By Gene Pisasale
Contributing Writer

The year is 1778. George Washington and his Continental Army recently suffered a humbling defeat at the Battle of the Brandywine. The war against England has been raging for three years with few victories to give Americans confidence they will prevail. One local citizen—who had fought alongside Washington’s troops—has changed sides, supporting the British, plundering local farms and bringing his wrath upon anyone who supports the Patriot cause. Large and muscular, he has become a highwayman, brutally robbing people at gunpoint wherever he finds them around southern Chester County. Known as “Captain Fitch” to some, James Fitzpatrick’s exploits terrorized the area and his actions became legendary, described in a fascinating new book “Sandy Flash and the Trail of History.”

Fitzpatrick is better known to locals as “Sandy Flash,” a moniker given to him by Kennett Square’s most famous son, Bayard Taylor. Taylor’s novel “The Story of Kennett” (1866) reinvented the famous outlaw, placing him in the mid-1790s to fit into a narrative of Taylor’s hometown as it existed almost 15 years after the American Revolution. Though Fitzpatrick was well known and recognized in the region, he managed to repeatedly escape groups of armed men out to capture him. His ruthless escapades are magnified in Taylor’s novel which was quite popular, becoming part of local culture. Over time, the outlaw Fitzpatrick morphed into people’s consciousness as the character Sandy Flash.

“Sandy Flash and the Trail of History” is historian Gene Pisasale’s 12th book. It delves into the lives and accomplishments of several notable Chester County characters over the last 300 years. A “hybrid,” the book is an historical novel set not in the past, but in the present day. Following the exploits of the main characters, Jim and Natalie Peterson, the novel takes readers on a fascinating tour of the southeastern Pennsylvania region going all the way back to the early 1680s, when William Penn built his home Pennsbury Manor on the west bank of the Delaware River. Following a trail of clues the couple find after visiting The Square Tavern in Newtown Square, they are intrigued by the late 18th century outlaw Fitzpatrick, whose exploits took him through their own community as he terrorized the citizens of Chester County from 1777 to 1778. 

“Sandy Flash and the Trail of History” deftly utilizes numerous historical sources, including local archives and libraries to reveal the “real” James Fitzpatrick, his life and wanderings around the region, showing him interacting with other well-known personalities including Indian Hannah, the so-called “Last of the Lenape,” and politician/ Chief Justice of Pennsylvania Thomas McKean. McKean was the trial judge who convicted Fitzpatrick in 1778 and sentenced him to hang for his crimes in September of that year. Deciphering their personal lives, the book makes some fascinating observations about how several notable characters—the artist Benjamin West, botanist Humphry Marshall, doctor/entrepreneur William Darlington and Taylor himself likely knew each other and interacted in some way, a subject never before described in an historical narrative.

How would it feel to go back 150 or 200 or 250 years or more and actually meet these persons, spend time with them and learn what their lives were like? 

“Sandy Flash and the Trail of History” does just that as it probes the historical record and presents new information to think about regarding these people who are now entrenched in Chester County culture. Indian Hannah is known to have been an “herbalist” and was well-versed in the uses of local plants for healing illnesses. She is also known to have lived on the property of Humphry Marshall, whose book “Arbustum Americanum” established him as one of the most knowledgeable botanists of his era, discussing the medicinal uses of dozens of plants. Is it possible that the experienced herbalist—who did speak English—shared her in-depth knowledge of local plants with the famous botanist? The book makes a strong case that it did occur.

The book also makes an intriguing parallel to present day Chester County. In the late spring and summer of 1778, Fitzpatrick made numerous escapes, evading large groups of law enforcement officers, much like escaped murderer Danilo Cavalcante did fleeing the Chester County Prison here in the summer of 2023. Cavalcante eluded a group of 500 officers for two weeks until he was finally captured. Bayard Taylor likely used newspaper articles describing Fitzpatrick to re-create a larger-than-life figure who frightened citizens as he went on his robbing spree. In 2023, thousands of locals were terrorized as they received “reverse 911” calls, alerting them to the fact that an escaped murderer was on the loose not far from their homes. 

“Sandy Flash and the Trail of History” expertly delves into the personal lives and accomplishments of several characters notable in local culture, weaving their actions together in a fascinating narrative sure to please not only history buffs, but anyone interested in Chester County heritage. The book will soon be available on www.Amazon.com and by year end, through Pisasale directly on his website www.GenePisasale.com. Pisasale will be doing a discussion and book signing at the Kennett Library sometime early in the New Year 2026. Check the website at https://kennettlibrary.org/kennett-calendar/ for more information.

Gene Pisasale is an historian, author and lecturer based in Kennett Square. His 12 books focus mostly on the history of the Chester County and mid-Atlantic region. Gene’s most recent book is “Heritage of the Brandywine Valley,” showcasing the fascinating people, places and events of this region over more than 300 years. His books are available on his website at www.GenePisasale.com and also on www.Amazon.com. Gene can be reached via e-mail at [email protected].