Leroy A. Peters

40 books16 followers

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5 stars
278 (61%)
4 stars
130 (28%)
3 stars
36 (7%)
2 stars
7 (1%)
1 star
4 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
Profile Image for Fred  Barnes.
151 reviews20 followers
November 9, 2025
A NOVEL OF TWO YOUNG BRITISH MEN DETERMINED TO ESCAPE THEIR ENSLAVEMENT AND CHAN

☆☆☆☆

At the end of the War of 1812 two young men, Jonah fifteen years old, and Daniel fourteen years old, find themselves with the chance to escape the abuse they had lived through by a sick and perverted cook for the past two years since they were shanghaied and forced into service aboard the British warship the HMS Executioner. At the Battle of New Orleans, they are able to take their revenge and eliminate their abuser, and escape as the British ship is about to go under.

They find themselves in a new world during a war that with their British accents and clothing stand out like a sore thumb. They just happen to stumble or maybe the better description is they were caught by an old ex-trapper who takes them in with his family to provide them a safe house until he can figure out how to help them even though he is a patriot with no love for the British.

Jonah and Daniel are introduced to a friend of the man who sheltered them and hired on a keelboat moving freight up and down the Mississippi River. From there they meet up with Manuel Lisa and sign up for a two-year stint as fur trappers for the Missouri Fur Company out of Saint Louis. After signing up with the Missouri Fur Company they are taken under the wings of Darius McGraw an experienced trapper who teaches the two young men how to hunt, trap, read signs, and interact with the local Indians.

Our main characters find themselves living among the Cheyenne who offer them friendship and a safe place to live until the trapping season begins.

This is a story of struggles, hardships, friendships, and growth along with the hard and rash loss of friends. I did find it seemed to be a little rushed and thought that Leroy A. Peters in telling his story left out some of the interactions between the characters and events that could have easily brought more depth to the story though he did add geographical information on the rivers and landmarks that at the time were not known by others unless they read Lewis and Clark's diaries.

That being said, I found myself truly enjoying the story of Jonah Chamberlain and Daniel Ford and their adventures into the western frontier in the early 1800s. If Leroy Peters had written a more detailed account of the interactions between Jonah, Daniel, Darius, and the people they meet, I would have easily given this book a five-star rating instead of a four. As it is, I did find myself enjoying this book enough that I have already started the second book in this series.
865 reviews4 followers
January 12, 2025
5 Stars

Good start to the series about two boys 14 and 13 years of age who are forced into the British Royal Navy. They escape during the battle of New Orleans and end up heading West.
41 reviews1 follower
May 25, 2024
The price of freedom

Upriver to Freedom is an action packed tale full of danger and triumph. It is also an expose' on some of the darker aspects of human behavior. The author skillfully demonstrates that those dark acts are present in populations everywhere. Be it brutality, slavery, or sexual deviance, humans have committing these things everywhere throughout time.
In the story, Jonah Chamberlain, a victim of some of these dark acts, persevered to become a fine and noble man. He adapts to life in a distant land with courage and integrity. But will his freedom come at a high price?
Profile Image for Mike Bradford.
359 reviews
August 13, 2024
great storyline

This was a well written book that I could not put down. The characters and the stories were such that I had to keep going until finished
Love the Indian stories as I am part Cherokee and love books written about the early years. Hope this is not a one and done deal and want more
135 reviews
May 11, 2025
Up River to Freedom

This is a good book with a very good story line, about a young boy from England who wound up In the middle of the battle of New Orleans, on an English Navy ship. He had been Shanghai ed in England two years earlier at the age of 13years old.Anyway, he jumped ship during the battle of New Orleans, and made his way upriver to freedom.
Profile Image for Martha Peebles.
903 reviews11 followers
August 20, 2024
Bear Slayer

Another awesome book by LeRoy A Peters. Enjoyed this book a lot waiting for book two in this series. Thank you LeRoy A Peters for another great read.
55 reviews2 followers
December 22, 2025
Young mountain men

Adventurous young men.I can not imagine such young boys making a go of it in the new frontier even with a experienced guide to lead them.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews