The War of American Independence

Richard Middleton was for many years Lecturer and Reader in American History at Queen's University, Belfast. Among his various publications are The Bells of Victory: The Pitt-Newcastle Ministry and the Conduct of the Seven Years' War, 1757-1762 (Cambridge University Press, 1985 and 2002), Colonial America: A History to 1763 (Blackwell, 1992, 1996, 2002 (and 2011 with Anne Lombard) and Pontiac's War: Its Causes, Course and Consequences (Routledge, 2007). He is now an independent writer and scholar.

PREFACE and acknowledgements CHAPTER 1: Britain and America come to Blows, 1763-1775 [4] 1. John Bull and his Empire, 1763. 2. The Rights of British America 3. A Tea Party in Boston: Parliament versus Congress 4. The First Shot: Lexington and Concord CHAPTER 2: The Fighting Begins, 1775 [18] 1. Prospects and Perspectives of the Combatants 2. Bunker Hill and the Siege of Boston 3. Congress widens the Conflict: Canada 3. The Political Revolution: America Declares her Independence CHAPTER 3: Britain Reasserts her Authority, 1776 [44] 1. Patriots and Loyalists: The Factors of Identity 2. The Two Sides Prepare 3. The British Invasion of New York 4. Trenton and Princeton: the Patriot Cause Retrieved CHAPTER 4: The Unpredictable Fortunes of War, 1777 [73] 1. The British Plan a New Offensive 2. Howe Goes to Philadelphia 3. Burgoyne meets his match at Saratoga 4. The Maritime Dimension, 1775-1777 CHAPTER 5: France Comes to America’s help, 1778 [106] 1. The French Connection, 1775-1778 2. Britain’s Strategic Options 3. Naval Preliminaries in Europe 4. Valley Forge and the Fashioning of a New Army 5. Clinton: Retreat and Retrenchment 6. Britain ventures into Georgia CHAPTER 6: Spain Enters the Conflict, 1779 [143] 1. Spain and the American War 2: Britain faces Invasion 3. Stalemate in America 4. Britain, Spain and Gibraltar CHAPTER 7: Changing Strategies, 1780 [170] 1. The Bourbon Powers alter their Focus 2. The Struggle for Mastery in the West Indies 3. Britain Looks Southwards: The Campaign for the Carolinas 4. Northern Impasse: The Bankruptcy of Congress 5. Europe: The League of Armed Neutrality CHAPTER 8: The North American Frontier, 1775-1781 [212] 1. The Southeastern Mosaic 2. The Struggle for the Ohio and Illinois 3. The Devastation of Iroquoia CHAPTER 9: No Daylight at the Tunnel’s End, 1781 [237] 1. France seeks a Resolution 2. Washington’s Darkest Hour: the Continental Mutiny 3. The Royal Navy bids Europe defiance 4. Britain’s Southern Strategy Unravels CHAPTER 10: Resolution at Yorktown [270] 1. The War moves to Virginia 2. De Grasse and Rodney: The Naval Prelude 3. Cornwallis ensnared CHAPTER 11: End Game, 1782 [297] 1. The Political and Military Consequences of Yorktown 2. The War draws to a Close in America 3. Britain strikes back in the Caribbean 4. Europe: Final Operations 5. A Peace takes Shape: The Treaty of 1783 CONCLUSIONS AND CONSEQUENCES [319] APPENDIX: Washington on the art of Command, 10 Nov 1775 BIBLIOGRAPHY [327] INDEX