Brad Meltzer

Listen to "Brad Meltzer Releases The First Conspiracy" on Spreaker. In 1776, an elite group of soldiers were handpicked to serve as George Washington’s bodyguards. They were called the “Life Guards.” Washington trusted them; relied on them. But unbeknownst to Washington, some of them were part of a treasonous plan. In the months leading up to the Revolutionary War, these traitorous soldiers, along with the governor of New York and mayor of New York City, launched a deadly plot against the most important member of the military: George Washington himself. This is the story of the secret plot and how it was revealed. It is a story of leaders, liars, counterfeiters, and jailhouse confessors. It also shows just how hard the battle was for George Washington and how close America came to losing the Revolutionary War. When Washington discovered the plot, he arrested the guilty parties, gathered together 20,000 troops and citizens in an open field, and hanged one of the conspirators for all to see. It was the largest public execution of its time in all of North America. The arrest and execution happened days before the signing of the Declaration of Independence. So why do so few people know the story? At the time, Washington and other top officials kept much of what happened secret. Other details were obscured by the swirl of rumors and the fog of war. But now, this gripping story from history can be fully told.