I am pleased to announced today that the book, Rush On, Boys: Hamilton at War (print version) is now shipping globally. The official release date is tomorrow but you can purchase it now. The Kindle version will be released next week.

And the audiobook version is now being recorded in Scotland by veteran BBC narrator, James Gillies. Please click on the advance audio excerpt below.

Rush On Boys, Audiobook excerpt, read by James Gillies by Robert Child

Gillies grew up in Scotland where he still resides and he is recording the narration only six (6) miles from the county line of Ayrshire which is ancestral home of Alexander Hamilton. Gillies knows the Hamilton story well and he related to me a tale which may or may not be true but both he and I agree it is fascinating.

Gillies, "As a child I was taught that Hamilton's ancestors came from Ayrshire, a county whose border is only some six miles from here. In Ayrshire is a place called Dollar. It is a compact town these days, but once upon a time it was primarily known as the site of the Scots' Royal Mint, and the coins made there were known, not surprisingly, as 'dollars'. In the fullness of time, the dollar coin was replaced by a currency known as the 'pound Scots' and new dollars were no longer minted. However, as they were made of solid silver, they continued in circulation, far beyond our shores, disseminated by sailors and fishermen as they moved from port to port. Eventually many of them were to be found in the hands of the privateers and other ne-er do wells who made their living around the West Indies.

As a result, goes the story, Hamilton would have been utterly familiar with the dollar, both from shared family memories of Scotland and from the turbulent trade which moved through the Caribbean as he was growing up. The story goes that when Hamilton and the others were discussing the establishment of a new American currency, there were strongly argued objections to creating an American Pound due to its unwelcome associations with the former colonial power. Hamilton, it is said, reached back into his memory and suggested the name of the coin associated with his family's former home, and thus the Dollar was reborn. As I said, this latter part of the story might be apocryphal, but I find it quite interesting."

And I agree. Look forward to the audio book release during the first part of March with James Gillie's stirring narration. He truly brings Hamilton's war time story in Rush On, Boys to life.

Be sure to catch or DVR, Never Surrender The Wereth Eleven, tonight on Military Channel at 10P Eastern / 9P Central.

The Wereth Eleven retraces the steps eleven black GI's from the 333rd Field Artillery Battalion took when their unit was overrun by Germans at the start of the Battle of the Bulge. Their 10-mile trek from their battery position to Wereth, Belgium would be the last journey of their lives as a local resident turned them in to an SS scouting party. Subsequently all eleven were butchered and killed in one of the least understood, as well as unknown, war crimes of WWII.

Rob Child and Assoc., is pleased to announced today that Videosmith, Inc., the leading camera rental house in Philadelphia has been named "Exclusive Camera and Equipment Supplier" to the Gettysburg 150th Commemorative film, Final Measure of Devotion.

Robert Child, director of the film commented, "I have worked with Videosmith many times in the past ten years and their service is second to none. They really go out of their way to make sure you have the right gear and tech support on hand for the most demanding shoots."

Chris Cerasoli, General Manager of Videosmith commented, "We are honored to be part of such an historic event and are excitedly looking forward to July."

The production will feature a true cinematic look and a combination of cameras have been chosen to capture the action. The film will utilize the breathtaking new Canon C300 large sensor cinematic camera for close of shots. "Embedded cameramen, those actually in Civil War uniforms within the various battles will be shooting with the C300," Child reported.


Rounding out the camera complement will be the new Panasonic HPX 250 which records to P2 cards and shoots in true 4:2:2 color space. It's codec equals that of the Varicam. Videosmith will also be providing tech support and edit personnel to turn around video dailies on site.

The Gettysburg National Civil War Reenactment takes place July 4,5,6 and 7th in Gettysburg, PA and more information on the event can be found at www.gettysburgreenactment.com/

The paperback version of my forthcoming historical fiction novel, Rush, On Boys: Hamilton at War is now available for pre-order on Amazon.com (here) The book released on Feb 28, 2013 and also will be on Kindle.

The story itself:

As the story opens, young Alexander Hamilton marches with the Continentals at Fort Lee, New Jersey. He is frustrated by being relegated to the end of the line and missing out on the action. He desperately wants to make a name for himself. His fortunes soon change at the Raritan River when the vanguard of British infantry catches up to Washington's army.

Hamilton, and his cannons are the only defense line available to prevent the army from being destroyed. Successfully protecting the Continental army and allowing their escape with his rear-guard action, Hamilton catches the attention of George Washington.

The future President asks the twenty-year-old Hamilton to join his staff. Sent on one daring mission after another Hamilton s stature grows, creating great political mistrust among his rivals. When ambition overtakes Hamilton, he threatens to overthrow Congress, which he sees as corrupt. Challenging a Congressman to a duel who views Hamilton as treasonous immigrant his world nearly self-destructs.

With the end of the American Revolution looming and his visions of his own glory fading, Hamilton becomes determined to leave Washington s staff and return to the battlefield. Washington, the only man who can help him, does all in his power to deny him. One daring assignment remains, however, that will determine the outcome of the final battle and the entire war. It is at a place called Yorktown.