In The Hurricane’s Eye
by Nathaniel Philbrick (2018)
Whenever I read about our victory at Yorktown I always ponder what was Cornwallis thinking? Of all the bad locations to place an army in southeast Virginia, Yorktown is a terrible choice. Philbrick does a great job explaining why that is and how the navy played such an important part of securing the American victory at the siege of Yorktown, which ultimately won the war.
Revolutionary Summer
by Joseph Ellis (2013)
The focus of this book is on the incredibly consequential actions taken by our Founders from May to October in the year 1776, which the author excuses as “a somewhat expansion definition of summer.” Ellis illustrates the intimate connection between the events by the military in the field and by the political figures and opinion makers. Each are dependent on the other while either providence or luck touched General George Washington’s men and delegate to the Continental Congress John Adams and his colleagues at key moments. Well written with the same sharp clarity as his other works on the American Revolution, Ellis is my favorite writer and this book is another great reason why.
The Drillmaster of Valley Forge
by Paul Lockhart (2008)
The Baron Friedrich von Steuben was an essential component to the American victory in the Revolutionary War. He taught and organized field movements, camp discipline, and ended up literally writing the book on Army regulations on order and discipline. Steuben brought experience from the Prussian Army and molded our young amateur soldiers in the image of professional Prussian regulars. This book is a comprehensive account of Stueben’s military career in Europe and America.
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