Where Washington slept . . .

. . . and ate, bought curtains, and generally fought the war is of quite a bit of interest in historians - and historical novelists who want to be authentic.

One of the most unusual books on the Revolution that I encountered while researching Jake Gibbs: Patriot Spy, was George Washington’s Expense Account, edited and augmented (if that’s the right word for writing a novella-length essay) by Marvin Kitman.

The cover blurb makes the book out to be something of a humorous take on Washington and his spending habits; that seems to be how many readers look at it. But the book introduced me to Washington ledgers, which in turn proved to be invaluable in writing about Washington. Every time he appears in the series, he’s where he was in real life, partly thanks to his “expense account.”

And just a tease: there are some thirty-five references to the real Captain (later Major) Gibbs in the book.