Almost A Miracle : The American Victory in the War of Independence

In this gripping chronicle of America's struggle for independence, award-winning historian John Ferling transports readers to the grim realities of that war, capturing an eight-year conflict filled with heroism, suffering, cowardice, betrayal, and fierce dedication. As Ferling demonstrates, it was a war that America came much closer to losing than is now usually remembered. General George Washington put it best when he said that the American victory was "little short of a standing miracle." Almost a Miracle offers an illuminating portrait of America's triumph, offering vivid descriptions of all the major engagements, from the first shots fired on Lexington Green to the surrender of General Cornwallis at Yorktown, revealing how these battles often hinged on intangibles such as leadership under fire, heroism, good fortune, blunders, tenacity, and surprise. Ferling paints sharp-eyed portraits of the key figures in the war, including General Washington and other American officers and civilian leaders. Some do not always measure up to their iconic reputations, including Washington himself. The book also examines the many faceless men who soldiered, often for years on end, braving untold dangers and enduring abounding miseries. The author explains why they served and sacrificed, and sees them as the forgotten heroes who won American independence. Contents......Page 6 Illustrations And Maps......Page 8 Preface......Page 12 Introduction: “My Country, My Honor, My Life”: Bravery And Death In War......Page 16 Part One: Going to War, 1775–1776......Page 28 1. “Fear Is Not An American Art”: The Coming Of The War......Page 30 2. “A Loss That Is Greater Than We Can Bear”: Going To War......Page 49 3. Choices, 1775......Page 76 Part Two: The War in the North, 1776–1779......Page 88 4. “Hastening Fast To A Crisis”: June 1775–June 1776......Page 90 5. Choices, 1776......Page 127 6. “Knock Him Up For The Campaign”: The Battle For New York, 1776......Page 135 7. “This Hour Of Adversity”: To The End Of 1776......Page 171 8. Choices, 1777......Page 202 9. “The Caprice Of War”: America’s Pivotal Victory At Saratoga......Page 219 10. “We Rallied And Broke”: The Campaign For Philadelphia, September–December 1777......Page 257 11. Choices, 1778......Page 274 12. “A Respectable Army”: The Grim Year, 1778......Page 289 13. Choices, 1779......Page 330 14. “A Band Of Brotherhood”: The Soldiers, The Army, And The Forgotten War In 1779......Page 341 15. “We Have Occasioned A Good Deal Of Terror”: The War At Sea......Page 374 16. Choices, 1780......Page 407 Part Three: The War in the South, 1780–1781......Page 422 17. “A Year Filled With Our Disgraces”: Defeat In The South, 1780......Page 424 18. “Southern Means And Southern Exertions”: Hope And Despair, June–December 1780......Page 459 19. Choices, 1781......Page 483 20. “Bloody And Severe”: The Pivotal Southern War, Early 1781......Page 492 21. “We Are Suspended In The Balance”: Spring And Summer 1781......Page 516 Part Four: American Victory, 1781–1783......Page 536 22. “America Is Ours”: Victory At Yorktown, 1781......Page 538 23. Choices, 1782......Page 555 24. “May We Have Peace In Our Time”: Peace And Demobilization,......Page 561 25. “Little Short Of A Miracle”: Accounting For America’s Victory......Page 577 Abbreviations......Page 591 Notes......Page 593 Bibliography......Page 668 Index......Page 678 "In this gripping chronicle of America's struggle for independence, award-winning historian John Ferling transports readers to the grim realities of that war, capturing an eight-year conflict filled with heroism, suffering, cowardice, betrayal, and fierce dedication. As Ferling demonstrates, it was a war that America came much closer to losing than is now usually remembered. General George Washington put it best when he said that the American victory was "little short of a standing miracle."Almost a Miracle offers an illuminating portrait of America's triumph, offering vivid descriptions of all the major engagements, from the first shots fired on Lexington Green to the surrender of General Cornwallis at Yorktown, revealing how these battles often hinged on intangibles such as leadership under fire, heroism, good fortune, blunders, tenacity, and surprise. Ferling paints sharp-eyed portraits of the key figures in the war, including General Washington and other American officers and civilian leaders. Some do not always measure up to their iconic reputations, including Washington himself. The book also examines the many faceless men who soldiered, often for years on end, braving untold dangers and enduring abounding miseries. The author explains why they served and sacrificed, and sees them as the forgotten heroes who won American independence."-- ProQuest Ebook Central resource page, viewed January 20, 2023 Almost a Miracle: The American Victory in the War of Independence ВОЕННАЯ ИСТОРИЯ, ИСТОРИЯ Издательство: Oxford University PressАвтор(ы): John FerlingЯзык: EnglishГод издания: 2007Количество страниц: 694ISBN: 978-0-19-518121-0Формат: pdf (e-book)Размер: 8.47 mb Rapid Ifolder 85 Describes the military history of the American Revolution and the grim realities of the eight-year conflict while offering descriptions of the major engagements on land and sea and the decisions that influenced the course of the war The sweeping dramatic narrative of how a young colony won victory in the American Revolution. John Ferling. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [653]-661) And Index.