American Revolutionary War

Best short history--"The Glorious Cause" by Robert Middlekauff


Best new book on it--"1776" by McCulloch

There are several good new biographies out there--on Hamilton, Washington, Adams, etc.

 

One book I really enjoyed and highly recommend is "Founding Mothers" by Cokie Roberts. Gives the perspective from the wives point of view and how some of them contributed to the war.

1776 is great, too!

 

I enjoy reading about the Revolutionary War and the Civil War.

 

Hey Nate,

Living in the Commonwealth puts me in an advantageous position, as numerous battlefields for both wars are within driving distance of Richmond. I actually live downtown, so I live and work right where the city was torched as the Union army took the city. I also spend a great deal of time on Belle Isle, which is the site of a large prison camp for Union POW's. Not as overwhelming as the large one in Andersonville, GA (visited that while on a business trip last summer), but still a somber place.

I highly recommend the book Richmond Burning if you like to read about the Civil War.

Regards to you,
BiR (actually in Idaho at the moment)

 

Mark,

One that I enjoyed as an inspirational history was Benson Bobrick's Angel in the Whirlwind. Also one of my favorite publishers, Liberty Fund, has recently re-published Bernhard Knollenberg's The Origin of the American Revolution and The Growth of the American Revolution at www.libertyfund.org. Both books are excellent. Neither of these books looks much at the military side, which it seems is what you're looking for, though.

 

I enjoy reading about the Revolutionary War as well.

When my wife and I were married we took our honeymoon in Williamsburg VA. We of course had to go and see Yorktown to- it was awesome. Many of the earthworks are still visible from the battle, and period cannon has been placed there as well.

 

4HG,

I took a tour of the Yorktown battlefield several years ago and learned that it was also a Civil War battlefield.

 

Excellent point, ftr!

The same is true of Jamestown, as the earthworks that were built to defend the James River from the Union are still standing. Actually, I have some great pictures of both places.

BTW, neither of you would recognize Yorktown now, as the waterfront is being transformed into a village of shops and restaurants. I suppose they are tired of watching Williamsburg get the lion's share of the tourism dollars. A little cheesy, but still very nice.

I go down to the Triangle to bike every week. My goal is to ride the Colonial Parkway from Jamestown to Yorktown; however, I am not that good just yet.
<blush>

Haven't heard from you in a while, PM me when you get a second.

BiR (in downtown Atlanta)

 

BiR,

Thanks for the note, it's great to hear from you. PM sent.

Thanks, too for the info re Jamestown. I've been there once but didn't see the earthworks. It would be an obvious great place to build them in such a campaign.

Take care, my friend. I hope you're safely back home, but I suspect you're now in a different part of the country. As always, I wish and pray for your safe travels.

 

The Patriot is one of my favorite movies. Does that count?

 

I will reply to you when I get a little more time.

I'll see if I can get some pictures this weekend and post them for you.

Thank you VERY MUCH for that.
I am safely back in Richmond, thanks in part to your diligent prayers.


God's Blessings to you and yours, ftr,
BiR

 

I'll see if I can get some pictures this weekend and post them for you.</font>[/QUOTE]Greetings FTR:

Sorry for the delay, but I have been SO BUSY these past few weeks. I went to Jamestown and took pictures last week, but haven't loaded them to my workspace. I will take care of that and post a link.

Hope your life is less hectic than mine,
BiR (actually in Richmond this weekend)

 

Twas Seeding Time by John Landis Ruth presents "A Mennonite View of the Revolutionary War."

I found this to be a very interesting book since it details how that war affected this historically pacifist (or as they prefer to call it, "non-resistant") group.

Having grown up in that area of PA, it always fascinated me to read of what life was like for them back then.

One of the ironies I found out by reading this book was that the man for whom Nashville (where I now live) was named, Gen. Francis Nash of NC, wound up being buried in a Mennonite church cemetery in a little town that for many years was the one in which my sister was Postmaster (Kulpsville, PA).

About 15 years ago I was able to secure a small metal seal of the City of Nashville (or, more correctly, Metro Nashville & Davidson County) that my brother--who was also living in Nashville at the time--and I placed placed at Gen. Nash's gravesite when we were at home for Thanksgiving.