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This Week in Books 1/24/2016 |
2016-01-24 |
Paul Revere's Ride David Hackett Fischer Oxford University Press, 1994 As to his style, Mr. Fischer begins his book with an accounting of the cover art which would make Sister Wendy take notice. I have to admit, when I opened this book I had no expectations. Now I wish I had read Albion's Seed beforehand. Not that I know what it covers, but because the author is so good at story writing and the topic's place in time that I know I missed something. Concerning: (page XIV, introduction) But one genre is strangely missing from this list. Professional historians have shown so little interest in the subject that in two centuries no scholar has published a full-scale history of Paul Revere's ride. During the 1970's, the event disappeared so completely from academic scholarship that several leading college textbooks in American history made no reference to it at all. One of them could barely bring itself to mention the battles of Lexington and Concord. Having read Washington's Crossing I thought this book would have an interesting tale of Paul Revere and his associates. Furthermore, Mr. Fischer dispels many myths and legends, noting and essentially beginning with "The British are coming!" As the colonials still considered themselves British, it was more likely, "The Regulars are coming!" as a call to alert. With much detail about their departure plan and tactics he notes the flower of the British: (page 238) Behind him came three regiments of British infantry. Pride of the place went to the 4th (King's Own) Foot, proudly bearing the monarch's cipher on its color, and the dark blue facings of a Royal regiment on its faded red tunics. Nobody trifled with the King's Own. Even their nickname in the army connoted high respect. They were called the Lions after their badge, which was the lion rampant of England. That emblem had been awarded for gallantry by William III and was proudly embroidered on all four corners of their regimental colors. In 1773, an inspector described the King's Own as "a very fine body of men, well dressed and fit." As it marched from Boston, an expert observer would have noticed that it was also exceptionally well equipped. The 4th had recently been rearmed with a new musket, two inches shorter and two pounds lighter than the previous issue, and so closely bored to the caliber of its ammunition that the regiment was among the first in Gage's army to be issued steel ramrods. Mr. Fischer recounts the battles of Lexington and Concord in an easy yet thorough way, both readable and detailed enough to give the sense of gunpowder and sweat. He follows up well: (Page 283) Lord Hugh Percy also fought at New York, with the same skill and courage that he had shown on the retreat from Lexington. He was instrumental in the capture of Fort Washington, the largest surrender of American troops up to that moment, and was promoted to Lieutenant General. But he grew so disgusted with the conduct of the war that he resigned his command and returned to Britain in 1777. Later he inherited the title of Duke of Northumberland. In his mature years he became one of the richest men in England, and also (it was said) one of the most irascible. His ill-temper was attributed to gout; perhaps his experiences in America played a role. Percy dies on July 10, 1817. Mr. Fischer draws a direct correlation between the experiences of the militia during the French and Indian War and the readiness, drills, and morale of those who fought at Lexington and Concord and eventually the War for Independence. It was the French and Indian War which put combatants against civil targets, a raid on commerce, which spurred the already embedded concept of a right to self defense. As it was said last week, "When seconds count, the king's soldiers are weeks/months away." It is a good read, and what a reading person wants: raw with a gulp of water or steeped and seasoned, imagining a new recruit to the King's Own, foot on the chair, comrades at arms pounding the table. |
Posted by:swksvolFF |
#3 Amazon used to carry Albion's Seed for Kindle. For some reason they don't anymore, and don't offer the usual option of asking the publisher to provide it. |
Posted by: trailing wife 2016-01-24 23:44 |
#2 I quite liked 'Albion's Seed.' |
Posted by: Glenmore 2016-01-24 16:38 |
#1 Ya made me look. My local library has this and other David Hackett Fischer books. |
Posted by: badanov 2016-01-24 16:18 |