Winner of the American Revolution Round Table of Richmond Book Award (2014)In this dramatic retelling of one of history’s great “what-ifs;†Mark R. Anderson examines the American colonies’ campaign to bring Quebec into the Continental confederation and free the Canadians from British “tyranny.†This significant reassessment of a little-studied campaign examines developments on both sides of the border that rapidly proceeded from peaceful diplomatic overtures to a sizable armed intervention. The military narrative encompasses Richard Montgomery’s plodding initial operations; Canadian partisan cooperation with officers like Ethan Allen; and the harrowing experiences of Benedict Arnold’s Kennebec expedition; as well as the sudden collapse of British defenses that secured the bulk of the province for the rebel cause. The book provides new insight into both Montgomery’s tragic Québec City defeat and a small but highly significant loyalist uprising in the rural northern parishes that was suppressed by Arnold and his Canadian patriot allies. Anderson closely examines the evolving relationships between occupiers and occupied; showing how rapidly changing circumstances variously fostered cooperation and encouraged resistance among different Canadian elements. The book homes in on the key political and military factors that ultimately doomed America’s first foreign war of liberation and resulted in the Continental Army’s decisive expulsion from Canada on the eve of the Declaration of Independence. The first full treatment of this fascinating chapter in Revolutionary War history in over a century; Anderson’s account is especially revealing in its presentation of contentious British rule in Quebec; and of Continental beliefs that Canadiens would greet the soldiers as liberators and allies in a common fight against the British yoke.This thoroughly researched and action-packed history will appeal to American and Canadian history buffs and military experts alike.
#1031180 in Books 2011-08-19Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 1.00 x 6.10 x 9.00l; 1.45 #File Name: 1611210666312 pages
Review
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful. Great Detail on the Small battle That Shocked the UnionBy Daniel HurleyAlthough I have read and enjoyed Byron Farwell's book on the disastrous Balls Bluff battle that caused such a psychological shock on the Union; Morgan's book provides deeper analysis into what occurred virtually blow by blow that will appeal greatly to the serious Civil War student. The book may be a bit challenging for those less familiar with Civil War history due to depth of the descriptions that breakdown movements virtually by company; however; the several maps included provide a great assistance. The numerous bios and command distinctions does slow the action some times and causes periodic distraction. Morgan describes the battlefield with references to its modern state making it a particularly handy read and companion when visiting the battle site that has suffered some modern encroachment. What I found most interesting about this book is the study of both the union command structure; which was fragmented between commanders of similar rank compounded by the late arrival of the commanding officer Colonel Baker. The force that was initially suppose to be a reconnaissance in force across the Potomac coordinated with a lower movement at Edward's Ferry and a move by McClellan further east but its purpose seemed to lend itself to full committed due to a misperception of grautious success. The author also provides a profile of the odd confederate command with the infamous Major Evans commanding in spite of Colonel Hunton's superior rank. Morgan does a great job capturing the detailed movements of all the forces involved resolving some of the mystery of confederate forces that were largely unseen by the union forces. The command structure of the Union is handicapped by faulty information supplied by an earlier scouting expedition that misinterprets landmarks for a confederate encampment. This confusion contributes to the poor disposition of troops that concentrate on the south and west while the majority of the officers recognize that the east wooded area that also encompasses a ravine; is the most vulnerable area. This recognition of the east vulnerability is discovered late; not long after the commander; Colonel Baker; arrives on the scene. Morgan takes away a lot of the mystery of what happens next by detailing the confederate attacks and late union shifting of units that ultimately leads to a collapse of the union position. With the high bluffs on their back with a relatively deep river behind; the collapse of the union left leads to an abrupt fragmentation of order. Morgan goes further in his book describing the overall campaign that is obviously hindered by the newness of the war's command structure and communications. Neither Stone; overall commander at Balls Bluff and Edwards Ferry; nor McClellan has a real feel for what is occurring until the collapse. Morgan also captures the fighting around Edwards Ferry that coincided with Balls Bluff and McClellan's ineffective movements that contributed to the isolation of Baker's forces. In addition; Morgan tells how General Stone is severely punished; including incarceration; by vengeful politicians and is neglected by General McClellan. Baker was a popular politician and friend of Lincoln's that contributes immensely to the severe reaction to this union defeat. In this book; Morgan also provides a walking tour of the battlefield that identifies significant landmarks even obscured by modern housing units. This is the ultimate book that will give you the in-depth story of this small battle that had far reaching effects on the north while also assisting you in your visit to the battlefield. Farwell's book is also a good read and captures more detail on Stone's fall.2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Great Book about an Overlooked Battle w/Big RepercussionsBy Chris Mackowskifrom EmergingCivilWar.com:With the 151st anniversary of the Battle of Ball's Bluff coming up; I wanted to take a minute to plug James Morgan's fantastic little book about the battle; A Little Short of Boats: The Battles of Balls' Bluff Edwards Ferry; October 21-22; 1861. I've written before about the huge impact of this little battle; and last year; I was lucky enough to have Jim show me around the battlefield. He's a man who not only knows his stuff; but he's passionate in the way he shares it. A Little Short of Boats is a tale well told."In the pre-dawn hours of October 21; Charles Devens was not a happy man;" Jim writes: "he had been ordered to lead his first combat mission on virtually no notice; with 300 green troops; at night; across a swollen and swiftly running river; into an area about which he had little information; and he had to get started immediately."Jim immediately establishes the high stakes on the field for "the scratch force that fought at Ball's Bluff." Some 1;700 soldiers would get embroiled in the fight; which would deteriorate into a fiasco: 1;002 of them ended up killed; wounded or missing--most of them driven off the bluff into the Potomac River by Confederates.One of those casualties was Colonel Edward Baker; U.S. Senator from Oregon and commander of the Union forces on the battlefield. "His command was...as accidental as the battle in which he died;" Jim writes. "In the end; he became the only U.S. Senator ever to be killed in combat."Brig. Gen. Charles P. StoneBaker's death--due largely to his own mishandling of his troops--triggered a hunt for scapegoats; and fingers all pointed to Baker's commander; Brigadier General Charles Stone. "Phil Kearny; who was a serious soldier himself; called Stone `the ablest man in the army;'" Jim told me last year.The battle; relatively tiny in the large scope of things; had huge repercussions because it triggered the formation of the Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War; which spent the next three and a half years staring over everyone's shoulder; armchair generalling from the safety of Washington and creating a hyper-political element that was as damaging as anything the Confederates did.Jim's book offers an outstanding chronicle of the events leading up to the battle and of the battle itself (as well as the side action at Edward's Ferry). Events played out in a way that confused the participants of both sides; but Jim unravels them all and clearly lays them out. Readers can not only follow what happened but understand why each side misinterpreted the confusion the way they did.As a guide at the battlefield; Jim knows the terrain intimately; which gives his interpretation of events insight and accuracy. He also pulls on hundreds of primary sources to flesh out his narrative.Fortunately; he doesn't just stop with the battle itself and its immediate aftermath. He also spends time exploring the ramifications of the battle: the fate of Charles Stone; the formation of the Joint Committee; the battle's unfortunate legacy. "That cursed Ball's Bluff haunts the souls of our chiefs;" a Union general later remarked.Check out Jim's book. A Little Short of Boats is a great piece of history.2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. UNION DISASTER ON THE POTOMAC; OCTOBER 21; 1861By CTS 2631This is just a great book! James A. Morgan III has put together an outstanding account of the battle of Ball's Bluff and the skirmishing at Edwards Ferry (October 21-22; 1861). He sets up the situation in northern Virginia on the banks of the Potomac in late 1861 so that it is easy for the reader to understand why and how the events unfolded as they did.The commander of the Union Army of the Potomac; Major General George B. McClellan was concerned about his armies right flank on the upper Potomac and the threat of a Confederate move from Leesburg; Virginia around that flank and a dash for Baltimore; Maryland. There was a Union Division posted in the area under the command of Brigadier General Charles P. Stone. On the Confederate side Colonel Nathan G. "Shanks" Evans commanded just a brigade at Leesburg and had no plans for an offensive but was constructing fortifications. Evans felt he should pull back from the town because it was an exposed position. When he did 16-17 October; 1861 he set in motion the events that led to the disaster at Ball's Bluff. McClellan was surprised by the withdrawal and started a reconnaissance on the Virginia side of the river by a division. But this recon did not make it to Leesburg and was ordered back on the day of the battle at Ball's Bluff. Stone did not know this and turned a patrol across the Potomac at Ball's Bluff into a raid based on faulty intelligence in conjuntion with a Union diversionary crossing downriver at Edwards Ferry; that eventually became a reconnasiance/advance toward Leesburg under the command of Colonel/Senator Edward Baker (Baker's tactical decisions that day did not help the Union cause); that turned into a disastrous battle for Union forces at Ball's Bluff when forced to retreat across the rain swollen Potomac after running into stiff resistance from Evans' troops who had been ordered to reoccupy the Leesburg area.McClellan lost a lot of prestige with the Lincoln administration because of the defeat and this and the earlier rout of Union forces at First Bull Run led elements in the government to form the Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War (JCCW) to investigate the military reverses. Stone; a man who had made some enemies in the army (who later testified against him to the JCCW) and the government; acted under the impression that his movements would be supported by the Union division on the Virginia side of the river and due to communication errors between himself and McClellan never realized such support did not exist. He was blamed for the disaster; investigated by the JCCW; arrested (but later released); and basically had his career in the army destroyed. Colonel Baker; who had powerful friends in the government (including President Lincoln; Baker was one of his best freinds); died at Ball's Bluff a martyr and never recieved the blame he deserved for the defeat. Evans was promoted to the rank of Brigadier General for his part in the battle.The author writes very well so it was easy to read the book and keep up with events even though Ball's Bluff is a battle I was not that familiar with. The research is outstanding. An examination of the Bibliography makes that quite clear. And the author has a thorough knowledge of the parts of the battlefield that have not been lost to modern development because he got out and toured the battlefield on foot.The book has twelve maps that really made it easier to keep up with what was going on as I read the book. There is one Theater of Operations Map that worked really well at showing all the locations mentioned in the book (both sides of the Potomac; Washington D.C.; Leesburg; Ball's Bluff; Edwards Ferry); nine battle maps showing the action at Ball's Bluff at various times throughout the day of 21 October; 1861 and two battle maps for the skirmishing at Edwards Ferry 21-22 October; 1861. The battle maps are really good at showing troop positions; movements and the terrain features. I only wish there had been an Area of Operations map showing the entire Leesburg region (Leesburg; Ball's Bluff; Edwards Ferry) so I could have had a better overall mental picture of the contested area. I recommend using "The Maps Of First Bull Run" by Bradley M. Gottfried to get an even better understanding of what happened; but the maps in this book can stand alone. Much better than the maps found in most American Civil War books.The book is realy well illustrated with fifty two pictures of participants; maps drawn by participants and period newspapers; aerial photos; modern photos of the battlefield taken by the author and more. The book ends with a great Walking/Driving Tour that I intend to use if I am ever in the battlefield area. Five great Appendixes provide even more information for the reader including detailed Order of Battle; more information on a couple of the participants; the death of Colonel Baker; and the Memorials at the battlefield. The Endnotes also contained a lot of additional information that I found interesting.This is a fantastic book on a small American Civil War battle that I cant recommend enough. This is the first title I have read from Ironclad Publishing and I cant wait to get another one. Outstanding; check this one out!
