Spies, Soldiers, Couriers, and Saboteurs: Women of the American Revolution

by K.M. Waldvogel

The Revolutionary War has divided the country. Neighbor has turned against neighbor. Family members argue with family members. Angry rumblings of "no taxation without representation" are prevalent.

During this time, ordinary women stepped out of the safety of their homes and risked their lives in America's fight for independence. Some women spied on the British, some fought in battles. Others took different roles, but each woman stood up for what she believed.

This middle-grade book highlights the actions of these brave women.

Genres: History

132 pages, Paperback

Published July 18, 2019

Reviews

[QNPoohBear · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up

K.M. Waldvogel taught 5th grade social studies and her passion for educating that age group and her love of American history really shows through in this book. However, today's students are more sophisticated. While they don't get survey of U.S. history, they get other kinds of history worked into their studies and it's different. I would suggest this for late 3rd grade and 4th grade but not older kids. The book begins with an introduction that succinctly explains the Revolutionary War and the causes that led to the war.

There are no pictures, just short stories about each of the brave women who willingly put their lives on the line for their country. Some of the women are known to me, such as Sybil Luddington, Molly Pitcher, Deborah Sampson and some of the others but most I hadn't heard of. I would have loved these little stories as a kid and absolutely adored this book. Reading this as an adult, I still enjoyed the facts but interspersing imagined dialogue, thoughts and feelings made me roll my eyes a bit. However, I do learn best when I read stories so I'll probably remember the stories better because of the way they were written.

Seeing as how it's post-2020 though and I'm an adult, kids might be bothered by the pentutimate story about "Mammy Kate" who freed her enslaver before he was hanged as a traitor and continued to care for him after he promised her the reward of freedom. My nieces would say "WHAT?!!!" The story was passed down through oral tradition so it's unknown if the story is actually true. The only other quibble I had is that West Virginia was not a colony/state at the time of the Revolutionary War and that should have been explained.

The book does not include a bibliography or works consulted, which it should because the profiles contain imagined dialogue and thoughts/feelings.

I think this book should pass muster with the censors in Florida and elsewhere but there is ONE instance when a woman is told she can't enlist because they don't take women. That one might not pass muster. It does in Boston though where I picked up this little book at the Paul Revere House.

[Valerie Biel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an interesting read for adults and kids! I love stories about our lesser known heroes in history. Each woman featured in this book is a great example of bravery in the face of danger and a commitment to a cause bigger than themselves. This is a super addition to any home, public library, or classroom collection. Well-written and well-researched, the book is a wonderful window to the past.

[Kerri Lukasavitz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Are you familiar with Emily Geiger, Anna Maria Lane, or Mary Ludwig Hays? Probably not. But what about George Washington, Patrick Henry, or Alexander Hamilton? These men are easily recognized as prominent figures committed to the success of the American Revolutionary War, but the three women previously listed also played key roles in helping to win the war for freedom from British rule in the late eighteenth century. In Spies, Soldiers, Couriers, & Saboteurs: Women of the American Revolution, author K.M. Waldvogel crafts a compelling look at the uncertain fate and perilous times in our nation’s history through the stories of 14 remarkable and often under-represented women, each one with acts of bravery equal to and occasionally surpassing their male counterparts.

What is truly amazing is the way K.M. Waldvogel invites the reader to get a sense of what each woman might have thought, felt, or experienced during her act of heroism with descriptive scenes, believable dialog, and entertaining characters that reads more like a short story collection than a dusty history book. For example, young Emily Geiger volunteers to take a message from General Nathaniel Greene of the Continental Army to General Sumter to surprise attack British officer Lord Francis Rawdon and his soldiers as they returned from Fort Granby to Charleston, South Carolina (this attack would become one of the last major battles of the war) but is briefly held captive on her dangerous journey:

. . . Emily paced the room. What should she do? How could she protect the letter? The room was small, barren. No cubbies, no loose floorboards. Nowhere to hide it. She feared discovery. Her mind raced. Think, Emily. There has to be something you can do. They can’t find the message. Think.
Suddenly, she knew. Retrieving the note, she memorized each word. When she could repeat it exactly, she ripped the letter into small bits. Shoving the shredded paper into her mouth, she put her plan into motion. The dry paper stuck in her throat. She chewed and swallowed piece after piece, gagging down every morsel. Her heart felt lighter with each swallow.
Several minutes later, the British brought in an older Tory woman to search Emily. When finished, she went into the hallway to report to Rawdon, leaving the door ajar. Emily listened, anxious to hear her fate . . .

Although intended for a younger audience, Spies, Soldiers, Couriers, & Saboteurs: Women of the American Revolution will appeal to adult readers as well due to K.M. Waldvogel’s creative approach to history telling--the women’s stories are lively, well-researched, and beautifully written. The volume would make an excellent reference book for classrooms and libraries.

[Kaci♡⟬⟭ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this for my history class in school. I think this book is phenomenal in telling the stories of women during the American revolution. We often shed light on men during historical events, while women and children are left in the shadows. This book showed that not all heroes carry swords and are men! Women and children can and are heroes too! Overall, I think this book is very empowering.

[Lindsey Rick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great middle grade non-fiction!

[Jeanette]

"...the well-known author, Zane Grey (descendant of Colonel Ebenezer Zane), penned a fictionalized account of her life in his book titled, Betty Zane, published in 1903. (98)

"On October 15, 2011, the Georgia Society of Sons of the American Revolution and the Daughters of the American Revolution honored Mammy Kate as a patriot of the American Revolution. She was the first black woman in Georgia to receive this honor." (104)

"In 1926, the Daughters of the American Revolution located what they believed was Margaret's unmarked grave and had her reinterred with full military honors at the West Point Cemetery. Recent findings proved that the remains were not hers but those of an unknown male. The DAR held a rededication ceremony for this heroic American on May 1, 2018 on the grounds of West Point.
In addition, Fort Tryon Park in Manhattan, New York honors her with a plaque describing her bravery." (112)

[Darrell Keller · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's okay for a children's book. The author takes known accounts of women in the American Revolution and then fictionalizes dialogue for them... think in terms of Brian Kilmeade's George Washington's Secret Six. Not scholarly enough for a high school class, but a 12-year-old may enjoy it and spark an interest in digging a little deeper into the topic.

[Valeria · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are raising a child who is in elementary or middle school, this is a great book to introduce examples of what the other half of the population was doing during the Revolution. Middle schoolers can probably read it on their own, younger kids will need help from parents.

[Susan Apps-Bodilly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book for young readers about little known women of the American Revolution.

[Kelly Boggs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quick and captivating stories of common yet extraordinary women during the American Revolution.

[Jean Carlton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ms. Waldvogel’s slim book is a wonderful example of history made interesting! Not a member of the intended age group ( 8-12) , at 76 years of age I very much enjoyed the vividly told stories of real women whose bravery and belief in America contributed to the cause. Carrying gunpowder in your apron, hiding a man in a laundry basket, using the simple act of hanging clothes on the line as a signal, all exceptional, daring and creative acts. Would I have been so brave? Would I have dodged bullets and arrows, traversed through woods in the dark of night to warn the troops?
I like the way each story/chapter concludes with an update on various statues and eventual recognitions of these particular women. There were more, of course, unknown to this day, but we can be sure of the countless contributions women made and continue to make to this world, many (most?) still unrecognized.

[Shauna Ludlow Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a must read for everyone, especially Americans. I learned more about war strategy in this short book in a few hours than from any other long tome.

The heroic women who helped in the war for independence inspired me to be more patriotic. So impressive.

I especially admire Quaker Lydia Darragh who jeopardized not only her life but also her church membership to help the patriots in their battles. She saved the life of her son Charles who was fighting in the Continental Army by relaying British strategy secrets.

[Lettie Loo · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a GREAT book. I had heard a few of the names in the book prior to reading it (I just read "A Girl Called Samson" last month).
The author is local to me, and spoke at an area library last week, which is when I heard about this book. Yes, it is geared towards a younger reader, but had I been in fifth grade and read this, I would have dug more into the Revolutionary War and the amazing women who did more than just stay at home while the men were on the frontlines.

[MichelleMcElroy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brief book