Patriot Battles: How the War of Independence Was Fought
by Michael Stephenson
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Description
A comprehensive one-volume study of the military aspects of the War of Independence, drawing on hundreds of specialist sources, contemporary and archival. The first part of the book offers a detailed examination of eighteenth-century combat: Who fought and what motivated them, whether patriot or redcoat, Hessian or Frenchman? How were they enlisted and trained? How were they clothed and fed? What weapons did they use, and how effective were they? When soldiers became casualties or fell ill, show more how did medical services deal with them? What roles did loyalists, women, blacks, and Indians play? The second part of the book gives a closer look at the war's greatest battles: What parts did terrain and weather play? What were the qualities of the respective commanders, and what tactics did they employ? How did the soldiers fight? Throughout, cherished myths are challenged, reputations are reassessed, and long-held assumptions are tested.--From publisher description. show lessTags
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Member Reviews
The author's intention of explaining the "how" is somewhat accomplished in the first half of the book. Details on weapons, food, recruitment, tactics and the like are discussed, but the author occasionally dips into a more sarcastic and even snarky tone. The second half is a recounting of a number of Revolutionary War battles but not in deep enough detail to illuminate the "how". It is more of a "pop" history. Only recommended for those who don't wish to delve too deeply into the details.
As a novice to military history, I found it a terrific introduction to the nuts and bolts of how the war was fought, and why it was fought that way. It finally makes sense to line everybody up in columns and fire your muskets!
Well-researched, and I enjoy the way it was presented (ie not chronolgoical but rather broken out in to different aspects of the equipment, and how the men and women worked in the war.
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Author Information
11 Works 567 Members
Michael Stephenson is most recently the author of Patriot Battles: How the War of Independence Was Fought. In addition to his writing, Stephenson spent more than twenty-five years as a professional book editor, for much of that time with a particular focus on military publishing. For six years he was the editor of the Military Book Club. He lives show more in New York City. show less
Some Editions
Common Knowledge
- Original publication date
- 2007
- Dedication
- For my father, Joseph Stephenson, a soldier of the Second World War
- First words
- They faced each other, these men of the American and British armies, across a killing ground of perhaps forty or fifty yards.
Introduction: In Blenheim Palace, that lumpy and unlovely McMansion, there is a series of tapestries commissioned to glorify the military career of John Churchill, first duke of Marlborough. - Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)Washington's, to Congress, began, "Sir, I have the Honor to inform Congress..."
- Blurbers
- Chernow, Ron; Beevor, Antony; Cowley, Robert
Classifications
Statistics
- Members
- 224
- Popularity
- 144,971
- Reviews
- 4
- Rating
- (3.47)
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 5
- ASINs
- 2
