Book Reviews Page
This is page is for reviews of books on the Revolutionary War. They are contributed by list members. Anyone may submit a book review for new or current books on this page. Its purpose is to help you select books in which you might have interest.
Index of Books Reviewed
Adventures of Ebenezer Fox in the Revolutionary War, The
Belonging to the Army: Camp Followers and Community during the American Revolution.
Campaign of 1776: The Road to Trenton
Eighteenth Century America: A Hessian Report
Enemy Views: The American Revolutionary War
Fauquier County, Virginia, Court Records, 1776 - 1782
French and Indian War Battlesites: A Controversy
Frontier Advance on the Upper Ohio, 1778 - 1779
General Washington's Army 1: 1775 - 1778
General Washington's Army 2: 1779 - 1783
Officer's Guide for Re-created British Regiments of Foot - Volume 1, An
Officer's Guide for Re-created British Regiments of Foot - Volume 2, An
Journal of the Johannes Schwalm Historical Association
Journal of the Middle Waters Frontier
Maryland Loyalists in the American Revolution
Military Experience in the Age of Reason
Naval Documents of the American Revolution, Volume 10
Navies and the American Revolution
Prospect Before Her, The a History of Women in Western Europe 1500-1800
Revolutionary War Chronology & Almanac, 1754 - 1783
Surprise of Germantown, or, The Battle of Cliveden, The
The Writer's Guide to Everyday Life In Colonial America From 1607-1783, The
The Adventures of Ebenezer Fox in the Revolutionary War. Heritage Books, 1540-E Pointer Ridge Pl. Suite 300, Bowie, MD 20716. 1838 reprint, 242 pp., illus., index, paper. Ordernumber F259, $18.00 plus $3.50 s&h.
Privateer sailor, barber, America militiaman, prisoner of war, British soldier. Each of these personae is useful to a reenactor; each represents a distinct role that one might portray. How amazing, then, that a single man experienced all of these roles during the course of the American Revolution. His own narrative of his service is bound to provide something useful to everyone.
Ebenezer Fox was sent by his father to work on a Massachusetts farm at the age of 7; by the time he was 12, the country was becoming caught up in the spirit of independence. Fox explains that this desire for national freedom fueled a desire for personal freedom, a feeling which must have struck many young men of the era, and may help explain how America was able to sustain the nucleus of an army throughout the most difficult times.
Fox describes his escape from servitude on the night of April 18, 1775, and the suspense of being a fugitive during the following days when, having no idea of the momentous events that transpired outside of Boston, he assumed that the countryside was in an uproar because of his own escape.
After a cruise on a privateer, Fox attempted to settle down and learn the trade of a barber, only to be offered up as a replacement militiaman by his master. An example of his sometimes amusing experiences as a soldier appear in "Notes", Brigade Dispatch, V22#1. Fox mentioned that his master, in appreciation for Fox's service, provided him well with clothing and equipment for his service, which adds somewhat to our perspective of these short-term soldiers.
Fox describes his next privateering venture in detail, experience which was known to many soldiers of the time who also served on board ship during the course of the war. This cruise led to his capture and imprisonment aboard the dreadful hulk Jersey in New York harbor. Much of the narrative is devoted to this dismal portion of Fox's life.
Fox reluctantly took advantage of an offer to escape bondage by enlisting in the British 88th Regiment of Foot, and joined the regiment in Jamaica. His discussion of this service provides some useful details, and his desertion and eventual return to America are tales of true adventure.
Although Fox wrote his narrative in the 1830s, it is quite detailed in terms of day-to-day activities and details. Fox himself mentions that the reader may have cause to doubt some of these details because of the time elapsed between the occurrence and the telling; as with any historical information, material from this source should be verified, but Fox does not relate anything that defies our conventional wisdom.
The book is illustrated with a number of woodcuts which are fanciful and not accurate to our period, but which are nonetheless pleasing and well executed. A brief appendix by Fox describes a subsequent encounter with one of the characters in the narrative, gives a song about the 1788 Massachusetts Convention to the tune of Yankee Doodle, and explains the background of some of the inhabitants of Jamaica. A name index has been added by the current publishers.
Of the various first-hand accounts that are currently in print, The Adventures of Ebenezer Fox is among the most lively. Besides providing some useful details on a wide variety of subjects, the narrative is fast-paced and informal, making it excellent for pleasure reading as well as for reference.
Originally appeared in Brigade Dispatch v25 #4 - Don Hagist
Angel in the Whirlwind Triumph of the American Revolution Benson Bobrick. Simon & Shuster. 553 pages. 1997.
In the heady early days of the American Revolution, a fellow Virginian queried Thomas Jefferson; "Do you not think an Angel rides the Whirlwind and directs this Storm?" The book "Angel in the Whirlwind" never answers that question directly, but one of the themes of this well written narrative is the providential good fortune frequently enjoyed by Americans during their Revolution.
Readers jaded with modern interpretations of the American Revolution will find this book a welcome relief. Contrary to modern cynicism, it emphasizes the nobility of the ideals as well as the essential goodness of the men and women behind the struggle for independence. At the same time, it illuminates the participants' humanity through quotations and anecdotes. As might be expected in a one-volume study of an eight-year war, the author uses broad strokes to tell his story. While major characters, themes, and battles are ably discussed, the details of brave and stirring deeds form a neglible part of the narrative. Readers hoping to "smell gunpowder" might find the book dull.
Nevertheless, numerous seldom-related anecdotes enliven the narrative, distinguishing it from other versions of this familiar story Moravian reapers accompanied to their fields by drums and flutes; an American Colonel who is also an Indian, a Catholic and operatic singer; a letter in which George Washington jokingly warns Lafayette that he and Lafayette's wife are "anxious lovers." Overall, this is an original and thoroughly readable introduction to the American Revolution.
- David McKissack
The Battle of Brooklyn, 1776. John J. Gallager. Sarpedon Publishers, 166 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010. 248p., 24 p. photos, maps. $24.95.
Books devoted entirely to a single battle or campaign are compelling because of the level of detail that they provide. This is especially true for those involved in living history, because details are what the hobby is all about. For this reason, we welcome a book about a critical but often-overlooked battle. Unfortunately, this particular volume presents an unusual paradox, giving an accurate presentation of the movements of the armies, but a completely unrealistic account of the weapons, equipment, and tactics of the period.
As a chronicle of a campaign, this book is very well prepared and readable. It gives sufficient background without being exhausting, and very carefully describes every facet of the action. The preparations by both sides, the logistic and strategic considerations, and the dynamics of the battle itself, are all detailed in an understandable manner. Positions and routes of march are presented in terms of the geography of the period, and supported by references to modern landmarks. It is especially noteworthy that the book treats the American and British sides of the conflict equally and without bias; every movement is analyzed strictly from a military standpoint, without unfair criticism of the motives or competence of the commanders and soldiers.
The book fails completely, however, when it attempts to describe the details of the common soldiers. According to this book, "soldiers would add a palmful of tacks or bits of scrap metal to the charge" when loading for the first volley of a battle; regiments formed in lines so that one rank could fire while another was loading; during a bayonet charge, "soldiers fired from the hip, spraying the foe"; a fusee is a short-barreled rifle; British coats were red so that blood would be less visible.
While even the best books sometimes contain a few such errors, The Battle of Brooklyn is packed with them. An entire chapter devoted to uniforms, equipment, tactics, and the structure of the armies, is almost entirely mythological. An educated reader can laugh this off, or complain; unfortunately, those who do not know better will learn from this book. It is frustrating this kind of misinformation continues to be published, in spite of the availability of better information.
The Battle of Brooklyn is a useful volume for reenactors who wish to learn about this campaign, and are able to ignore the technical inaccuracies. Anyone who is not already familiar with the workings of armies of the period, however, will require substantial reeducation after learning from this source.
Originally appeared in Brigade Dispatch v25 #3 - Don Hagist
The Battle on Snowshoes, Bob Bearor
We have all heard of Robert Rogers, the famous and capable British ranger. We have also heard of the Battle on Snowshoes, one of his most famous defeats. Most of what has been written about this battle is from the English perspective. In fact, how many of you can even name the French partisan that lead the forces that defeated Rogers that fateful March day?
This book changes that as it tells the story from the French side. It centers on the great French partisan leader, Jean-Baptiste Levreault de Langis de Montegron, or more commonly referred to as Langis (pronounced "Lahn-gee"). Bobs research for this book is an interesting mix of primary sources, both British and French, re-enacting experience, and field research. He has spent countless hours walking the area where the battle took place, much of it during the winter in period clothing. This results in a very even handed treatment of the events and the people involved. It also allows him to debunk many of the myths that surround the battle.
This book is highly recommended as it fills a long neglected gap and provides a balance to the information available about the Battle on Snowshoes. Further, Bobs down to earth writing style makes this a very easy book to read. In closing, Rogers and Langis met four different times. Read the book and find out how often Langis won.
Originally appeared in On The Trail magazine - Jim Fredell
Belonging to the Army: Camp Followers and Community during the American Revolution. Holly A. Mayer. University of South Carolina Press, 937 Assembly St., Carolina Plaza, 8th Floor, Columbia, SC 29208. 1996, 307 p., cloth. $39.95 + $4.00 s&h.
In portraying the people involved with the armies of the Revolutionary War, it is in general much easier to portray a soldier than a civilian. Although much effort is required for each, the requirements for a soldier are usually well-defined, at least to the level of detail of the existing unit; this includes both the look to be achieved and the role to be played. Civilians have much less guidance from their units; although the Brigade can provide substantial resources, the individual must first determine just who they shall portray. A role associated with the army is desirable, but literature devoted to the subject of civilians working with the army has been scarce and sometimes of questionable merit.
Holly Mayer's new book fills this literature gap, providing a superlative quantity of both data and analysis. Belonging to the Army studies every sort of civilian associated with the army, including wives and families of soldiers and officers, sutlers and contractors, nurses and other medical personnel, laborers, artificers, wagoners, post riders, spies, and others. Indeed, the focus is not strictly on civilians, but upon all noncombatant roles, including those which were sometimes filled by soldiers. Each is presented in terms of examples from primary sources, with discussion of their motivations, situations, and impact on the army.
Mayer examines "the Continental community," that is, the totality of the military society that was the American army during the Revolutionary War. This study includes detailed examination of the common practices of established armies of other nations, making the book a useful resource to those portraying any nationality. All of the diverse requirements and considerations of an army are presented, putting the army into perspective instead of addressing just the soldiers and the battles. Mayer also demonstrates how the American army was progressive in establishing military departments for some support functions that had traditionally been contracted to civilians.
This book is made even more valuable by it's extensive references. Hundreds of footnotes cite a wealth of primary and secondary sources, making the book an excellent starting place for anyone beginning their own research - it is a sobering reminder of just how much information is available to those willing to search for it. It is also pleasing to notice that some Brigade members are mentioned in the references.
The author does an excellent job of using examples from primary sources drive the analysis. Nothing is based on speculation, and the focus is on the realities of the Continental community, rather than on images or opinions of it. Belonging to the Army is essential reading for Brigade members, as it presents in amazing detail the very essence of what the Brigade portrays - the cosmopolitan society that was the military during the American Revolution.
Originally appeared in Brigade Dispatch v27 #1 - Don Hagist
Bunker Hill Notes and Queries Harold Murdock. Reprint of 1927 edition. Wee Bee Publishing, 200 Landing Road #51, Hampton, NH 03842. ISBN 1-888007-07-9; 149 p., maps, illus., paperbound.$19.95 + $4.00 s&h.
Why reprint a seventy-year old book about one of the most-studied battles of the war, when newer and more detailed material is readily available? Because this book has something special to offer. Besides giving much interesting information about the battle, Murdock's work provides a superb example of how research should be done.
The author begins by explaining that his goal is not to recount the battle per se; indeed, a prior general knowledge of the action is assumed. Instead, Murdock systematically analyses several specific aspects of the battle which, before his work, were known only in terms of myth and folklore.
Murdock relies strictly on primary sources - many of which had only recently become available to researchers - to present an accurate picture of the British and the American preparations for the battle, since an understanding of these preparations is essential in understanding the character of the action itself. His examination is balanced and unbiased, giving equal attention and appropriate credit to both sides.
Murdock then uses the undisputable facts from primary sources to erase the popular folklore image of the battle, and replace it with a much more sensible presentation. He also takes the time to determine the sources of much of the folklore; because he can trace the source of both the facts and the myths, his conclusions are completely credible. Murdock is not free from errors on some details that are of interest to reenactors. He repeats the assumption that the British soldiers made their initial assaults wearing full packs and marching gear, even though he quotes the embarkation order directing the soldiers to carry only their blankets and provisions (p. 15). He also criticizes Howe's tactics in assaulting the hill, saying that he failed to employ the light infantry discipline that he'd developed; in fact, Howe's initial abortive attacks did employ his discipline, which proved to be inappropriate for this type of assault. Only when he resorted to more traditional storming tactics were the American works taken.
Bunker Hill Notes and Queries is an excellent text for reenactors. More than providing information on the battle itself, the book demonstrates how to analyze primary source information, determine its value, and build an impression upon it. This is the type of critical thinking that all of us should use in our attempts to get an accurate understanding of whatever aspect of the period we chose to study.
Originally appeared in Brigade Dispatch v26 #3 - Don Hagist
Campaign of 1776: The Road to Trenton. Gregory T. Edgar. Heritage Books, 1540-E Pointer Ridge Pl. Suite 300, Bowie, MD 20716. 1995, 422 pp., maps, bibl., index, paper. Order number E127, $30.00 plus $3.50 s&h.
Looking at the title alone, it is easy to wonder why we need another book on this topic. Several have been printed, as well as others which describe the events of the entire war. Reading a few chapters, however, shows this to be a welcome addition to the literature. It is concise and easy to follow, yet rich with detail; in particular, it makes extensive use of first hand accounts which give a real feel for the events as they were experienced.
Gregory Edgar does an excellent job of blending diplomatic and military information in chronicling the first 18 months of the war, from immediately after the battle of Bunker Hill through the battle of Princeton. Little text is spent on the background of the war itself, information which can be found elsewhere. Instead, we are given ample material to understand the considerations which led to the British attack on Charleston, SC, the evacuation of Boston, and the campaigns in New York and New Jersey.
There is an extensive discussion of the negotiations and politics surrounding the Declaration of Independence. This subject is treated on a very personal level, looking at the individual delegates and their considerations in moving towards this momentous document; it is clear that the decision to declare independence was not an easy one. The turmoil of the Continental Congress in the days immediately preceding the signing is described in a fast-paced, exciting manner, including descriptions of the weather which mirrored remarkably the political climate within Independence Hall.
The author does an exceptional job of outlining the military actions in a manner that is vivid and readable, neither too intricate nor too superficial. The several smaller actions between Long Island and White Plains are laid out in equal detail to the major actions, relying extensively on first-hand accounts. This is fitting, for it gives the reader a more genuine perspective on the events as they happened, when the participants themselves did not know which actions would be pivotal and which would not. The topography of the battle fields is always considered, as well as the major tactical considerations; again, this is done at just the right level of detail to make the book fast-paced and readable, but also very personal.
In discussing the progress of the campaigns, Edgar weaves in theefforts of the British commanders to negotiate peace, and considers the effects of those efforts on the conduct of the campaigns. He also devotes some text to sidelights which were significant even though they did not change the course of the war, such as the capture and execution of Nathan Hale, and David Bushnell's submarine.
Campaign of 1776 suffers from a deficiency which is quite common in secondary sources. Extensive extracts from primary sources are included, and there is a bibliography, but there is no way to directly determine the source of individual extracts. For some of the material, the provenance is obvious, but in many cases it is not. For example, several accounts are given by "Captain Hall," a British officer, but the bibliography contains no references to the writings of this person. Apparently, the quotations are taken from another secondary source, making them difficult to trace. Footnotes would solve this problem, but they are unfortunately not popular for "readable" works.
Also distracting is the quick treatment of the second part of the battle of Princeton, which culminated in the action at the university. While the rest of the battle is covered in pleasing detail, this portion is uncharacteristically brief, and seems incomplete compared to all of the other accounts in the book.
The maps provided are simple but sufficient. The bibliography is useful with the exception noted above. Two songs are included at the end of the text but no provenance or tunes are given; one of them appears to be post-period.
Campaign of 1776 provides an excellent single source for understanding the initial events of the Revolutionary War. For the reenactor, it also provides a rich source of primary accounts which, taken as a whole, give an excellent view of the situation of the participants at all levels. All of this information is presented in a straightforward, entertaining manner, making this book an excellent choice for leisure as well as for study.
Originally appeared in Brigade Dispatch v25 #4 - Don Hagist
The Colonial Chronicle. Continental Consulting, 195 Sterling Place Highland, NY 12528-2021. Published quarterly; annual subscription $13.00.
Living history activities typically focus on a specific time period, which creates a kind of segregation; it is easy to be immersed in a single period, and be totally unaware of the activities of others concerned with a different era, even when the time periods are adjacent. This inherent segregation inhibits the sharing of information which could improve all of our activities - after all, even though time periods vary, many of the challenges faced by living history practitioners are very similar.
The Colonial Chronicle is a quarterly newsletter which attempts to bridge this information gap. Each issue includes a broad mix of information concerning living history for the 18th and early 19th-Century periods. The title of the journal includes the word "colonial," but all nationalities and disciplines are included. Although the majority of the material concerns the Revolutionary War era, the two years' worth of issues that have been published so far include articles on reenactment of the 1745 Siege of Louisborg, the Federal-period militia of Sturbridge Village, living history activities at The Alamo in Texas, and other items. There are also articles about organizations which have resources to offer for living history, not only those directly concerned with living history such as the Brigade of the American Revolution and the British Brigade, but also the Trenton Barracks, the National Archives, and others.
Much of the material is not specific to a particular period. Tips for doing better research, methods of creating and procuring clothing and materials, and personal views on the value and goals of authenticity, are useful to a wide range of people.
The articles that The Colonial Chronicle provides about living history organizations are significant because no other publication present this sort of material. It is important for members of any organization to understand how their counterparts do business, not only to improve their own organization, but also to be better able to interact with others. This interaction extends from a basic awareness of the existence of other organizations, to an understanding of each groups priorities in pursuing ways to work together.
For those devoted to a single period, the diversity of The Colonial Chronicle can be frustrating; a student of the French army in Canada in 1759 might not have much interest in an article on the Sturbridge Village militia of the 1830s. But it is this very tendency to have period-specific chauvinism that makes The Colonial Chronicle an important publication. While the history is different for each period, there is a great deal in common when it comes to creating organizations, sponsoring events, procuring materials, conducting research, maintaining safety and authenticity standards, and innumerable other topics. To improve the effectiveness of the many diverse elements of living history, it is important for those involved with each period, and specific area, to learn from the others and share resources and information.
The Colonial Chronicle is a worthwhile investment for anyone wanting to knowing more about living history. It provides a view across the barriers created by time periods, and opens up new channels of resources and information.
Originally appeared in Brigade Dispatch v26 #4 - Don Hagist
Eighteenth Century America: A Hessian Report on the People, the Land, the War, as Noted in the Diary of Chaplain Philipp Waldeck (1776-1780). Bruce E. Burgoyne. Heritage Books, 1540-E Pointer Ridge Pl. Suite 300, Bowie, MD 20716. 1995, 191 pp., everyname index, bibl., paper. Order number B863, $17.50 plus $3.50 s&h.
Writers of diaries, letters and journals are more likely to record the unusual than the commonplace. Therefore, if we want to learn about America, we find the writings of visitors especially rich with information. Writings of the German soldiers who served in America are especially useful, because they include observations about the cities, towns and countryside that they passed through and occupied, about the British soldiers they fought with as well as the soldiers that they fought against, and about the customs and condition of the local inhabitants.
A number of German diaries and journals have been translated and published recently. It is pleasing to find that one of the most affordable is also one of the most informative.
The diary of Chaplain Philipp Waldeck of the Waldeck Regiment has awonderful range of information, so much that it is bound to provide something useful for almost everyone. Waldeck spent time in Staten Island and New York City, took part in the campaigns of the Autumn of 1776 including the assault on Fort Washington, spent time in garrison in New Jersey in 1777, and went to West Florida with his regiment in 1778, remain there through 1780. Waldeck's description of these campaigns includes many details of daily military life, from the rigors to the boredom to the society. Besides the actions mentioned above, Waldeck witnessed the American attack on Staten Island in August of 1777. His diary ends before the fateful siege of Pensacola, but his detailed descriptions of garrison life there are invaluable.
The diarist devotes much of his writing to describing the people of America, providing detail on everything imaginable. Physique, clothing, religion, education, food, agriculture, leisure activities - Waldeck put to paper everything he noticed. Sometimes his observations are naive or misguided, but they are invariably entertaining.
Those who study the native American people will also find this an excellent source. Waldeck's two years in Florida brought him into contact with Choctaws, Creeks, and others, and he describes their looks and behavior with his consistently extensive detail. Waldeck was the Chaplain of a regiment. He provided us generous amounts of information about this position, from baptisms of regimental children to services performed on campaign. This information is of course sometimes specific to his own nationality and religion, but much of it is more widely applicable.
As with any single source, unusual information should be cross referenced with other material; original authors as well as transcribers can make errors. Caution should always be used when working with a translated document; without the original text and a knowledge of the original language, we must trust the translator to render an accurate version of the author's text. In this case, such trust is well placed. Bruce Burgoyne put extensive effort into learning the old German script in which the manuscript diary is written, and rigorously compared his translation with other translations of parts of the diary, noting differences in the footnotes of this book. In addition, he has conducted detailed research on the Waldeck Regiment, including publishing a history of its activities during the war; this research included numerous trips to Waldeck, Germany. We can therefore be confident that the translation is accurate militarily as well as linguistically. The translator himself, however, advises in his preface that errors may exist, and advises serious researchers to examine the original document to verify information gleaned from this publication of the diary. Sufficient references are included to make this possible.
Like most primary sources, the diary of Chaplain Waldeck will not answer every question. It is, however, a remarkably diverse source of details on just about any topic imaginable. The reader is advised to take notes, because this book is bound to be referred to many times; it is both an entertaining read and a valuable reference.
Originally appeared in Brigade Dispatch v25 #4 - Don Hagist
Enemy Views: The American Revolutionary War as Recorded by the Hessian Participants. Bruce E. Burgoyne, trans. and ed. Heritage Books, 1540-E Pointer Ridge Pl. Suite 300, Bowie, MD 20716. 1996, 616p., map, index, paper, $28.00 + $4.00 s&h.
Bruce E. Burgoyne has spent years translating reams of diaries, journals, letters, and other writings of German soldiers in America during the Revolutionary War. Several of the diaries and journals have been published as separate books, but many have been too short to warrant their own publication. Now these works are available, combined with extracts from some of the previously-published materials, in a single remarkable volume.
Burgoyne brings together extracts from 34 sources. Rather than present them individually, he has arranged the material chronologically, making it very convenient to examine particular events from many points of view. After a chapter describing the journey to America, there are chapters for each year of the war, with sections devoted to every major campaign, battle, and garrison.
The level of detail is such as only personal accounts can provide. While crossing the Atlantic: "Our meal was very scant, only a pudding, but it could not be eaten peacefully. When it was placed on the table, it fell out of the wooden serving dish, rolled about on the table, and nearly fell on the floor... we were quick enough to catch it again. This pudding stayed on the table, completely clean, but it was in numerous small pieces. This could not be prevented because one hastily grabbed it with a fork to keep it from falling on the floor, another used two or three knives, the third with a spoon, and the fourth with only his ten fingers. We were happy, however, that we had been able to save it..." In battle: "The continual thunder of cannons, the drum beat of small arms fire, the screaming of men, and the whinnying of horses completely deafened the participants. One was robbed of all sense and reason and lost all feeling. Shortly, even the air seemed filled with fear and the impact of the attack." Logistics: "I am in the greatest embarrassment because the recruits brought no uniforms or weapons with them... The troops really need such items. I had long white overalls made for the recruits at once..." Encamped: "I had a board hut made for me instead of a tent... after being awake for some hours, it rained through the roof onto my bed and then on my whole body. My bed was completely wet. N. B. This was made with hay and straw underneath and a wool blanket. My chimney or fireplace smoked terribly. I almost wished again to sleep in a tent where I would have only been wet from below and cold from above. We are never content." In quarters: "The inn was so full, that I and also two Hessian doctors, had to sleep on the billiard table." Communicating: "Need teaches prayer, but it also teaches one to use English."
In general, the realities of waging an unfamiliar form of warfare in an unfamiliar country are elucidated: "We still receive salted pork and peas and rice, just as we did aboard ship... We have received no pack horses and had to send all of our baggage and saddles into storage... Each officer has only a few shirts and stockings and that which is most essential with him... The officers must be satisfied walking, regardless of how long the march might be... we have taken off our boots and wear long white linen breeches and shoes, with the sword on a belt over the shoulder and the canteen on the right side. Our hair has been cut short. You would laugh and be sorry for us if you were to see us." "If Heaven could only get me out of America, but things do not go as I would wish... The longer we remain here the more unpleasant this camp seems to me. I have no good friend to speak with, my health is not good, the region is completely wild, bare, and unpleasant. I never remember such a miserable camp. How cruel fate has been, and does not seem to change..."
Enemy Views affords an opportunity to experience the many facets of military life during the American Revolution through the eyes of some of the participants. The German soldiers who fastidiously recorded their experiences and observations for their families, friends, patrons and commanders, have provided us with a valuable resource for understanding the individuals whom we portray.
Originally appeared in Brigade Dispatch v27 #1 - Don Hagist
Fauquier County, Virginia, Court Records, 1776 - 1782. John K. Gott. Heritage Books, 1540-E Pointer Ridge Pl. Suite 300, Bowie, MD 20716. Order number G577, $24.00 plus $3.00 s&h.
Soldiers who fought in Washington's army had no intention of making a career of military service. Even those who enlisted for the duration of the war knew that they would return to civilian life eventually; most enlistments were for specific durations. Those who followed the army could not expect it to subsist them forever. To better understand the soldiers and followers, then, it helps to understand what was going on in the towns and counties that they came from. Here is a volume that helps with this understanding, providing information on rural legal and financial concerns, as well as some intriguing personal glimpses.
This book gives abstracts of the Minute and Order books of Fauquier County, Virginia, during the years of the American Revolution. This material is of obvious interest to those portraying persons from this area, but there is much for other reenactors as well. Much of the material documents the minutia of county affairs, such as would concern citizens of most any county in the colonies. Applications for land to build mills, permission to inoculate families against smallpox, appointments to posts such as surveyor of roads or sheriff, establishment of new roads, regulation of prices at inns and ordinaries, all give us a feel for what was going on away from the battle fields.
Even better, for our purposes, is the information about people. A female servant brought charges of ill usage against her master. Servant women who had illegitimate children were ordered to serve extended terms of indenture as punishment. Runaway servants, both men andwomen, who were captured were also sentenced to extended indentures. Indentures are recorded, including the trades to be learned and the ages at which the indentures began - including a boy bound to learn the trade of a shoemaker at the age of 3; some of the indentures stipulate that the servants were to be sent to school. A man was ordered to pay "maintenance" for an illegitimate child. Men were charged for illegal gaming on the Sabbath.
Many of the entries have direct military interest, for both men and women. Militia officer appointments are given. Wives and mothers of men who were currently serving in the army were provided with provisions, and sometimes "furnished with necessaries." Money was paid to women whose husbands died in the army. A man illegally detained as a soldier was discharged. Soldiers were given certification that they had completed the terms of their enlistments. A wagon, team and wagoner was provided by the county for the army.
The court heard land claims from men who served as soldiers. Some of these claims were for service in the French & Indian war, including a claim by a man who had served in a British foot regiment. An heir to a soldier of the 3rd Virginia Regiment, killed at Brandywine, pre- sented a land claim.
The effects of the war upon the county are apparent. Early in the war, wives of men serving as soldiers typically received 6 to 10 pounds worth of provisions. In the middle years of the war, amounts ranged from 40 to 60 pounds, and climbed to as much as 860 pounds. By the end of the war, quantities of provisions were specified instead of their value - a wife might receive six barrels of indian corn and 100 pounds of bacon; a widow received two barrels of rye and 40 pounds of bacon. Similarly, the decreasing value of money can be seen in the rising prices regulated for inns and ordinaries.
Although the information presented is abstracted from the original documents, it is sufficient for both general statistical study, such as ages and trades for indentures, and individual study, such as the case of an ill-used servant. The minute books themselves exist on microfilm in theFauquier County Public Library in Warrenton, VA, and in the Virginia State Library in Richmond. So it is possible to verify any material in this volume, and determine whether additional useful information exists.
This book is an excellent supplement to any personal library on the American Revolution. While we have many books on campaigns, armies, and equipment, this book tells us something about the people, both men and women, soldiers and civilians, whose lives were affected by the war.
Originally appeared in Brigade Dispatch v23 #2 - Don Hagist
French and Indian War Battlesites: A Controversy By Bob Bearor
In this book, Bob Bearor, author of The Battle on Snowshoes, brings his unique approach to locating two more battle sites near the Ticonderoga peninsula: the First Battle on Snowshoes in January 1757, and the site where Lord Howe was killed in July 1758. In this book Bob extends the usual method of research with the unusual and controversial methods.
The usual method is scouring the available primary documentation for clues in the descriptions of the topography, distances and time traveled. Bob’s unusual method of field research entails travelling over this same ground with period gear in an attempt to make sense out of the sometimes vague and conflicting accounts found in the journals. The controversial method is the use of metal detectors as an archeological tool to target where to dig for artifacts from the battles. Using metal detectors in this way is a far cry from "pot hunters" who only are looking for "treasure" and willingly remove artifacts without concern for archeological "context."
In January 1757, Robert Rogers and his rangers lay in ambush near Five Mile Point on Lake Champlain. Their target was the supply sleighs coming from Fort Carillon to Fort St. Frederick at Crown Point. When the ambush was sprung prematurely, some sleighs escaped and carried the alarm back to Fort Carillon. Renowned French partisan leader Charles Langlade led a force from the fort that found the rangers trail north and ambushed them on their return through the Trout Brook valley. Rogers and some of his men were saved from this bloody and vicious battle by darkness. Ironically, this was how Rogers would escape a year later when Langis defeated him.
In July 1758, the British massed an invasion force at the south end of Lake George. Their goal was to take Fort Carillon, the southern most French fort in the area. This force was led by General Abercromby, and ably seconded by Lord George Augustus Viscount Howe, arguably the most brilliant and able general in the British army at that time. After landing at the north end of Lake George, Howe left with the advance troops of Rogers, Fitch, and Lyman. This advance force ran into a French party of 350 men led by Langis and Trépezec. In a blow that would demoralize the entire British force, Lord Howe fell dead in the first volley.
Are these two battles connected by more than being fought near Fort Carillon (Ticonderoga) a year and a half apart? Is it possible that they both happened on the same ground? Bob presents the results of his journal research, his field research, and the archeological evidence in a straightforward manner. He then combines the results of these methods, showing how they can be used to support each other. The final conclusions he leaves for you to decide.
Reviewed By: Jim Fredell
Frontier Advance on the Upper Ohio, 1778 - 1779. Louise Phelps Kellogg. Heritage Books, 1540-E Pointer Ridge Pl. Suite 300, Bowie, MD 20716. 1916 reprint, 509 pp., illus., map, index, paper. Order number K145, $31.00 plus $3.50 s&h.
Primary source documents are fuel for reenactors. It is always best to go to the source, but finding source documents is not always easy. Fortunately, transcripts of some collections have been published; even better, some of these are still in print.
Frontier Advance on the Upper Ohio is one of a series of books which tells the story of the soldiers who fought on the western fringes of the American Revolution. It is a well-organized collection of original documents, some abstracted but most transcribed in full. Arranged chronologically, they present an excellent blend of overview and minute detail, describing activities from the planning of campaigns to the exploits of individuals. In particular, there are many accounts of actions on the scale that reenactors regularly deal with - actions involving small numbers of disparate troops on each side.
The details which come through in these pages provide a wealth of information on many aspects of the armies in America. The difficulties of maintaining a steady flow of supplies is especially apparent. One officer complains that a pair of shoes lasts a soldier only a week; others attempt to provide deerskin moccasins to their men, but although hides are available, they often cannot be tanned for want of proper materials. On several occasions soldiers on expeditions are forced to eat the hides of their beef cattle after having butchered and consumed the rest.
In addition to information about American soldiers, there is extensive material about their Indian allies. Negotiations with different tribes and leaders are described in detail. Inventories of the personal possessions of some key figures are given. There are some descriptions of customs and dances. And there are interesting accounts of the ways that the American soldiers and Indians dealt with each other.
There are exploits of interest to the distaff as well. We learn of a woman who successfully defended her home when it was attacked by Indians. On at least two occasions, women "ran bullets" for soldiers in forts which were being attacked.
The documents almost exclusively concern the American forces and their allies. As such, this book may be of limited interest to those studying the crown forces. On the other hand, these documents provide an excellent and detailed account of two years of campaigns in an often overlooked theater of the war. This makes it a worthwhile volume to round out any library.
Besides the extensive collection of letters and other documents, this volume contains an orderly book, and a very rare transcript of an American court-martial. This book and its companion volumes are excellent investments for those wishing to have primary source material at their fingertips.
Originally appeared in Brigade Dispatch v25 #3 - Don Hagist
General Washington's Army 1: 1775 - 1778 Marko Zlatich and Peter F. Copeland. Men-at-Arms Series #273, Osprey Military Publishing Ltd, Michelin House, 81 Fulham Road, London SW3 6RB, England; available from dealers who carry the Men-at-Arms series.
A 48 page book with a title like this could be a disappointment, given the scope of the subject matter. A quick browse through the pages put any such fears to rest. Nearly every page contains an illustration of a contemporary picture not published anywhere else. The text consists almost entirely of primary source uniform descriptions. This is the information that reenactors need, there is a lot of it, and most of it has not been compiled before.
The contemporary illustrations of uniforms and artifacts are reason enough for adding the book to any serious library on period uniforms. More importantly, the text contains basic uniform descriptions for a very large number of military organizations, including regiments, militias, and independent companies. They are organized by state and by period, so it is fairly easy to find a given unit. Author Marko Zlatich was careful to base these descriptions strictly on period sources - there are no assumptions or educated guesses made to fill in gaps. For a given unit, there may be information only on coats, on cloth ordered for uniforms, or a complete description, depending on what primary source information was available for that unit.
Few of the descriptions are detailed enough to base a complete reenactment impression upon, but they provide excellent starting points. For a reenactor, it is important to look at other units which were in the same location or shared the same sources of supply as one's own unit, to help in the overall accumulation of information; here again, this new addition to the Men-at-Arms series is an excellent resource. The only major deficiency is that the primary sources are not correlated directly to the details given in the text, but instead are given in a bibliography at the end of the work. This could make it difficult to locate the original documents to validate the information and search for related material.
The book is enhanced by 8 color plates by artist Peter F. Copeland, depicting 24 uniforms. These plates are well executed and, unlike many other books in the series, include background details to integrate the figures and give them an air of realism. The uniforms are depicted in a "campaign" state - dirty, patched, and not always complete. As with reenactment impressions, assumptions are made to complete those uniforms for which incomplete documentation exists; these assumptions are done tastefully, with no "illogical" clothing combinations.
This book on uniforms is directed towards the educated reader. The text is composed almost completely of descriptions of uniforms and sources of supply. There is no glossary, and no definitions of period terms are given. Some innovative sources are used, such as engravings of soldiers printed on paper money and on maps.
There are not many books devoted exclusively to the details of uniforms of the Continental Army, especially during the first half of the war. Now there is one more, and it would be difficult to obtain a larger amount of information in a single small package. This book will prove to be an asset to anyone who studies the uniforms of our period.
Originally appeared in Brigade Dispatch v23 #2 - Don Hagist
General Washington's Army 2: 1779 - 1783 Marko Zlatich and Bill Younghusband. Men-at-Arms Series #290, Osprey Military Publishing Ltd, Michelin House, 81 Fulham Road, London SW3 6RB, England; available from dealers who carry the Men-at-Arms series.
There are only a few books devoted solely to the study of uniforms during the American Revolution, so it is especially pleasing to see a new addition to this genre. We reviewed the first volume of this set in The Brigade Dispatch Vol. 25 No. 2; this new volume completes the pair, and is of equal calibre to the first.
In general, this is an extremely useful work, and should be considered essential for the reenactor concerned with studying Continental uniforms. It presents extensive information from primary sources, with details for individual regiments; the material is grouped by state, with additional sections for artillery, independent corps, legions, and others. Although the book is small, it contains a great deal of information, with something on nearly every corps that existed during the period.
For reenactors and other serious researchers, there are a couple of pitfalls. As mentioned in the review of the first volume, the information is not directly correlated to the sources; instead, a general bibliography is given. This makes it difficult to review the original sources, which every reenactor should attempt in order to verify and possibly expand on the information. It is, however, possible to contact the author care of the publisher.
A less obvious problem is in the nature of the information itself. For each regiment, uniform details are given from returns, orderly books, or what have you, but for most units, only a few fragments of information are available. We cannot assume that information from a single point in time gives an accurate overview of a regiment's uniform. For example, if we know that a regiment received 300 new coats on a particular day, we must also determine the total number of men in the regiment at that time. We must also try to learn how long those coats stayed in use; replacement items were often provided to individuals as needed, and were often not the same as the originals. No single piece of information is sufficient when going through the effort and expense of recreating a unit. This book, however, provides an excellent starting point, and does contain enough material to allow trends among units to be detected.
Although a different artist composed the plates for this second volume, they are of a similar standard to all of those in the Men-at-Arms series. The artist has done some extrapolation to render entire uniforms from often fragmentary information, but the assumptions are logical and appropriate; once again, reenactors are advised to seek as much additional information as possible.
General Washington's Army is an indispensable quick-reference for any serious student of period uniforms, and provides a great deal of information for a reasonable price.
Originally appeared in Brigade Dispatch v26 #3 - Don Hagist
Journal of the Johannes Schwalm Historical Association. The Johannes Schwalm Historical Association, Inc., Box 99, Pennsauken, NJ 08110. Published annually; $20 annual membership includes subscription to the journal.
The Johannes Schwalm Historical Association (JSHA) describes itself as "dedicated to researching, collecting, and disseminating data relating to German auxiliaries to the British Crown who fought in the Revolutionary War and their descendants." This makes it seem like its appeal is limited to those portraying German soldiers. The annual journal of this organization, however, is a treasure-trove of first-hand accounts by officers and soldiers of the American Revolution.
Each issue of the Journal is about 100 pages long; typically, at least half of those pages contain translations of diaries, journals, letters, and other documents written by German soldiers serving in America. Those who do not study the German regiments per se are reminded that the Germans commented extensively on all that they experienced, and their writings on the people, clothing, and customs of the American army and American people in general are some of the most vivid and detailed available. Sincethey fought alongside British soldiers, the German descriptions of campaigns and general military activities are excellent sources for students of the British army. In short, accounts by German soldiers are rich sources of information, and the Journal of the Johannes Schwalm Historical Association the best single source for this type of material.
Many German documents have been translated and published in book form over the years, and remain excellent resources. The JSHA Journal is particularly valuable, however, because it contains newly translated material, usually published for the first time. In addition, the JSHA Journal includes many short documents which could not be published in book form and would not otherwise be available. It is also important that the material published in the JSHA Journal is usually heavily annotated, providing clarification and leads for further research.
Besides the type of documents described above, the JSHA Journal includes occasional discussion of artifacts, both military and domestic, which can be traced to individual German soldiers. Detailed biographies of German soldiers who settled in America, and their descendants, are presented. Other items of interest, such as documentation of German deserters serving in American regiments, appear from time to time.
The "Recent Journal Articles" column in the Brigade Dispatch has listed relevant articles from the most recent three volumes of the JSHA Journal (articles from the 1996 issue are noted on page 19, below). The journal was first published in 1977, and many of the back numbers are still available. Anyone who enjoys having primary source material on hand will find the Journal of the Johannes Schwalm Historical Association well worth the annual membership fee.
Originally appeared in Brigade Dispatch v26 #4 - Don Hagist
Journal of the Middle Waters Frontier, Graphics/Fine Arts Press, P.O. Box 321, Excelsior Springs, MO 64024. $10.00 annual subscription; published quarterly, back issues available.
The Journal is one of the few publications that is geared to providing a source of information on the American Frontier. The Frontier over time changed from the mountains of Virginia to the waters of the Ohio, to the settlement of the Mississippi, to the early explorers of the Missouri river - the Middle Waters. This also means the timeframe it covers stretches from the 17th cenury to the early 19th century.
It provides a welcome source of information from primary sources on this wide range of topics, with regular contributions on food, music, and clothes. There are also introductory articles on a specific place or element of the frontier, and a forum for questions and answers. Some of the articles have been on early French settlements, foodstuffs in the pantry of Territorial Governor William Clark, the Spanish Colonial period, the use of face and body paint by Native Americans, growing early food plant species, awareness of camouflage principles, inventories, accounts from captivity journals, capotes, shortgowns, and much more.
Of course if you are a student of early American history, you will find it quite rewarding. It is of special interest to those doing living history portrayals in the eras of the French and Indian Wars, the Revolutionary War, and the War of 1812.
For the price, you just can't go wrong.
- Gary Liming
Maryland Loyalists in the American Revolution. M. Christopher New. Tidewater Publishers, PO Box 456, Centreville, MD 21617. 1995, 185 p., cloth. $26.95.
Because no major military actions took place in Maryland, that colony's contribution to the American Revolution is sometimes overlooked. Maryland was, however, home to many citizens and soldiers who were active participants in the war, some on each of the two sides. This book introduces the reader to those who were loyal to the British government.
The author uses the term "Maryland loyalists" to refer to those citizens of the colony who were loyal to the crown, and "Maryland Loyalists" to refer to the regiment which was formed as part of the British Army in America; the book deals equally with both of these subjects.
Maryland Loyalists is important to the Revolutionary War historian because it is the only work devoted to its subject; it is, however, geared for a much more general audience. The author presents his material in a style that is light and easy to read. The chapters are divided into succinct sections. The technically-minded reader may wish for more depth and detail, but the material is sufficiently annotated so that further research can be done if the reader so desires. For the novice student of the period, this book shows how interesting the American Revolution is - from the political maneuverings of the leaders, through the aspirations of the middle ranks, to the daily hardships of the common people and soldiers. It is an excellent choice for getting someone involved in the study of the period, without resorting to a general overview. For the student of the military, there are substantial appendices describing the organization of the Maryland Loyalists regiment. A lengthy bibliography provides ample leads for additional research, including both primary and secondary sources.
Maryland Loyalists adds to the small literature of regimental histories from this period, making it an excellent choice for students of the military and of the Loyalists in particular. It is also an excellent book to have on hand to loan to friends, to help them appreciate the Revolutionary War era in terms of people and events, not just dates and maps.
Originally appeared in Brigade Dispatch v27 #1 - Don Hagist
The Military Experience in the Age of Reason, 1715-1789, Duffy, Chrisopher, Barnes and Noble, ISBN number is 0-7607-0441-4 I found the book very entertaining and informative reading. The author's style is such that he makes his points clearly and without getting bogged down in a morasse of minutia. The book is full of quotes from primary sources which give some insight into the thought processes of the time period. Many of recent threads I've seen on this list are adressed such as the effect of riflemen and their ilk.
For the serious Rev War reenactor, this book may have limited use. For one thing, its primary concern is war in Europe, though there are a couple of sections which cover war in North America and the conditions which required some alterations in tactics. Another is that it covers a much longer period of time, and is thus rather general on most topics. From my experience as a martime researcher, I know one reaches a point where one ceases to read many overview books and concentrates on highly specialized publications. However, for those who are interested in a general grounding in the factors which made the armies and tactics of our war what they were, I highly recommend The Military Experience in the Age of Reason.
- Lee Bienkowski
Naval Documents of the American Revolution, Volume 10. American Theater: October 1, 1777 - December 31, 1777; European Theater: October 1, 1777 - December 31, 1777. Michael J. Crawford, ed. $55.00, GPO stock number 008-046-00167-7, from Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington, D. C. 20402.
Most Brigade members are concerned with army affairs, and so are liable to let the title of this work deceive them. Naval Documents of the American Revolution is perhaps the most extensive collection of primary source documents related to the period available in print. The quantity of information in the series is remarkable - each of the first ten volumes contains over a thousand pages of transcripts of period documents, and so far only the first three years of the war have been covered.
The editors present not only material related to navies per se, but information about all activities which involved shipping of any kind. The fact that a substantial number of these documents are directly related to soldiers, armies, and land warfare, is a lesson in itself, a reminder of the critical and constant role that nautical transportation played in the conduct of all aspects of the war. Every troop movement that involved water transport in any way is probably covered in Naval Documents.
This volume covers the last three months of 1777. Besides well-known actions such as the defense of the Delaware River forts and the storming of Forts Clinton and Montgomery, less familiar activities are documented, such as the failed American assault on Rhode Island; daily activities during the British advance up the Hudson River; an expedition from Connecticut to Setauket, Long Island; formation of an American squadron to break the blockade of Charleston, SC; French naval assistance and military supplies for America; American privateering in local and European waters.
The material is arranged chronologically, with a number of documents for each day of the three month period; for each day, the material is arranged from north to south, making it easy to locate material for a particular theater in spite of the sheer volume of information. An amazing assortment of documents is presented, including American, British, and other nations: Daily extracts from personal diaries of soldiers, sailors, and civilians; official military correspondence; personal letters; daily entries from ships' logs and journals; news accounts, deserter descriptions, recruiting announcements, and other items from newspapers; inventories of equipment procured for naval ships, armed boats, and other types of shipping; muster rolls and returns of crew members, of soldiers serving aboard ships, of prisoners, etc.; minutes of Congress, executive councils, committees, etc.; depositions, declarations, and petitions; orders and directives; financial accounts; proceedings of courts martial and councils of war; every type of document imaginable is represented.
Of course, no single publication will have every bit of information available, but the documents presented in this collection are well footnoted so that related material can be readily located. There is also an extensive index - almost 150 pages long - and seven appendices with more lengthy documents. The transcripts are done with care, translations of foreign language material are given along with the original text, and the documents are well annotated.
Naval Documents of the American Revolution is available at many libraries, but serious researchers will be tempted to acquire their own copies; who wouldn't want thousands of pages of detailed primary source material at their fingertips. Considering the size of each hardbound volume, the price is quite reasonable. Volume 10, the latest addition to the series, maintains the high standards of the previous volumes, and leaves us anxiously awaiting the completion of the remainder of this remarkable series.
Originally appeared in Brigade Dispatch v26 #3 - Don Hagist
Navies and the American Revolution, Robert Gardiner, Naval Institute Press in association with the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, England
As promised, I am submitting a review of "Navies and the American Revolution" editted by Robert Gardiner and published by the Naval Institute Press in association with the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, England now that I have finally finished the book.
I highly recommend this book to anyone with a serious interest in the role the various navies played in our war. Although it is short on detail, it covers a great deal of ground, including such obscure campaigns as Pensacola and Nicaragua which are rarely mentioned in other sources on the same period. Unlike most other books on the subject, "Navies and the American Revolution" gives a good indication of the truly global scale of this conflict.
The sections are well organized with a summary at the beginning and short chapters describing the major actions and campaigns, and interspersed with these chapters are short descriptions of various aspects of ship development and other matters pertinent to the war at sea. I found a few places where phrasing might give an uninformed reader some wrong impressions, but for the most part, the writing is clear and susinct, and freer or inaccuracies than nearly any other book I've read on the subject. For example, Sir Hyde Parker (Old Vinegar) of Dogger Bank fame was not confused with the Sir Hyde Parker of Copenhagen. All that's just the text.
One of the main purposes of the book is to provide pictures which illustrate the conflict that arrose from the fight for American independence. I was a trifle disappointed that all the portraits of admirals and captains were the same ones I have seen a dozen times in other books, and pictures with details of uniforms are sparce. However, the book is rich in illustrations of ships of all different varieties, and best of all, the collection of charts is tremendous. For those of you who have posted to this list looking for charts from the period, I can think of nobetter published source.
I am really looking forward to reading the next in the series, "Fleet Battle and Blockade" which covers the years 1793 to 1797.
- Lee Bienkowski
An Officer's Guide for Re-created British Regiments of Foot - Volume 1. Vincent J-R Kehoe. RCMA, Inc., P. O. Box 850, Somis, CA 93066. 1996, 104pp., illus., paper. $10.00 postpaid.
Military reenactors rely heavily on books about clothing, weapons, and military procedures. There are, however, very few books available about reenacting. The title of this affordable volume should not be perceived as limiting - it is about commanding a reenactment organization, both on and off the field.
An Officer's Guide is a collection of thirty-three essays based on the author's experience as commander of one of the largest and most active units during the Bicentennial, and his continued contact with the hobby since that time. This experience, of course, is not directly applicable to all situations, but the author considers this. He compares the methods that worked for him with those used and in use by other units, and with information in 18th Century military texts. The result is an assortment of thought-provoking ideas, observations, and accounts. Essays include "Change of Command in the Recreated Regiment," "Costs and Prices - 1775, 1975 to 1995," "Sham Battle Tactics," "Vegetius and his Influence on the Warfare of the 18th Century," and many others. Each one deals with concepts relevant to the command of a recreated regiment. While oriented towards British regiments in particular, most of the information is applicable to units of any size and nationality.
This is a reference book; as such, not every single item will be useful to every reader. Everyone, however, is bound to find a wealth of useful and cogent material. Besides being a rich source of information about the 18th Century military, there is much information about the history of reenacting in the Bicentennial, with insights into the formation of various organizations including the Brigade. To be a serious student of reenacting, we must study our own history as well as that of the Revolution. An Officer's Guide is a rare example of a book that provides details on both.
Originally appeared in Brigade Dispatch v26 #1 - Don Hagist
An Officer's Guide for Re-created British Regiments of Foot - Volume 3. Vincent J-R Kehoe. RCMA, Inc., P. O. Box 850, Somis, CA 93066. 1996, 156p., illus., paper. $15.00 postpaid.
We reviewed Volume 1 of this series in the Brigade Dispatch Vol. XXVI No. 1. Volumes 2 and 3 follow a similar format to the first, providing a blend of extracts from period military texts and essays based on the author's long involvement with Revolutionary War living history. Don't be deceived by the title; the information contained in this series is applicable to any recreated unit, and is useful for any student of the hobby, whether creating or commanding a unit, a member of the rank and file, or just dreaming of joining one.
About the first third of Volume 3 are Kehoe's own essays concerning such topics as what motivates individuals to portray British soldiers, the importance of continuous improvement, period conditions that we do not attempt to recreate, etc. Many of the essays draw heavily on period sources, including a series of studies of individual items of officers' equipment and appearance; documentation for details of regimental swords, gorgets, hair styles, and other attributes, is present along with assimilating discussion. Other material is based on the author's own experiences during the Bicentennial era, and as such provide interesting insights on the history of the reenacting hobby.
The majority of the volume is composed of extracts from period military texts, including The Military Mentor, Hinde's The Discipline of the Light Horse, Bland's A treatise on Military Discipline, and Dalrymple's Tacticks, as well as standing orders and general regulations. Since many of these works are difficult to obtain, Kehoe's book provides two benefits: it gives some of the information directly, photocopied from original volumes, and it allows the reader to decide whether each work is one that should be pursued in more detail. The other two volumes of An Officer's Guide also contain extracts from these and other sources; together, the three volumes contain substantial portions of several period texts; this primary source information makes them an excellent value, irrespective of the additional information included in the essays.
The passages from period text are chosen with two considerations in mind. One is their "value to re-enactors," as opposed to their value to officers of the 18th-Century; the second is that, when taken together, the various passages show what aspects of the period military science were in transition, and which were not, over a period of some fifty years. This kind of insight is especially valuable, since information specific to a precise time period - the sort required for reenactors - is usually incomplete, and the gaps must be filled in with material from other periods; this extrapolation and combining of material from various sources requires a broad knowledge of the trends of the era, and Kehoe's Officers' Guide is an excellent textbook for developing that knowledge.
Originally appeared in Brigade Dispatch v26 #4 - Don Hagist
Prospect Before Her, The a History of Women in Western Europe 1500-1800, Olwen Hufton, Alfred A. Knopf publisher, New York 1996, ISBN 0-679-45030-0
Excellent research on what a woman could expect to accomplish in life, the controls put on her by family, society and the church. It discusses rural women and those in cities, the jobs they were likely to hold, the restrictions on positions available, the pay scales, possibilities for self determination, general survival with help of family, or alone as widow or spinster. Required absolute dependence on a father figure: Dad, brother, or husband or son, made independence folly or criminal.
Interesting chapter on how widows combined incomes to live together and how some came to be labeled "witches" when their poverty became a threat to community charitable funds. It was politically responsible to get rid of witches, but immoral to hassel a poor old woman, so some relabeling became expedient.
Compelling reading on wifery, motherhood, abuse, mistresses, convents as safe employers, old age.
- Kate Henry
Revolutionary War Chronology & Almanac, 1754 - 1783. Harv Hilowitz.Hope Farm Press, 1708 Rt. 212, Saugerties, NY 12477. 50 p. softbound, maps. $7.50.
We've all had the experience of trying to look up the date of an event, or get a quick look at how an engagement fit into the course of a campaign, only to find that the information we seek is buried in the chapters of complete histories of the campaign or the entire war. This little book solves that problem, providing an easy-to-use chronology of the major events of the American Revolution, including a few sentences on each. This is a particularly useful volume, because it includes not only military engagements, but also major diplomatic activities. Starting with the Albany Convention of 1754, and progressing up to the convening of the 1st Continental Congress, the events leading up to the war are summarized in 39 events over 5 pages. Military activities, including naval actions, are neatly summarized in chronological order, with simple maps to improve understanding. In addition to the chronology are several pages of basic information which is often difficult to locate. Populations of the colonies and Canada are given, broken down in several ways, along with the number of newspapers and colleges. Rough figures are given to indicate the sizes of the armies and navies involved in the war in 1775, 1778, and 1783; information about the military budgets of America and Britain is also included. Overall casualties are enumerated, and a page is devoted to discussions of the various refugee populations. It is of course possible to dispute some of the information. Arguments can always be made about the importance and impact of individual events, and only so many can be included in a compact volume. Casualty figures and even population figures are subject to debate. And some of the information seems out of place; for example, the book concludes with a full page biographical sketch of General von Steuben, but has no biographical information on anyone else. These criticisms are minor, however, considering the purpose of this Revolutionary War Chronology & Almanac. The book is intended to be handy, and it is.
Originally appeared in Brigade Dispatch v25 #3 - Don Hagist
The Surprise of Germantown, or, The Battle of Cliveden, October 4th, 1777. Thomas J. McGuire. Thomas Publications, 353 Buford Ave., Gettysburg, PA 17325. 1994, 122 pp., maps, illus., bibl., index, paper. $11.95 plus $3.00 s&h.
Study the Civil War, or World War II, and you'll find many books about battles. Not so, however, with the American Revolution. A few major engagements such as Bunker Hill and Yorktown have been written on extensively, but if you want a really detailed study of most of the war's battles, you'll have to piece it together from a number of sources. With this in mind, it is especially pleasing to find a new work that focuses on one part of one engagement, the fighting at the Chew House during the October 1777 Battle of Germantown.
Thomas McGuire draws on an impressive number of primary sources to construct a detailed description of the events of the day. It is a fast-moving account. Minimal background information is provided on events of the war which preceded the battle; instead, extensive details are given on the topology of the battlefield, the weather on the day of battle, the forces on both sides - every factor that influenced the action is discussed in a succinct and readable manner.
Most satisfying is the fact that events are described in terms of individuals. The text is based mainly on primary source accounts, allowing the overall picture to be built up by weaving together the experiences of the people who participated. This makes for a particularly vivid account, and one that can be especially appreciated by reenactors.
The Surprise of Germantown is not only an excellent source of information about a single action, but an excellent example of the type of book that we really need more of.
Originally appeared in Brigade Dispatch v26 #1 - Don Hagist
The Writer's Guide to Everyday Life In Colonial America From 1607-1783, Dale Taylor, 1997, Writer's Digest Books,Cincinnati, OH, 295 pp. ISBN 0-89879-772-1
I am not sure this book is just for writers - I think there is good material here for the reenactor as well. Unlike it's companion book, the Writer's Guide to the 1800's, which has a lot of terms and phrases in common use at the time (especially Civil War), this book has less of that, but has a lot of good information about daily life. I don't believe this is a major problem, as there already are a couple of good books/dictionaries on terms of the colonial period.
The book is in four parts Almanac, Everyday Life, Government and War, and Colonial Society. The Almanac section has a regional overview of four areas New England, Chesapeake area, Middle Colonies, and Southern colonies. In each region is reported population, governors, religion, towns, and provides a brief summary of the colonies' history.
In the Everyday life section, there are chapters on Food and Drink, Architecture, Clothing & Accessories, and Marriage and Families.
In Government & War part are found chapters on Government, Law, & Politics, Warfare & the Military, and Money, Trade, & Navigation.
In the Colonial Society part are chapters on Arts & Sciences, Farming, Fishing, Trapping & Laborers, Trades, Professions, and Religion
One thing the book does that is kind of unique is in areas that describe certain things or procedures, it references a movie that provides an illustration of that thing. For instance, in the chapter on law, when describing a gallows, there is a little icon of a movie camera and a page number, that refers you to the movie outline appendix of "Tom Jones" in which an authentic triangular gallows is used. The movies indexed in this fashion are Tom Jones, The Three Musketeers, The Scarlet Letter, Joseph Andrews, The Four Musketeers. Made me wish more of the movies were done this way.
Obviously, 295 pages is not a lot of room to get into much depth when the range is this amibitious, but it does provide a good introduction to many topics, and lists sources to go further. For instance, if you just want a place to look up the customs of breeching, bundling, or posting Banns, this is a ggod reference. My only major criticism is that it is not footnoted :-( However, there is a bibliography a the end of each chapter. I've only skimmed a few familiar areas to spot check, but it looks like an interesting work.
The RevList caretaker is Cathy Johnson
This page is maintained by Gary Liming, and your comments are welcome!