Good info on Allied contributions to the Revolutionary War

books:

	• Victory at Yorktown: The Campaign That Won the Revolution Richard M. Ketchum Henry Holt and Co., 2004 - 368 pages average customer review:based on 10 reviews view larger image
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Broad Strategic View of What Led to Yorktown

Victory at Yorktown is a highly readable book that captures the Yorktown campaign with a broad strategic view with a long run up to Yorktown. If you are looking for a detailed book on the Yorktown campaign that includes a tactical study, then this book is not for you as the author only addresses the campaign over the final chapters of the book. But, if you want to read a book about the overall events that lead up to the Yorktown campaign, then this book will not disappoint. The bulk of the book deals with the sad fragile condition of the Continental Army, the financial impotent congress who cannot support it, the emergence of the strong French support in troops, the mobilization of the allies' troops and navy and perhaps most fascinating, the harmful discord within the British Command, from Generals Clinton and Cornwallis to Admiral Graves. The author starts with circumstances from 1780 forward providing a strategic understanding of how Yorktown came into being, thus the southern campaigns are necessary and the author provides the detail in summary form. The book does stray a bit as in the interesting detail on Benedict Arnold's betrayal and the maps are limited (3 buried in the middle of the book) but overall an enjoyable read finishing up with a touching portrayal of Washington's final days as commander while he stifles his army's planned march on congress. What is quite amazing, as my friend's son observed, is how Yorktown was a matter of miraculous timing. The Continental and French Armies made a very long and complicated journey to reach the peninsula blessed with the dramatic and necessary appearance of the French fleet that traveled quite a ways itself. Another interesting note in this book was the number of black soldiers in the militias who fought throughout the campaign that is described here and not otherwise noted in other books. It would have been even more interesting if the author elaborated more particularly as the British attempted to utilize blacks as well in avariety of roles with the temptation ofa better life. A more appropriate title for potential readers for this book would have been, "The Last Years of the Revolution that Ended at Yorktown". The book is a very good read particularly if you know and want what you are getting.

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not rehashing, you can learn from this book

Ketchum's Yorktown is better than some crits on here are saying: it is not rehashing. Not only am I using it as a source for a fiction story, but I also have Fleming's Beat the Last Drum (1963) open beside it: they tell the same topic but very differently, just as they should do. Fleming is more a novelist so his Yorktown history is very flowing prose with stories of the people and in his own inimitable way, but Ketchum does his own Ketchum thing here with this, you know what I mean if you read his Bunker Hill, Saratoga and New York battle books. I see a lot of raves for Buchanan with his Guilford and Southron book on what all led to this, and Ketchum seems to rank right up there too, tells a ton and very readable, you can learn from this book which is why it's a source for my story; and to those who may say 'we don't get to Yorktown til the half-point, too much leading up' I say 'Remember, that which happens is formed by that which came before,' and this is especially true with Yorktown: those things the action figures did leading up to cause Yorktown is even more important than the siege, and Ketchum shows this in his own style of telling, just as did Fleming. What did Napoleon say?: win the battle before the battle starts.

I'm also using Burke's Yorktown (1970) and just flipping through before reading I can see his own style and telling, so Ketchum is not rehashing here. There comes a time an author must decide Not Tell the story because others have done and some may rant Rehashing, or Tell the story too, and since Ketchum has his series of revolution books going ... he made the right choice. This is not another's Yorktown, it's Ketchum's Yorktown with his unique style and language, his own telling; not only if you read the others before but a big purpose of the author is giving you the info and story if you never read the other Yorktown books: let's face it, most read one book on a topic, only die-hard studiers or those like me sourcing for a story read four books on one topic. (and how many wrote books on Gettysburg, or "nine-eleven" in NYC 2001?) And for those who say 'tell something new' I must report that I didn't see Tornquist quotes on his witnessing Virginia atrocities by the British, pregnant women bayonetted and such (I won't give those quotes here, pretty awful stuff) in the other works.

Ketchum's Saratoga is the work of his life, it's a monumental and deep work of things on which every American should read, but every author has one that is the best, and that does not take away from his Yorktown; both have a lot of sources with quotes from letters and journals, both have major research - this Yorktown does mention some anecdotes that others have done but that is expected in a major historical event, but he also has other stories and letters he has brought out and that is the history author's job to do so. He tells about the French like Rochambeau, navy admirals like de Grasse and Graves (though Fleming told more on Hood's recongnitions of the true situation and best strategies), on Arnold and his wife Peggy, Washington's meeting with de Grasse and the big Q&A (alone worth the read!), about Wayne and Morgan, and about Lafeyette like this quote: "To keep Conwallis from moving up the peninsula to cross the James near Richmond, Lafeyete met with the marquis de Saint-Simon as soon as the french fleet arrived and arranged for him to land his troops on Jamestown Island. There Lafayette and Wayne joined him, and the combined force, under Lafayette's command, marched to Williamsburg and took up a strong position across the peninsula. By the evening of September 7, between that force and the fleet, Cornwallis was hemmed in - 'in a pudding bag' as general Weedon had said - and it seemed unlikely that he could break out in either direction." [Saint-Simon was general of French army force with de Grasse; while Lafayette was Washington's general of Virginia force of combined continentals and militia to force and keep Cornwallis in the trap.] (though Fleming does more in telling all Lafayette went through in just surviving!, and pushing, and cajoling, in keeping an American force in the field against Cornwallis forcing the earl to the coast seeking supplies.)

One thing I'm noticing with Ketchum is that he doesn't boilerplate with all his revolution books, he tells each one in a way that fits the events to make a unique story even if it's a major event others have covered: in this Yorktown you get Ketchum's Yorktown, and well worth the read.

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Good info on Allied contributions to the Revolutionary War

If your weren't up on how much the French and other European powers assisted with Washington's victory at Yorktown, please read this book. Excellent account of the French ground and naval contributions to the battle at Yorktown. Also, continues to highlight what other authors have discussed regarding the precarious nature of the American troops at Washington's disposal. The book also brings up some interesting anecdotes about how disorganized and unsupportive the majority of the Congress at the time was. If you are just an interested reader on the Revolutionary War, this book will be for you; great read.

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All roads lead to Yorktown

Having read Richard M. Ketchum's books during the past 35 years, I have to say that this book is probably one of his most disappointing effort. This book is supposed to be about the campaign of Yorktown...the campaign that won the revolution but instead, the book proves to be your basic history of the last two years of the American Revolutionary War and its various campaigns that led up to Yorktown Campaign. For a book that is supposed to be about the Yorktown Campaign, there is very little written about it and unless you are a novice reader, there isn't much most veteran readers won't know already.

Of course, being Richard M. Ketchum book, it is well written and I thought pretty well research. However, lack of details, insights and specifics of the Yorktown campaign defeat this book. This could have been an indepth study of the Yorktown Campaign but it felt pretty generic and geared toward novice readers. I was expecting something close to his Saratoga work but instead, got a well written high school history in a nutshell.

I would recommend this book as a good introductory material for novice reader getting into this subject, its broad, it basic and it has just enough wit and story writing to keep any new-comer entertained and educated. But for veteran reader of the American Revolution, you can passed on this book.

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Well done

Some criticism here that the author jumps around somewhat and is not a slave to chronology. Let me suggest books with bigger print and more illustrations for those who find themselves thus challenged. This was in fact the most complicated campaign, requiring more coordination, stones and pure luck than any other. For those who retort "Trenton" let me merely respond "scale". Two fleets (one in Newport and the other in the West Indies) had to arrive at the York/James at precisely the same time as an army which traveled 700+ miles mostly on foot on horrible roads from New York. It is well-written, with many interesting new details and a suspense that builds despite the fact the outcome is well known. If you consider yourself a buff you have to add this one to your personal library.

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reviews: page 1, 2

From "the finest historian of the American Revolution" comes the definitive account of the battle and unlikely triumph that led to American independence (Douglas Brinkley)

In 1780, George Washington's army lay idle for want of supplies, food, and money. All hope seemed lost until a powerful French force landed at Newport in July. Then, under Washington's directives, Nathanael Greene began a series of hit-and-run operations against the British. The damage the guerrilla fighters inflicted would help drive the enemy to Yorktown, where Greene and Lafayette would trap them before Washington and Rochambeau, supported by the French fleet, arrived to deliver the coup de grâce.

Richard M. Ketchum illuminates, for the first time, the strategies and heroic personalities-American and French-that led to the surprise victory, only the second major battle the Americans would win in almost seven horrific years. Relying on good fortune, daring, and sheer determination never to give up, American and French fighters-many of whom walked from Newport and New York to Virginia-brought about that rarest of military operations: a race against time and distance, on land and at sea. Ketchum brings to life the gripping and inspirational story of how the rebels defeated the world's finest army against all odds.

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