Redcoats: The British Soldier and War in the Americas, 1755-1763In the last decade, scholarship has highlighted the significance of the Seven Years War for the destiny of Britain's Atlantic empire. This major 2001 study offers an important perspective through a vivid and scholarly account of the regular troops at the sharp end of that conflict's bloody and decisive American campaigns. Sources are employed to challenge enduring stereotypes regarding both the social composition and military prowess of the 'redcoats'. This shows how the humble soldiers who fought from Novia Scotia to Cuba developed a powerful esprit de corps that equipped them to defy savage discipline in defence of their 'rights'. It traces the evolution of Britain's 'American Army' from a feeble, conservative and discredited organisation into a tough, flexible and innovative force whose victories ultimately won the respect of colonial Americans. By providing a voice for these neglected shock-troops of empire, Redcoats adds flesh and blood to Georgian Britain's 'sinews of power'. |
Contents
Approaching the American Army | 1 |
Britains war effort in the Americas | 11 |
Gone for a soldier | 54 |
Following the drum | 99 |
The environmental parameters of American campaigning | 137 |
The American Army and Native Americans | 162 |
Irregular warfare in the Americas | 191 |
Other editions - View all
Redcoats: The British Soldier and War in the Americas, 1755-1763 Stephen Brumwell No preview available - 2001 |
Common terms and phrases
15th Foot 44th Foot 58th Foot Abercromby Albany American Army Amherst Army's August Barrington Black Watch Bouquet Britain's British Army British soldiers Camp campaign Captain Chelsea Cherokees Colonel colonial command companies corps Court Martial December desertion discharged enemy enlisted example expedition February fighting fire Forbes Fort Duquesne Fort Edward Fraser Fraser's Highlanders French garrison Grant grenadier Guadeloupe Havana Henry Bouquet History ibid Indians James James Wolfe John Johnson JSAHR July June Knox's Journal Lake George Letter Lieutenant Lieutenant-Colonel light infantry London Lord Lord Loudoun Loudoun Louisbourg Major Malcolm Fraser March Martinique Memoirs Military Montcalm Montgomery's Montreal Murray Niagara North America Nova Scotia October officers orders Oswego Pitt private soldier proved provincials rangers recruits redcoats regulars Rogers Royal Americans September Sergeant served Seven Seven Years War Siege of Quebec tactics Thomas Ticonderoga Townshend troops veterans victory warfare warriors whilst wilderness William Wolfe Wolfe's wounded York