Osprey's examination of the COntinentals' first battle of the American Revolutionary War (1775-1783). General Sir William Howe's NewYork campaign gave the British their best chance of destroying the Continental Army and George Washington's resistance to colonial power. Having initially assembled his forces on Staten Island; Howe succeeded in dividing the Continentals; defeated them on Long Island and forced Washington to retreat to Brooklyn Heights. Under siege there Washington successfully extricated his troops and crossed the East River to Manhattan but soon had to fall back on Harlem Heights. After a few weeks Howe forced the Continentals north to White Plains and defeated them again. However; he allowed Washington to withdraw and preserve his army when more aggressive pursuit could have brought the campaign to a decisive conclusion and ended the war. Instead; with the British army rapidly weakening and facing huge manpower shortages; Washington emerged from a succession of defeats to produce what was ultimately a war-winning strategy. The author provides fascinating insights into a unique campaign in which a string of British victories ultimately led to failure and defeat.
#189014 in Books 2012-11-20 2012-11-20Original language:EnglishPDF # 2 9.20 x 2.27 x 6.09l; 2.84 #File Name: 1844677710758 pages
Review
25 of 26 people found the following review helpful. A Work of Major Importance in Understanding American HistoryBy William HullThis two-volume set presents a lot of history of England and its multi-century conquest of Ireland; and shows how methods of subjugation of the Irish by the English upper classes laid the groundwork for the eventual use of racial oppression against various people in the Americas; along with the irony that the racially-oppressed Irish generally became strong supporters of racial oppression once in the United States.The early history of slavery in colonial Virginia and Maryland occupies much of the second volume; and most of this history records methods used by the upper class plantation owners and their investors back in England to obtain limited-term slave labor from the multitudes of poor people from England; Ireland; Scotland; other European countries; Africa; and American Indians. The author presents evidence that those who survived their term of bondage became free (with all rights to property; etc.); regardless of ethnic origin; up until Bacon's Rebellion in the 1670s. He portrays part of this rebellion as the working-class rising up against the plantation owners; and makes the case that this threat against the social order prompted the upper classes to "divide and conquer" the lower classes by limiting slavery to Africans and "inventing the white race" in order to supply a social buffer group that would work to oppress the slave group as long as they had special privileges (even though they were still poor and struggling themselves). This also allowed the imposition of lifetime; hereditary bondage on the African-Americans; which had been another goal of the upper class; regardless of ethnicity of the slaves.The author also shows how things developed differently in the Caribbean; partly due to the differences of a sugar economy there as opposed to a tobacco economy on the mainland; the greater ability for slaves to run away on the mainland; and the excess of poor Europeans in Virginia and Maryland compared to the Caribbean.Overall; these two volumes present a very different view of our history than what we have learned in school; and give us a good starting point for understanding when trying to heal our common wounds.8 of 12 people found the following review helpful. very accurate review is real history presented correctly and with style.By george bakerit was a historical work that gave a correct view of western civilizations demonization of non white races of the human family.4 of 4 people found the following review helpful. Kindle it; maybe?By MOIf you're interested in this era and this history; this 2 volume set is for you. its worth the money. Very small print and pretty heavy to hold are the downsides.
