A COMPACT REFERENCE TO THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION: History, Orders of Battle, References and Glossary for all the forces in the American Revolution

Product Description

Why this series of books, and is it for you? For serious researchers or dedicated hobbyists, there is a great deal of information about the Revolutionary War available at the retail level– a regimental history here, a package of letters by a celebrity there – but there are not many one-stop resources. This series is that resource, and this first volume is the gateway to the rest of the series. Outside those few hundred semi-professionals in this field, most readers who are simply curious about the American Revolution are Americans, and their interest is largely in the American forces. In Britain and France, the other major players in the war, much greater wars and greater triumphs or defeats emerged only 20 years later in the Napoleonic Wars, and since that time very few European historians have engaged in studying a distant war conducted by small forces so long ago. As with any one-sided conversation, it quickly becomes the case that our understanding of what really did happen and why it happened is severely limited by all the things we know that just aren’t so. Perhaps as a result of this first volume, museums and textbooks will come to life for the more casual reader, in which case the other volumes will provide the details that go along with a deeper interest. This is the first volume of a series of five that comprise the complete compendium of the history, regiments and uniforms of all the forces involved in the American Revolution. The full set includes: I. History and Glossary (this book), also including a comparison of some common practices such as unit sizes and staff arrangements. II. American and Patriot Militia Regiments and Uniforms III. British and Loyalist Regiments and Uniforms IV. German Regiments and Uniforms V. French and Spanish Regiments and Uniforms This first volume provides the information that is common to all participating forces and therefore to all the other four volumes, such as: • common arrangements for organizations, ranks and staffs • detailed bibliography • glossary • and a concise history of the war in its phases with maps of key engagements. That history includes the orders of battle (i.e. which regiments were present at which battle). This volume, with its comprehensive overview and its detailed resources, is useful for both those just getting started on learning about the events of the period and for experienced researchers. The subsequent volumes in the series cover the details of uniforms, regimental colors, and other particulars unique to those forces, and in providing that detail it is often easy to overlook the context of time and opponents that affected how and why those regiments were deployed as they were. The book comes in multiple editions to suit varying needs and budgets: • A pocket-size (6”x8") edition of the book printed in black-and-white to make it more affordable. If you have that version, you may see the color illustrations through the link at the publisher's website. • A full-size (8”x11”) physical desk reference, making up for its lesser portability with the most readable tables and larger images. • A complete electronic version of all 5 of the series volumes, to serve as an accompaniment to the physical book when portability is necessary. About the author Ben Brown served in the Korean War and then enjoyed a varied and fascinating career as an international businessman and diplomat in Africa, the Middle East and Europe. He lives in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, almost within walking distance of the Brandywine battlefield. He also write "Imperial Colours", the ultimate cross-reference in the terminology of the ornate uniforms of the British, French and German military uniforms of the 1800s, also available through this publisher.