Lexington and Concord: The Beginning of the War of the American Revolution

Rating:
Summary: One of the best
Review: As far as I'm concerned, there are two essential books for the general reader interested in Lexington and Concord and the events of April 19, 1775. This is one of them. Tourtellot's attention to detail and his particular focus on Parker, Hancock and Adams adds some real human dimension to the standard history. He writes with clarity and insight and doesn't fall into the trap of easy characterizations. His portrayal of Thomas Gage is layered and complex, just like the man. By the way, the other essential book is David Hackett Fisher's "Paul Revere's Ride," which is a much more recent work.

Rating:
Summary: The Beginning of the Revolution and American Perseverance
Review: The book is a detailed chronology of the events that took place on April 19, 1775 in the Massachusetts towns of Lexington and Concord. It is also a narrative of the people, American and British, who played vital roles in the events that lead up to that fateful day when the first shots were fired commencing the War for American Independence. The book culminates with the Continental Congress's decision eight weeks later to establish a Continental Army with George Washington as its Commander in Chief. And, so as not to leave the reader wondering what happened to those whose lives were touched in one way or another by this first battle, Tourtellot finishes their stories, too.
Tourtellot goes into great detail describing both the physical landscape and political climate of America and that of Lexington and Concord in 1775, and then skillfully weaves the lives of the townspeople and their relationships, one with the other, into his story. The genealogies of the families involved, both the common folk and the major historical figures, are fascinating and add a personal touch to the history of that first skirmish. "The little group Captain Parker mustered on Lexington Common before daybreak on April nineteenth, 1775, had some of the characteristics of a family reunion" (p. 29). He makes the towns and their people come alive for the reader and adds a depth to the story that one does not get simply by reading about the Battle of Lexington and Concord from a history text or an encyclopedia. The contrasts of Samuel Adams and John Hancock make these two "larger than life" historical figures come to life in a new light. "Hancock was handsome...Adams was dumpy and palsied...Hancock...splendidly attired...Adams was so seedy that his friends had to buy him decent clothes..."(p.62). It has made this reader want to read more in depth about their lives along with those of men like Jonas Clarke, a relative of Hancock's, a pastor and political advocate of Lexington, Dr. Joseph Warren, patriot leader, Major General William Heath, the first American field commander. He does not forget an in depth look at the British and their officers in his story as their shortcomings and training play an integral part in the final outcome of this battle.
Tourtellot details the differences between the military forces of the Americans and the British and their differing military tactics. The American military was a hodgepodge of the men of the community who seldom mustered at the same time, whose leaders were chosen from the masses, and who would leave their ranks to return home to their families and fields. The British, on the other hand, were professional soldiers, with professional leaders, who marched on, whatever the odds and whatever they faced. He presents the soldiers as proper British citizens, highly mannered and considerate of the townspeople, and as their only objective, to capture and incapacitate the arms stored in Concord. However well intended the British soldiers were, a series of mis communications turned the seeming simple task into one that would enrage the colonials and add fuel to the already smoldering fire of the War for Independence. "Thus ended this Expedition, which from beginning to end was as ill planned and ill executed as it was possible to be...(Lieutenant Barker of the King's Own at his indictment" (p. 203).
Tourtellot has done extensive research in order to bring the events of the Battle of Lexington and Concord to life. The capacious "Notes" and "Bibliography" section of the book attest to his understanding of this important period in time. He has brought both sides of this conflict into perspective and offered the reader an in depth study of the story of Lexington and Concord. He has given the reader an understanding of the political, social, and emotional reasons why this conflict was so important in the birth of our nation.

Rating:
Summary: Iconic treatment of the birth of a nation
Review: The events of April 19, 1775, in Lexington and Concord obviously are central to the American story. In this marvelous work of narrative history, Arthur Tourtellot provides a seminal account of those events. As a visiting professor at a Boston university during the 2000-2001 academic year, I have had the good fortune of living in Lexington. I have spent many hours wandering the Minuteman National Monument, Battle Road, and the Lexington and Concord greens, with Tourtellot's book in hand. The area is quite different today then it was in 1775, of course. On the one hand, the towns obviously are much bigger. On the other hand, however, many of the cleared farm fields of 1775 are now covered with second growth forest. One cannot, for example, easily see North Bridge--let alone town center--from Punkatasset Hill. Nonetheless, Tourtellot's careful narrative makes the scene come alive. His clear telling of the story makes it possible for one to follow the action quite closely.

One of the most interesting aspects of Tourtellot's text is emphasis on the intersection of religion and politics in understanding the motivations of the population of Lexington and Concord. In particular, he puts Rev. Jonas Clarke (Lexington's town minister) at the center of the stage. As Tourtellot persuasively argues, it was Clarke's influence that led to Captain Parker's otherwise rather puzzling decision to take a stand with 60 or 70 men against hundreds of British regulars.

In sum, very highly recommended.

Rating:
Summary: Sam Adams, Master of Propaganda; John Hancock, Dunderhead!
Review: The title of this review gives you an idea why this book is such an enjoyable reading experience. Although the book gives a detailed analysis of the fighting at Lexington and Concord, and the British retreat back to Boston, it is not just another military history. Mr. Tourtellot provides such intimate detail, and he quotes from sufficient primary sources, that you feel you've come to know the famous, such as Sam Adams and John Hancock, and the everyday people that lived in Lexington and Concord and got swept up in the events of April 19th, 1775. Considering that the book is about such a serious subject, it is also surprisingly funny.....up until the shooting starts. This is certainly a case of farce turning into tragedy. If you'll pardon the pun, General Gage was such an engaging fellow that he made it clear that he wanted the Colonials handled with kid gloves. Again, up until the shooting started, the British were quite accomodating. They were very polite towards the populace, even when searching for weapons and powder. They went to one house and there was a room the owner wouldn't let them go into. She said that there was a woman in that room who didn't feel well, so the British didn't press the issue and didn't search the room. Of course, that was the one room in the house where gunpowder was being stored! The British excursion from Boston was a comedy of errors. It was supposed to be a surprise, but the Colonials knew all about it. There were endless delays in leaving Boston, which gave riders such as Paul Revere plenty of time to get to Lexington and Concord to warn people to hide weapons and gunpowder. Gage had given detailed orders on what he wanted done. For example, he wanted the soldiers to take confiscated musket balls, put them in their pockets, and drop them in dribs and drabs in ponds and streams. The soldiers actually found very little, since the inhabitants had plenty of time to hide things, but instead of dropping things in small quantities the soldiers pretty much dumped whatever they found in just a few areas.....making it easy for the Colonials to retrieve most of what was confiscated! You could say there was a lack of brainpower on the "hometeam" side as well.....such as tearing up the planks of a bridge leading out from Boston so that the British could not cross it, but then leaving the planks stacked up in plain sight.....so the soldiers just had to nail them back down and they were back in business! A running gag throughout much of the book is the relationship between Sam Adams and John Hancock. The author portrays Adams as a shrewd propagandist, a man who spent 10 years trying to stir up a rebellion and finally knew the big chance when he saw it. Hancock is portrayed as none-too-bright, vain, wealthy and easily manipulated by the psychologically astute Adams. Adams and Hancock were so sure the British were after them that they acted like two crooks on-the-run. Mr. Tourtellot's thesis, from going through the primary sources on the British side, is that the British couldn't have cared less about capturing the "dynamic duo." They just wanted to confiscate some cannon and gunpowder...period! To support his appraisal of Hancock as dunderhead, Mr. Tourtellot gives many examples. However, the funniest is probably when Adams and Hancock are in hiding in Lexington on the morning of April 19th, and suddenly they heard the sound of gunfire. This is what Adams was waiting for! He knew this could be used to unite the Colonies, finally, in a drive towards independence. Adams said, "Oh, what a glorious morning is this." Hancock's reaction was that he thought it was a strange time to comment on the weather! Adams (you have to wonder whether he smacked his head in exasperation) clarified the situation: "I mean what a glorious morning for America." Adams and Hancock, convinced that the British were coming (for them!) moved on to their next "safe house." Hancock had a messenger take a note to his aunt and fiancee, asking them to come and join him. Lest you think that Hancock by now might have had an inkling as to the importance of the day's events, he made sure he included in the note the following: He directed them "to bring the fine salmon that they had had sent to them for dinner." Of course, once the fighting starts, Mr. Tourtellot does not make light of matters. The British retreat towards Boston is recorded in harrowing detail...they were surrounded by superior numbers and were fighting for their survival. They sent out flanking parties to deal with snipers and the flanking parties did what they needed to do...such as burning down homes that they suspected were being used by snipers and killing able-bodied, though unarmed men, on the assumption that they were rebels. Not a bad assumption, really, when you understand that even men in their sixties and seventies were lurking in the woods, taking potshots at the British. One remarkable part of the book is where the soldiers came upon 78 year old Samuel Whittemore, who had just killed a couple of Redcoats. They shot Whittemore and beat him severely. They were satisfied that they had "killed the old rebel." Amazingly, Mr. Whittemore lived another 18 years....not dying until the ripe, old age of 96! Mr. Tourtellot also deals with the aftermath of the battle....showing how Sam Adams and others got maximum propaganda value from the day's events, exaggerating British atrocities (which were in actuality extremely rare) in order to set the Colonies on the road to independence and to influence opinion back in England. I consider this book a welcome and necessary addition to my collection of books dealing with the American Revolution.

Rating:
Summary: Sam Adams, Master of Propaganda; John Hancock, Dunderhead!
Review: The title of this review gives you an idea why this book is such an enjoyable reading experience. Although the book gives a detailed analysis of the fighting at Lexington and Concord, and the British retreat back to Boston, it is not just another military history. Mr. Tourtellot provides such intimate detail, and he quotes from sufficient primary sources, that you feel you've come to know the famous, such as Sam Adams and John Hancock, and the everyday people that lived in Lexington and Concord and got swept up in the events of April 19th, 1775. Considering that the book is about such a serious subject, it is also surprisingly funny.....up until the shooting starts. This is certainly a case of farce turning into tragedy. If you'll pardon the pun, General Gage was such an engaging fellow that he made it clear that he wanted the Colonials handled with kid gloves. Again, up until the shooting started, the British were quite accomodating. They were very polite towards the populace, even when searching for weapons and powder. They went to one house and there was a room the owner wouldn't let them go into. She said that there was a woman in that room who didn't feel well, so the British didn't press the issue and didn't search the room. Of course, that was the one room in the house where gunpowder was being stored! The British excursion from Boston was a comedy of errors. It was supposed to be a surprise, but the Colonials knew all about it. There were endless delays in leaving Boston, which gave riders such as Paul Revere plenty of time to get to Lexington and Concord to warn people to hide weapons and gunpowder. Gage had given detailed orders on what he wanted done. For example, he wanted the soldiers to take confiscated musket balls, put them in their pockets, and drop them in dribs and drabs in ponds and streams. The soldiers actually found very little, since the inhabitants had plenty of time to hide things, but instead of dropping things in small quantities the soldiers pretty much dumped whatever they found in just a few areas.....making it easy for the Colonials to retrieve most of what was confiscated! You could say there was a lack of brainpower on the "hometeam" side as well.....such as tearing up the planks of a bridge leading out from Boston so that the British could not cross it, but then leaving the planks stacked up in plain sight.....so the soldiers just had to nail them back down and they were back in business! A running gag throughout much of the book is the relationship between Sam Adams and John Hancock. The author portrays Adams as a shrewd propagandist, a man who spent 10 years trying to stir up a rebellion and finally knew the big chance when he saw it. Hancock is portrayed as none-too-bright, vain, wealthy and easily manipulated by the psychologically astute Adams. Adams and Hancock were so sure the British were after them that they acted like two crooks on-the-run. Mr. Tourtellot's thesis, from going through the primary sources on the British side, is that the British couldn't have cared less about capturing the "dynamic duo." They just wanted to confiscate some cannon and gunpowder...period! To support his appraisal of Hancock as dunderhead, Mr. Tourtellot gives many examples. However, the funniest is probably when Adams and Hancock are in hiding in Lexington on the morning of April 19th, and suddenly they heard the sound of gunfire. This is what Adams was waiting for! He knew this could be used to unite the Colonies, finally, in a drive towards independence. Adams said, "Oh, what a glorious morning is this." Hancock's reaction was that he thought it was a strange time to comment on the weather! Adams (you have to wonder whether he smacked his head in exasperation) clarified the situation: "I mean what a glorious morning for America." Adams and Hancock, convinced that the British were coming (for them!) moved on to their next "safe house." Hancock had a messenger take a note to his aunt and fiancee, asking them to come and join him. Lest you think that Hancock by now might have had an inkling as to the importance of the day's events, he made sure he included in the note the following: He directed them "to bring the fine salmon that they had had sent to them for dinner." Of course, once the fighting starts, Mr. Tourtellot does not make light of matters. The British retreat towards Boston is recorded in harrowing detail...they were surrounded by superior numbers and were fighting for their survival. They sent out flanking parties to deal with snipers and the flanking parties did what they needed to do...such as burning down homes that they suspected were being used by snipers and killing able-bodied, though unarmed men, on the assumption that they were rebels. Not a bad assumption, really, when you understand that even men in their sixties and seventies were lurking in the woods, taking potshots at the British. One remarkable part of the book is where the soldiers came upon 78 year old Samuel Whittemore, who had just killed a couple of Redcoats. They shot Whittemore and beat him severely. They were satisfied that they had "killed the old rebel." Amazingly, Mr. Whittemore lived another 18 years....not dying until the ripe, old age of 96! Mr. Tourtellot also deals with the aftermath of the battle....showing how Sam Adams and others got maximum propaganda value from the day's events, exaggerating British atrocities (which were in actuality extremely rare) in order to set the Colonies on the road to independence and to influence opinion back in England. I consider this book a welcome and necessary addition to my collection of books dealing with the American Revolution.

Rating:
Summary: Thorough and Thoroughly Enjoyable History
Review: This book does a wonderful job at bringing home the story of the start of our armed revolution in a highly personal and interesting way.

Relying on contemporary sources, diaries and journals, Arthur Tourtellot breathes life into the battles of Lexington and Concord. I am amazed that so many and varied first person accounts of those battles exist. Usually, Lexington and Concord are presented as quick preludes to the War of Revolution -- the actors anonymous except for Gen. Thomas Gage. Tourtellot introduces local clergy, militia captains, minutemen, patriots and citizens who all combined to start the colonies on the road to independence.

Lurking in the background is Samuel Adams. His preparation of the political ground that would set the stage for the confrontation with the British is neatly summarized in this book. Other notables, such as patriot rider Paul Revere, are also given their due in this story.

This fine book gives a background on the village and attitudes of Lexington, MA leading up to the battle. The last chapters also tell how Adams, Dr. Joseph Warren and others made quick and effective use of the conflict to great effect on the minds of fellow Americans and the quite sizable segment of British public opinion who harbored at least some sympathy for the American point of view.

The heart of the book is the military confrontation. The author writes crisply and clearly, even while including fascinating narrative and first person accounts. General Gage's plan is in reaction to pressure from the Crown and Parliament to take some action to assert Royal authority over increasingly rebellious colonials. His march to Concord (through Lexington) is designed to seize American powder and arms.

Massachusetts patriots are at the ready. With an effective spy and warning system, they know of the planned action before most of Gage's junior officers. After the famous two lanterns are hung in the Old North Church, the book traces the march, marshalling of patriot forces and the encounters at Lexington and Concord that marked British initiative during the battle. The rising of a violent country-side that almost engulfed Col. Smith's British force is told in fascinating detail. But for the arrival of Lord Percy's relief force on a bluff near Lexington, Smith's retreating redcoats probably would have been overwhelmed. Percy was able to save most of the British force and lead them through a withering march to Boston -- a march where the British literally ran a gauntlet of woods and walls concealing American militiamen who were to take a significant toll on the King's forces.

This is an exciting tail that is well told. The book contains excellent maps that help the reader visualize the action and route of march. The author has succeeded in breathing exciting life into a little confrontation that wrote large upon the pages of history.

Rating:
Summary: Completely readable and entertaining
Review: This book is highly accurate, laced with constant wry humor and startling personal accounts. Straight history is seldom this good. Even readers with little interest in the subject will grudgingly enjoy this fine narrative monograph.

Rating:
Summary: AKA "William Diamond's Drum"
Review: This is an excellent book that I highly recommend! It is detailed, fast paced and exciting from beginning to end. A must read for any student of the American Revolution. However; be forwarned, this book was originally published under the title: "William Diamond's Drum". So if you read that book and loved it, do be aware that this is not a "new" book by Mr. Tourtellot. But if it is a new book to you under either title, then by all means grab it!