Connections- When I read chapters 55 through 58, it reminded me of the Deadliest Warrior television program. One episode analyzed General George Washingtons' most strategic victory. The show gave a bird's eye view of what the battle was like. It showed troop movement as well as the historians depicting what the seige would have been like. When I read the book it filled in all the holes left from the tv show as well as giving me a better understanding of what actually occured during the battle and what was going on in the minds of the generals.
Big Idea- At the end of the book when the Rebels and French lined the road as the British Army surrenderd there was a new idea that I finally felt coming through the book. The different armies including the rebels themselves started to understand that a fancy uniform does not make a soldier. It is the cause they are fighting for as well as the respect and pride they show to their fellow soldiers. The British and the French both had clean, expensive uniforms where as some of the Rebels were running around half naked. In the end the Rebels did not win because of how they looked or the medals their commanders received from battle, but by the spirt of fighting for what they believed in and not backing down from an opposing army that was clearly superior.
Reading Like a Historian
Turning Points- In the last third of the book the Rebels started to win major battles. These wins caused a boost in confidence as well as momentum that was large enough to carry them through the war and beat the British. The turning point for the Rebel Army started at The Battle of Cowpens. General Morgan made a devastating blow to an overtired British army. He used a strategy of retreating his front line to draw the enemies closer to his best men to slowly take down a large amount of men from the British forces. After this battle they used the same strategy in many other battles to slowly defeat the British.
Change and continuity- French Admiral De Grasse sailed his large fleet of war ships into the Chesapeake Bay blocking British ships from supplying Cornwallis's troops with food, anmunition, and reinforcements. This was a big change in strategy for the American forces. The American forces still continued to pursue General Corwallis and his troops, but their was less of a rush because the British supply line was closed. This allowed General Washington to pin the British against the Chesapeake Bay shoreline at Yorktown and slowly bombard them with French and American cannons eventually leading to the British surrendering.
Reading Thoughts Connections – A few days before I started this book, I had watched the “The Patriot” which revolves around the events of the American Revolution. I don’t know how much of “The Patriot” is actually factual, but one specific, important piece of strategy that was the same between the movie and the book was the use of the militia and the opinion of the British that they were worthless. In the book, the specific battle was at Cowpens. The Continentals planed to put the militia right in the middle of their attack, because they knew that once the militiamen started running, the British would quickly follow without realizing they were walking into a trap. The trap worked and the Continentals once again achieved a surprising victory.
Big Idea – Standing together around their British captives after the surrender at Yorktown, the French and American soldiers proved to the world that it doesn’t matter how fancy your uniforms are or how much money your king has, if you aren’t fighting for a cause you truly believe in, nothing matters. Another big idea from the end of the war can come from Washington swallowing his pride and asking the French about something he had no idea how to accomplish. Sometimes, the hardest thing in the world can be to ask for help, but Washington knew that if he was going to avoid destruction, he had to operate efficiently and effectively.
Reading Like a Historian
Turning Points - The obvious turning point that led to the end of the war was the approval of the French alliance. It was something that Benjamin Franklin had been working on and negotiating throughout the entire war and it definitely paid off in the end. The addition of troops to the army made a huge difference, but it was De Grasse and the French fleet completing the siege around Yorktown that forced Cornwallis to surrender.
Cause and Effect – Apart from the addition of the French fleet, Clinton’s indecisiveness and reluctance to send soldiers and the British Fleet to assist put Cornwallis in a position of no power. He had to obey the commands of Clinton, but it took days or weeks to get news from him, and every time, the commands were different. The last command Cornwallis received from Clinton before his surrender was for him to wait for rescue by the British fleet. By this order, Cornwallis was virtually handcuffed to the situation, awaiting word from Clinton on the rescue that would be too late in coming. Cornwallis tried to work within his boundaries, but the unfortunate weather and strict commands to stay still prevented him from attempting any real escape.
I can honestly say I have never seen this show, but it was sort of the same thing with “The Patriot” providing the basic visuals and the book providing the true facts about those visuals.
Once again, I fully agree. The Continentals and the entire country taught the entire world a lesson by not letting the most powerful nation in the world to just come into our homes and tell us what to do. We were clearly outnumber and had far less resources, but that doesn’t matter when you are forced to defend your own homes.
I loved the strategy used at Cowpens, and you are right on. After that battle, the Continentals never really looked back. Yes, they had their issues in New York, but they kind of carried the momentum from Cowpens into all the other battles.
At first, I honestly had no idea how much of an influence the French fleet would have on the conclusion of the war. I figured the French soldiers would be all Washington would need, but there is no way the war could have ended as it had without the De Grasse.
Generalization: With the exception of one or two battles the French Alliance with the colonies caused more frustration and problems than actual help. Very little assistance or cooperation was given to the continental army till the siege of Yorktown, for the French were mostly there for the excuse to campaign in the West Indies for control. They had their own agenda and many of the commanders of the French forces felt that Washington should not have had authority over them. The benefit of the entire alliance was the information given at Yorktown, which was the symbolic end of the war, so in a way the French were essential to ending the war.
Connection: The images of the frustration, horror and desperation were so vivid for the British camps during the campaigns of the Carolinas and Virginia that it reminded me of the Continental army’s first year of the war. The death from the weather, deserters, lack of supply, and the desperation switched the positions of Washington and Cornwallis in New Jersey when Howe chased Washington. The difference though is that Howe always let Washington get away this time Washington trapped Cornwallis and didn’t let him go till he surrendered.
Thinking Like a Historian:
Cause and Effect: Clinton was very much like Howe before him in the way that he believed that loyalists would flock to help the British cause because of this assumption he took too many soldiers forcing Cornwallis to spread his forces too thin. This allowed him to be trapped in Yorktown because of lack of man power.
Turning Point: By appointing Cornwallis to command the southern forces a serious breach in British efficiency was created. Clinton already thought Cornwallis was after his position, so by having him out of sight he also went out of mind too. If he felt that Cornwallis was not really in need of anything than he would ignore him because of this grudge that would cloud his thinking. This was one of the key factors of the result of the campaign that year.
Comment: Yes, Rachel was right on the head with her point about Cornwallis having his hands tied, because although he knew what he should do he was under orders not to move and had to follow them. That was something Clinton didn’t understand Cornwallis was not out to get and if he had understood that he may have been more inclined to send help sooner.
I have never seen "The Patriot", but the strategy that they used at cowpens was by far my favorite war tactic in the entier book.
I agree. I had a similar experience during my Eagle Project. I was supposed to know everything, but a problem came up and I was stumped. I figured it was better to get it done right by asking for help rather than to do it wrong and look like a fool later.
I'd agree even if the ships didn't attack anyone they played an equally significant role in capturing York Town.
I believe that the communciation was the biggest aspect in the war. I think that modern cell phones or walkie talkies would have played a larger role in winning a war than modern weaponry.
Importance- Throughout the last third of the book, I noticed Shaara made the soldiers sound more confident in themselves. They started to win battles and be happier between them. The feel of the camps seemed happier and livelier as apposed to the beginning of the book where the soldiers thought of camp as a prison. The reason for this is moral. I noticed how much moral can change an army and how important it is to keep it up.
Connections- I saw the ending of this book a lot like the ending of WWII. At the end of this book, it describes how quickly power had seemed to switch with the moral gained in the second section. This moral grew and grew as the success of each battles grew along with it. This reminded me of the Russian front in WWII, where the battle of Stalingrad gave the Soviet Union Army strength and moral to pushed back the German forces. In both cases, power shifted almost instantly and also the success of the army was in direct relationship to the moral.
Reading Like a Historian:
Differing Perspectives- All throughout the war, but especially revealing in the last third of the book, the rebels looked at themselves as this unstoppable force. The British looked at them as a bunch of peasants with no knowledge of war or any forms of fighting. In these two extremely different views, both have some parts of truth to them. The Continental army was very uneducated and untrained when it came to war, as half of them had no military background at all. With this truth within the British view, the Rebel's view upon themselves was correct to, at least in the third section of the book. The rebels were unstoppable at the end of the war. So both sides were correct about the American Army, but neither were fully complete.
Cause and Effect- One of the most important tactical moves was made in the third section of this book. When French Admiral de Grasse blocked off the York river so the British couldn't get supplies needed, power was changed instantly to the Rebels. When the Rebel army noticed this one big weakness the British had of fighting a foreign war, they found a way to take advantage of it. When the British couldn't receive their regular shipment of supplies they needed, they were severely crippled. The effects of this blockade created by ships were massive, and could be the reason the American's won the battle of Yorktown.
Comment: (Responding to Rachel's comment on Jake's comment)
I agree with you with many things. I agree the momentum carried through from the Cow pens really helped over come the small struggles they encountered afterwards. I think the momentum throughout the book was important. It helped them overcome a lot, and it helped with keeping soldiers moral up, which subsequently helped keep the momentum going.
I also agree how without de Grasse's tactical move of blocking the British supply shits, the war could have turned out differently. I feel this is probably one of the most underrated military moves of all time and deserves a lot more credit that was given.
Reading Thoughts Question- After reading the book, I still dont understand how the British didnt win. Why didnt they just crush Washington when they had the chance?
Importance- One of the most important aspects noted in the third part of the book was the way the Rebel soldiers felt. At the beginning of the book they felt like it was a lost cause, that there was no way they were ever going to be able to win the war, but by the end of the book, the soldiers were feeling happy and they were winning battles. The boost of happiness that spread out through Washingtons ranks gave the army the needed boost to push through the hard times and beat the British.
Thinking Like a Historian Turning Points- In the last section of the book, the Rebels started to win key battles that eventually led to them winning the Revolution, one key battle stood out in my mind and that was the Battle of Yorktown, simply because it basically marked the end of the war, and the first time that America had won its independence.
Cause and Effect- The blocking of the York river by French Admiral de Grasse was one of the most brilliantly planned war moves of all time. The rebels were destroying the British on land and had cornered them back against the sea, then the French fleet came and pinned the British army against the rebel soldiers and they surrendered. It was so awesome the way it happened, even though it took the French a long time to get here, it was a good thing they came when they did.
Comment- I agree with what Michael said when he noted how great of a tactical move it was when Admiral de Grasse blocked off the York river with the french armada. It was the finishing blow to a long fought battle and it helped make the British surrender.
Jacob Hehir
ReplyDeleteReading Thoughts
Connections- When I read chapters 55 through 58, it reminded me of the Deadliest Warrior television program. One episode analyzed General George Washingtons' most strategic victory. The show gave a bird's eye view of what the battle was like. It showed troop movement as well as the historians depicting what the seige would have been like. When I read the book it filled in all the holes left from the tv show as well as giving me a better understanding of what actually occured during the battle and what was going on in the minds of the generals.
Big Idea- At the end of the book when the Rebels and French lined the road as the British Army surrenderd there was a new idea that I finally felt coming through the book. The different armies including the rebels themselves started to understand that a fancy uniform does not make a soldier. It is the cause they are fighting for as well as the respect and pride they show to their fellow soldiers. The British and the French both had clean, expensive uniforms where as some of the Rebels were running around half naked. In the end the Rebels did not win because of how they looked or the medals their commanders received from battle, but by the spirt of fighting for what they believed in and not backing down from an opposing army that was clearly superior.
Reading Like a Historian
Turning Points- In the last third of the book the Rebels started to win major battles. These wins caused a boost in confidence as well as momentum that was large enough to carry them through the war and beat the British. The turning point for the Rebel Army started at The Battle of Cowpens. General Morgan made a devastating blow to an overtired British army. He used a strategy of retreating his front line to draw the enemies closer to his best men to slowly take down a large amount of men from the British forces. After this battle they used the same strategy in many other battles to slowly defeat the British.
Change and continuity- French Admiral De Grasse sailed his large fleet of war ships into the Chesapeake Bay blocking British ships from supplying Cornwallis's troops with food, anmunition, and reinforcements. This was a big change in strategy for the American forces. The American forces still continued to pursue General Corwallis and his troops, but their was less of a rush because the British supply line was closed. This allowed General Washington to pin the British against the Chesapeake Bay shoreline at Yorktown and slowly bombard them with French and American cannons eventually leading to the British surrendering.
Rachel Maguire
ReplyDeleteReading Thoughts
Connections – A few days before I started this book, I had watched the “The Patriot” which revolves around the events of the American Revolution. I don’t know how much of “The Patriot” is actually factual, but one specific, important piece of strategy that was the same between the movie and the book was the use of the militia and the opinion of the British that they were worthless. In the book, the specific battle was at Cowpens. The Continentals planed to put the militia right in the middle of their attack, because they knew that once the militiamen started running, the British would quickly follow without realizing they were walking into a trap. The trap worked and the Continentals once again achieved a surprising victory.
Big Idea – Standing together around their British captives after the surrender at Yorktown, the French and American soldiers proved to the world that it doesn’t matter how fancy your uniforms are or how much money your king has, if you aren’t fighting for a cause you truly believe in, nothing matters. Another big idea from the end of the war can come from Washington swallowing his pride and asking the French about something he had no idea how to accomplish. Sometimes, the hardest thing in the world can be to ask for help, but Washington knew that if he was going to avoid destruction, he had to operate efficiently and effectively.
Reading Like a Historian
Turning Points - The obvious turning point that led to the end of the war was the approval of the French alliance. It was something that Benjamin Franklin had been working on and negotiating throughout the entire war and it definitely paid off in the end. The addition of troops to the army made a huge difference, but it was De Grasse and the French fleet completing the siege around Yorktown that forced Cornwallis to surrender.
Cause and Effect – Apart from the addition of the French fleet, Clinton’s indecisiveness and reluctance to send soldiers and the British Fleet to assist put Cornwallis in a position of no power. He had to obey the commands of Clinton, but it took days or weeks to get news from him, and every time, the commands were different. The last command Cornwallis received from Clinton before his surrender was for him to wait for rescue by the British fleet. By this order, Cornwallis was virtually handcuffed to the situation, awaiting word from Clinton on the rescue that would be too late in coming. Cornwallis tried to work within his boundaries, but the unfortunate weather and strict commands to stay still prevented him from attempting any real escape.
Rachel Maguire
ReplyDeleteResponding to Jake’s comments
I can honestly say I have never seen this show, but it was sort of the same thing with “The Patriot” providing the basic visuals and the book providing the true facts about those visuals.
Once again, I fully agree. The Continentals and the entire country taught the entire world a lesson by not letting the most powerful nation in the world to just come into our homes and tell us what to do. We were clearly outnumber and had far less resources, but that doesn’t matter when you are forced to defend your own homes.
I loved the strategy used at Cowpens, and you are right on. After that battle, the Continentals never really looked back. Yes, they had their issues in New York, but they kind of carried the momentum from Cowpens into all the other battles.
At first, I honestly had no idea how much of an influence the French fleet would have on the conclusion of the war. I figured the French soldiers would be all Washington would need, but there is no way the war could have ended as it had without the De Grasse.
Alexis Abrego
ReplyDeleteReading Thoughts:
Generalization: With the exception of one or two battles the French Alliance with the colonies caused more frustration and problems than actual help. Very little assistance or cooperation was given to the continental army till the siege of Yorktown, for the French were mostly there for the excuse to campaign in the West Indies for control. They had their own agenda and many of the commanders of the French forces felt that Washington should not have had authority over them. The benefit of the entire alliance was the information given at Yorktown, which was the symbolic end of the war, so in a way the French were essential to ending the war.
Connection: The images of the frustration, horror and desperation were so vivid for the British camps during the campaigns of the Carolinas and Virginia that it reminded me of the Continental army’s first year of the war. The death from the weather, deserters, lack of supply, and the desperation switched the positions of Washington and Cornwallis in New Jersey when Howe chased Washington. The difference though is that Howe always let Washington get away this time Washington trapped Cornwallis and didn’t let him go till he surrendered.
Thinking Like a Historian:
Cause and Effect: Clinton was very much like Howe before him in the way that he believed that loyalists would flock to help the British cause because of this assumption he took too many soldiers forcing Cornwallis to spread his forces too thin. This allowed him to be trapped in Yorktown because of lack of man power.
Turning Point: By appointing Cornwallis to command the southern forces a serious breach in British efficiency was created. Clinton already thought Cornwallis was after his position, so by having him out of sight he also went out of mind too. If he felt that Cornwallis was not really in need of anything than he would ignore him because of this grudge that would cloud his thinking. This was one of the key factors of the result of the campaign that year.
Comment: Yes, Rachel was right on the head with her point about Cornwallis having his hands tied, because although he knew what he should do he was under orders not to move and had to follow them. That was something Clinton didn’t understand Cornwallis was not out to get and if he had understood that he may have been more inclined to send help sooner.
Jacob Hehir
ReplyDeleteI have never seen "The Patriot", but the strategy that they used at cowpens was by far my favorite war tactic in the entier book.
I agree. I had a similar experience during my Eagle Project. I was supposed to know everything, but a problem came up and I was stumped. I figured it was better to get it done right by asking for help rather than to do it wrong and look like a fool later.
I'd agree even if the ships didn't attack anyone they played an equally significant role in capturing York Town.
I believe that the communciation was the biggest aspect in the war. I think that modern cell phones or walkie talkies would have played a larger role in winning a war than modern weaponry.
Michael Lukasik
ReplyDeleteReading Thoughts:
Importance- Throughout the last third of the book, I noticed Shaara made the soldiers sound more confident in themselves. They started to win battles and be happier between them. The feel of the camps seemed happier and livelier as apposed to the beginning of the book where the soldiers thought of camp as a prison. The reason for this is moral. I noticed how much moral can change an army and how important it is to keep it up.
Connections- I saw the ending of this book a lot like the ending of WWII. At the end of this book, it describes how quickly power had seemed to switch with the moral gained in the second section. This moral grew and grew as the success of each battles grew along with it. This reminded me of the Russian front in WWII, where the battle of Stalingrad gave the Soviet Union Army strength and moral to pushed back the German forces. In both cases, power shifted almost instantly and also the success of the army was in direct relationship to the moral.
Reading Like a Historian:
Differing Perspectives- All throughout the war, but especially revealing in the last third of the book, the rebels looked at themselves as this unstoppable force. The British looked at them as a bunch of peasants with no knowledge of war or any forms of fighting. In these two extremely different views, both have some parts of truth to them. The Continental army was very uneducated and untrained when it came to war, as half of them had no military background at all. With this truth within the British view, the Rebel's view upon themselves was correct to, at least in the third section of the book. The rebels were unstoppable at the end of the war. So both sides were correct about the American Army, but neither were fully complete.
Cause and Effect- One of the most important tactical moves was made in the third section of this book. When French Admiral de Grasse blocked off the York river so the British couldn't get supplies needed, power was changed instantly to the Rebels. When the Rebel army noticed this one big weakness the British had of fighting a foreign war, they found a way to take advantage of it. When the British couldn't receive their regular shipment of supplies they needed, they were severely crippled. The effects of this blockade created by ships were massive, and could be the reason the American's won the battle of Yorktown.
Michael Lukasik
ReplyDeleteComment: (Responding to Rachel's comment on Jake's comment)
I agree with you with many things. I agree the momentum carried through from the Cow pens really helped over come the small struggles they encountered afterwards. I think the momentum throughout the book was important. It helped them overcome a lot, and it helped with keeping soldiers moral up, which subsequently helped keep the momentum going.
I also agree how without de Grasse's tactical move of blocking the British supply shits, the war could have turned out differently. I feel this is probably one of the most underrated military moves of all time and deserves a lot more credit that was given.
Logan Zastrow
ReplyDeleteReading Thoughts
Question- After reading the book, I still dont understand how the British didnt win. Why didnt they just crush Washington when they had the chance?
Importance- One of the most important aspects noted in the third part of the book was the way the Rebel soldiers felt. At the beginning of the book they felt like it was a lost cause, that there was no way they were ever going to be able to win the war, but by the end of the book, the soldiers were feeling happy and they were winning battles. The boost of happiness that spread out through Washingtons ranks gave the army the needed boost to push through the hard times and beat the British.
Thinking Like a Historian
Turning Points- In the last section of the book, the Rebels started to win key battles that eventually led to them winning the Revolution, one key battle stood out in my mind and that was the Battle of Yorktown, simply because it basically marked the end of the war, and the first time that America had won its independence.
Cause and Effect- The blocking of the York river by French Admiral de Grasse was one of the most brilliantly planned war moves of all time. The rebels were destroying the British on land and had cornered them back against the sea, then the French fleet came and pinned the British army against the rebel soldiers and they surrendered. It was so awesome the way it happened, even though it took the French a long time to get here, it was a good thing they came when they did.
Logan Zastrow
ReplyDeleteComment- I agree with what Michael said when he noted how great of a tactical move it was when Admiral de Grasse blocked off the York river with the french armada. It was the finishing blow to a long fought battle and it helped make the British surrender.
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