Redcoats

[jbg]

I just finished Steven Brumwell's book Redcoats. I thought it was an outstanding book, though it dealt little with the British soldier's experience in the French and Indian War and what Brumwell referred to as the "American War". Having also read White Devil, all I can say is that I recommend both books highly. It gives a tremendous insight to the daily workings of the British army from 1750-1850, and a real feeling for what those who "took the King's shilling" lived through.

 

[Gary]

I was more impressed with Redcoats than White Devil. However, while Brumwell makes the argument that the redcoats did adapt to forest warfare, they were still nowhere close in skill to that of their Indian counterpart. A very good point he makes is that the British American Army that won the war by 1760 was no longer in existence by the time of the Revolution. It had been decimated in the Carribeans or disbanded by 1760. Either way, many skilled veterans were not there to rally to the colors in the family feud that stretched across the pond.