5 comments about Revolution Downeast: The War for American Independence in Maine.

1. I had to read a Historical Non-Fiction book for my History class. I chose this one because it only had 223 pages. Everyone else had to read like a 600 page book. But, I payed my price. I think that this book sucks.(and that's being nice). I have never read anything so boring in my life. It is like reading 300 pages out of your history book. I know some people are actually in to this stuff,(if you have no life). So learn from my mistakes and please never ever read this lousy book. THE END.



2. The Revolution in Maine has been by and large ignored by professional historians but Leamon effectively reveals the dimensions of revolutionary events in Maine. One need not be a professional, however, in order to enjoy this book. Leamon's prose makes the book's content both accessible and enjoyable. :) I highly recommend this book.



3. Professor Leamon's wealth of knowledge and pithy style make this book a delight. I'm not a fan of positivistic approaches to history, but Leamon's insights, analysis, and strong literary voice endow Revolution Downeast with special character. It is obvious that Mr. Leamon devoted years of his professional career to ensuring the durability and integrity of his work.



4. _Revoltion Downeast_ is a fascinating look at the role Maine played in the American Revolution. While not quite the density of Prof. Baiylin's work, the book can be slow going. Being a Maine native myself, I found this book to be particularly interesting. Reading about the American Fleet at Penobscot Bay, I didn't know whether I should laugh or cry. This is definately a must read for anyone from around here.



5. This is a fine book - James Leamon gives the reader very interesting insights into this field of history. I have a post-modern view of academics and enjoy finding information that is ignored by others for one reason or another. Any serious student (especially of this period) will find this book a valued addition to his of her own library. I rate it 5 stars and a thanks to the author.

1 comments about The Formation of a Planter Elite: Jonathan Bryan and the Southern Colonial Frontier.

1. This book has helped my family learn about some of our ancestors.
   
   Jonathan Bryan was a fascinating character: a founder of the city of Savannah and colony of Georgia, developed peaceful trade relations with the Creek Indians, illegally taught his slaves to read, endowed one of the oldest black churches in the country, served on the Committee of Correspondence for Georgia, and fought in the American Revolution and spent two years on a British navy brig in New York Harbor--when he was more than 70 years old.

No comments about Black Courage 1775-1783: Documentation of Black Participation in the American Revolution.

3 comments about The Revolutionary War in the Hackensack Valley: The Jersey Dutch and the Neutral Ground, 1775-1783.

1. Leiby's book draws on a range of primary sources and concentrates on the Hackensack River Valley in New Jersey (extending up to Rockland County, NY). Few modern books go into as much detail for this region as does Leiby. His documentation is sound and he uses it to construct a dramatic narrative of the Revolutionary period. Excellent also for genealogists. However, genealogists may sometimes be a little frustrated that Leiby chose the most archaic form of each surname rather than attempt to arbitrate the most "accurate" spelling.

   One serious complaint, from the perspective of an historian, is that Leiby sometimes seems methodologically naive in his nearly uncritical support for the American side. He does not try to understand the Loyalists. Many of them were decent people, as demonstrated by books such as Philip Ranlet's The New York Loyalists. I think Leiby's book would have been much richer for it. Leiby is definitely worth reading.




2. This was a great book for learning about the events, the backdrop of religious civil war, and the loyalties of the inhabitants of Bergen County during the American Revolution. The book is well written and fairly thorough. It will be of interest to anyone who wants to know how the Revolution played out in one area for the entire duration of the war. More interesting since it was a hotly contested area where neighbors had a visceral hatred for each other.

   The writer is unabashedly pro American, but so what? At least he's not veiling his biases as is the tendency of far too many historians.

   I do wish that the maps were a)more readible, b) accompanied by modern maps for comparison -- I still can't find where Liberty Pole is/was.




3. Most people with even the most basic understanding of the founding of America and the conflicts this country went through know that Virginia was the main battleground for the American Civil War. The first large-scale engagement was fought in Manassas and Lee surrendered in Appomattox, and Virginia has done an excellent job with it's "Civil War Trails" highlighting this history.

   Why then, is New Jersey not given the same attention for its role in the war? This book, a perfect companion to "Washington's Partizan War", gives a wonderful account of what seven years of war in northern New Jersey and southern New York was like.

   Besides the British occupying New York City and several blockhouses across the river in New Jersey, this theater of the war was very different. The inhabitants were almost all Dutch, either remnants of New Netherlands or adopted by the culture, but of two very different view points on both religion and politics. A disagreement over governance of the Dutch Reformed Church in the 1760s spilled over into the Revolution, with lines being drawn between Tory and Whig, Loyalist and Rebel. Though the Carolina Backcountry gets most of the attention of the "civil war" aspect of the Revolution, what went on in New Jersey was on a larger scale and longer duration.

   This book will not only tell you of the "Retreat Across the Jerseys", the battles of Paramus, Paulus Hook, Hackensack, Bull's Ferry, the Tappan Massacre, etc., but it is wonderfully documented with detailed footnotes, the mark of any good scholarly work. Any student of the area or the war will appreciate the leads this gives for in depth study on this topic.

No comments about Roster of South Carolina Patriots in the American Revolution. Volume I, A-J.

No comments about Roster of South Carolina Patriots in the American Revolution. Volume II, K-Z.

5 comments about Texian Iliad: A Military History of the Texas Revolution.

1. Reading this book, seeing his numerous appearances in historical documentaries and hearing him lecture, has set Stephen Hardin apart as the consummate authority on Texas history. In his book, TEXIAN ILIAD: A MILITARY HISTORY OF THE TEXAS REVOLUTION, Hardin goes far beyond the usual narratives on Texas history, which often tend to narrow their scope to selected events such as the Alamo, San Jacinto, or possibly Goliad. Here, you will find a detailed account of the events, which led up to the revolution as Hardin begins his narrative with the 1824 overthrow of the constitutional government by Santa Anna and ends with his capture at San Jacinto.
   
   Of particular note is how dysfunctional the Texian militia was. Hardin concisely depicts the seemingly endless power struggle and how many of the volunteers followed their own leader and ignored "high command", such as it was. Most people are fairly familiar of the power struggle between Travis and Bowie, but those two merely scratched the surface of squabbles among the Texian forces. Hardin also does a much better job than most historians at portraying the valuable contributions of the tejanos, led by Juan Seguin.
   
   The book is also laden with wonderful illustrations, maps, photographs and portraits. It concludes with forty pages of author's notes and perhaps the most comprehensive bibliography available on Texas' struggle for independence. If your goal is the best accounting of the Alamo, there may well be superior sources, but for an overall narrative of the entire history of the Texas Revolution, this book is at the top of the list.
   
   Monty Rainey
   www.juntosociety.com



2. I got hooked on the Alamo after reading "The Gates of the Alamo" and started trying to find more info on the battle. I read about 9-10 books and this one was always mentioned as a good reference source, with good reason. This book just gives you the facts and reserves judgement.



3. If you can only afford/read one book on the Texas Revolution, professional historian Stephen Hardin's military history "Texian Iliad" is still the best. Simply without peer.



4. For an avid buff of Texas history, this is a breath of fresh air, detailing things about the legendary founding fathers of the Lone Star State - notably Houston, Austin, Travis, Bowie and Crockett -- that you just don't find in most standardized works. What's even more refreshing is the objectivity on display when it comes to telling things from the Mexican side of the conflict, particularly Santa Ana's remarkable rise, fall, rise, fall, and rise again to prominence among Mexican politicians, as well as his own subordinates' questioning of his tactics, and his cold heart, particularly when it came to the slaughter of the captured Crockett. A must-read for any native Texan to see the story beyond the glamorized view of the siege of the Alamo.



5. I picked up this book after a visit to the Alamo, because I wanted a better understanding of the military events leading up to the siege. This book fits the bill! Each of the 10 chapters corresponds to a battle of military phase in the events of 1835-1836, starting with the Gonzales "COME AND TAKE IT" skirmish all the way to the lopsided slaughter at San Jacinto. For a short book, it is wonderfully illustrated, with drawings and descriptions of different soldiers, excellent diagrams of the Alamo defense/assault and the San Jacinto battlefield, and numerous portraits of the major figures of the revolution. The vivid descriptions of the battlefield events bring to mind the detailed tactical descriptions given by John Keegan (e.g., Face of Battle) and Victor Davis Hanson (e.g., Western Way of War, Soul of Battle).
   
   Although I gave this book 5 stars (the good stuff is that good), it started to disappoint near the end. First, in an apparent attempt to remain "objective", the author's reluctant/circumspect language becomes irksome in places, and works in one direction. For example, regarding the Goliad massacre (in which 342 Texians were killed in cold blood, a week after their capture), the author writes "The so-called Goliad Massacre is traditionally depicted as an example of Mexican perfidy because the volunteers believed they would be treated as prisoners of war. It also represented, however, a lost opportunity for Santa Anna." Can't we objectively agree that this was indeed a perfidious massacre? The author holds nothing back later on when describing the carnage during San Jacinto (over three pages of examples): "bloodthirsty rebels committed atrocities at least as beastly as the Mexicans had...bloodthirsty Texians...acts of cruelty...the imagination reels...several Mexican corpses scalped...bloodletting continued...they killed until they were too exhausted to kill". Please know I am not discounting the reckless bloodlust present at San Jacinto; but the disparity in treatment was striking.
   
   A second issue worth noting is the author's apparently strong dislike of Sam Houston. The tension between Houston and his army, the army's independent spirit, and Houston's downright luck in the days leading up to San Jacinto are well known - indeed, victory at San Jacinto was made possible by the army's (in some cases) open disobedience of Houston's orders, and acting in the absence of orders. However, the author provides no plausible positive explanation for Houston's motives during the army's eastward retreat (In "Lone Star Nation", H.W. Brands suggests Houston may have been looking to gain assistance form US forces across the Sabine river - I highly recommend Brands' book as a companion to Texian Iliad because it provides a fuller and more nuanced treatment of both the flaws and virtues of the big characters in the Texas Revolution). But it is true that Houston's strategy at the time largely remains a mystery. What seemed bizarre was what the author chose to include after the battle of San Jacinto - several pages of bitter criticism of Houston by his contemporaries, with no other perspectives given (objectivity is out the window for this portion of the book) - the partisan Houston-bashing seems out of place and ends the book on a somewhat sour note.
   
   However, with these caveats in mind, I highly recommend Texian Iliad. The good stuff is that good, and you'll get fantastic descriptions of the important skirmishes and battles of the Texas Revolution.

No comments about West Virginians in the American Revolution.

5 comments about Eighteen Minutes: The Battle of San Jacinto and the Texas Independence Campaign.

1. The brave Texans who fought and died in the Battle of San Jacinto are only remembered in the footnotes of Modern U.S. History books and have never received credit for their magnanimous victory on the fields of San Jacinto. Rallying around the battle cry of the infamous phrases "Remember the Alamo" and "Remember Goliad," the Texan Army gained their independence by routing the Mexican Army of Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna Perez de Lebron (Otherwise known as Santa Anna to mortals). Stephen L. Moore's "Eighteen Minutes" uses the battle as a background to tell the story of the Texan Independence Campaign and the men who fought in it. In fact, Moore goes into too much detail by telling readers the names, ranks, and background of just about everyone who fought in the San Jacinto campaign, which is several thousand Texans and Mexicans combined. Exaggerations aside, "Eighteen Minutes" is a great book for those history buffs around the country, and I picked it up wanting to learn more about a war that is barely covered or remembered. I do not recommend it for anyone wanting a page-turner, but it is great history and a great history novel. Finally, the Texan freedom-fighters are given the credit they deserve. From one history buff to another, I applaud your effort Mr. Moore.



2. Written by a sixth generation Texan and a descendant of fighters who themselves battled for Texas independence, Eighteen Minutes: The Battle Of San Jacinto And The Texas Independence Campaign is an extensive retelling of the critical battle that established Texas as the Lone Star Republic, independent from Mexico. Drawing directly from and telling its story through the words of over 120 Texan and Mexican soldiers, Eighteen Minutes follows the actions of General Sam Houston and his Texas volunteers from one week after the fall of the Alamo to his victory at San Jacinto. Eighteen Minutes is an exhaustively researched, superbly written military history, laying out the brief yet utterly decisive battle in minute detail.



3. On a warm, partly cloudy afternoon on Thursday, April 21st in 1836 a smaller, poorly trained, ragtag army attacked a larger, better equipped force. In 18 minutes, a nation was born and over a million acres of land changed ownership. Ranked as one of the decisive battles of the western world,the author has done an excellent job tracing the history of the San Jacinto Campaign of the Texas Revolution. Using maps and first hand accounts (many of which have seldom seen the light of day) Stephen Moore tracks both the Texian and Mexican forces. Included are several useful muster rolls and lists show when and where the various volunteer units were formed. (The writer of this review had two ancestors at San Jacinto.) An added bonus are some outstanding paintings by Texas artist Charles Shaw.If you are studying the Texas Revolution in general or San Jacinto in particular, BUY THIS BOOK.



4. This book would not be the first to read on the subject of the 1835-1836 independence movement. 'Texian Iliad' is a good introduction. 'Eighteen Minutes' contains more detail than some readers would want in the names of persons, army organization, and so forth. The details provide what is needed by those wanting to investigate further, but little help is provided those readers lacking a understanding of the conditions of the time and place.



5. A great overview of the Texas Revolution, troops movements and motivations. The often told story of the climatic battle of San Jacinto [make that "San Haceento" not "San Yacinto"] is riveting. The small band of distraught and angry Texas survivors refuses to retreat further. Houston is forced to make the best of a bad situation and is forced to fight.
   
   Santa Ana was never worried. He'd whipped the Texans at Alamo. He'd butchered them at Goliad--and--the remaining Texans were running like scalded cats. Only worried that the Texas rebels might escape his vengeful hand, he splits his force into a three-prong dragnet. The morning the Texas forces show up, finds Santa Ana and his small army of regulares backed against the Buffalo Bayou.
   
   The General is so unconcerned, some recollections have it, that he was entertaining himself with a mulatto girl he'd picked up at one of the local plantations. This is the famous "Yellow Rose" of Texas song and legend. She gave her all for Texas and Santa Ana was caught with his pants down.
   
   The enraged Texans break the Mexican line screaming, "Remember Goliad! Remember the Alamo!" They remembered in blood. Pleading Mexican soldiers are backed into the bayou where they are shot, clubbed and knifed. Hatred between Texas and Mexico--hatred warmed at Alamo and heated at Goliad--came to a fatal boil at San Jacinto.
   
   The great Generalissimo-Presidente de Mexico, Antonio Lopez de Santa, when offered the choice between hanging from an oak tree and signing away Texas, chose the latter or, as Col. Enrique de la Pena said, "Travis was a land-thief and criminal but he gave his life for his country. Santa Ana, when given the opportunity of dying like a Mexican hero, decided to save his own cowardly neck."
   
   Ron Braithwaite author of novels--"Skull Rack" and "Hummingbid God"--on the Conquest of Mexico

5 comments about The Last Muster: Images of the Revolutionary War Generation.

1. I got this book on Monday in the mail and have been devouring this ever since...simply amazing. Viewing these images and mini-biographies for each photo, along with my other book "American Insurgents, American Patriots", puts a whole new face (many faces, actually) to the birth of our nation - it wouldn't have happened without the ordinary man and woman...these unsung heroes are the true founding fathers and mothers!



2. I am totally mesmerized. I cannot stop looking into the faces of people who lived during the time of Washington, Adams, and Jefferson. How unbelievable is it that photography was invented just in time to capture the faces of those who may have gazed upon the face of George Washington? It gives me chills and blows my mind!



3. I can't be too objective about this book because my 4G grandfather, John Langdon, is featured on pages 94-95. The daguerreotype reproduced there I have seen in the collection of the New England Historical Genealogical Society Library in Boston and it is very well reproduced considering its age and condition. I have been working on genealogy and my Langdon line for years, yet, in the short, one page write up, I found several facts or sources that were new for me. I love it.



4. A very interesting presentation of early photographs,history and genealogy. People who lived through the revolutionary war and their children, also alive at the time, are the subjects of the history. The photographs are amazingly clear and easy to see. The background information is well researched and presented in a readable format. I thought it was well worth the price.



5. Nowhere have I seen a table of contents. To help everyone out here it is:
   Molly Ferris Akin
   James Allen Jr
   Nathaniel Ames
   George Avery
   Anna Warner Bailey
   Daniel Frederick Bakeman
   Amos Baker
   Mary (Seeley) Batterson
   Hannah (Paxson) Betts
   Jesse Betts
   Josiah Brown
   Caesar
   Noah Callender
   Ezra Carpenter
   Chainbreaker
   Lemuel Cook
   Samuel Curtis
   George Washington Parke Custis
   Elizabeth Cutler
   Esther Damon
   Simon Dearborn
   Samuel Downing
   Pierre Etienne DuPonceau
   Ralph Farnham
   Sarah (Stevens) Fellows
   George Fishley
   Albert Gallatin
   John Gray
   Dr Ezra Green
   Josiah Walpole Hall
   Jonathan Harrington
   Conrad Heyer
   Ebenezer Hubbard
   Agrippa Hull
   Margaret Timbrooke Hull
   William Hutchings
   Andrew Jackson
   David Kinnison
   John Kitts
   Uzal Knapp
   John Langdon
   Enoch Leathers
   Dr Jonathan Leonard
   Morgan Lewis
   Dolley (Payne) Madison
   John McCrillis
   Alexander Milliner/Maroney
   Nikonah
   Tirzah (Whitney) Palmer
   Thomas Handasyd Perkins
   William Plumer
   Jeremiah Powell
   Isaac Rice
   Chief Sopiel Selmore
   Six Aged Citizens of Bennington Vermont
   Samuel Fay
   David Smiley (possibly)
   Isaac Snow
   Clark Stevens
   Flora Stewart
   Jabez Huntington Tomlinson
   Mary Hunt Palmer Tyler
   Nicholas G Veeder
   Nathan Walden Jr
   Daniel Waldo
   Abraham Wheelwright
   John Williams
   Huldah Welles Wolcott
   Joseph Wood Jr
   Sara "Sally" Sayward Barrell Keating Wood