The Scouts of the Valley

The Scouts of the Valley is a historical fiction novel which depicts the Battle of Wyoming in rural Pennsylvania during the American Revolutionary War. In this fast-paced novel, we hear the tale of how British forces fought the American revolutionary army alongside the Native American tribe known as the Iroquois. The vivid battle scenes are inspired from eyewitness accounts and narratives, with the rugged natural topography of the countryside forming an idyllic backdrop to the frenzy of the War of Independence. Altsheler displays his characteristic descriptions of the natural world here, portraying rural Pennsylvania as a beautiful and unsettled land. The characters, British, American and Iroquois alike are described vividly, as we hear of the gradual run up to the battle wherein British scouts attempted to recruit warriors from many tribes to the cause of suppressing the colonial rebellion. Despite the beauty and tranquillity of the rivers, hills and valleys, the tension rises as the fateful day of the battle approaches. Joseph A. Altsheler was a prolific author, spending much of his working life researching centuries of established historical accounts for his books. He was particularly focused upon the 18th and 19th centuries, producing several series of novels which describe pivotal events in history often through the eyes of ordinary people who happened to play a part.