Books
Allegiance: The Life and Times of William Eustis
An eyewitness, William Eustis’ story is told in the framework of the creation of the United States. He was intimately involved in all the strategy and planning to bring liberty to this new republic. Born in Boston, his adventures as a doctor took him from apprentice to Dr. Joseph Warren, to the siege lines in Cambridge and Bunker Hill, then as surgeon in the Continental Army in the Hudson Highlands with General George Washington. At West Point, he was in the room when Benedict Arnold’s treachery was discovered. He became a congressman in Washington during its first days as a capital city, served as Secretary of War in the War of 1812, and sailed across the pond as ambassador to the United Netherlands arriving just days after the Battle of Waterloo. Later as governor of Massachusetts he cleared the way for consideration of the Cape Cod Canal.
Reviews of Allegiance
“In Allegiance: The Life and Times of William Eustis, Tamsen Evans George provides a well-researched and easily accessible account. William Eustis’ story touches on many major events of the nation’s early years, including his associations with many familiar characters of the times. I recommend this book especially for the illuminating and unique perspective of a Revolutionary War physician and his time spent in the Hudson Valley of New York State.”
~Elyse B. Goldberg, Historic Site Manager, Washington’s Headquarters State Historic Site, New York
“During his public lifetime, William Eustis needed no introduction. He trained as a doctor under Joseph Warren, defeated John Quincy Adams for a seat in Congress, and he served in the cabinet and as an ambassador under James Madison. This thoroughly-researched and elegantly-written biography re-introduces us to Eustis, one of the political actors in the formation of this young country.”
~Robert J. Allison, Professor of History, Chair, History, Language, & Global Culture, Suffolk University, Boston
“In Allegiance, Tamsen Evans George creates the vivid portrait of William Eustis, a patriot witness to and participant in many of the major events that shaped American history from the Revolution to the country’s fiftieth anniversary. George deftly weaves the biography of Eustis with the births of a state, a nation, a republic and modern medicine. George has brought this fascinating man to life for us through rich details and unusual human-interest anecdotes.”
~Sandy Macfarlane, author of Swirling Currents
“Tamsen George does a brilliant job of breathing life back into William Eustis in this well-researched and fascinating biography. A witness to the rebellion in Boston, Eustis, became a military surgeon during the American Revolution and a close friend with numerous founders such as Dr. Joseph Warren and Aaron Burr. Eustis has finally come alive again.”
~Christian di Spigna, author of Founding Martyr, The Life and Death of Dr. Joseph Warren, America’s Lost Hero