Rather than a narrative of the war, TMWLA looks at the major players on the British side, from George III, Lord North, the Howe brothers, Burgoyne, Clinton, Cornwallis, Admiral Rodney, and the Earl of Sandwich, and their roles in the war and its outcome. (I may have missed a couple of the players -- I'm going on memory).
O'Shaughnessy says in the introduction that it seemed like a war Great Britain should have won, a holy war against dangerous principles that threatened to subvert every system respected by civilized men. Many in England believed it would be a certain victory and that the retention of America was crucial to England's position as a great power. The author calls the British leadership "able and substantial individuals who nevertheless failed."
Why did they fail? Great Britain underestimated the task. Some of the specifics include: The loyalist support never materialized in the numbers imagined; the administration was not up to the task of efficiently handling the war over 3,000 miles from London; and the Royal Navy lacked the men and ships to blockade the American coast, coordinate with the army for amphibious operations, deal with the multitude of privateers, and protect both the Caribbean and the channel. The vast size of the colonies and England's inability to control territory beyond the port towns also contributed to the loss.
O'Shaughnessy does recognize that the British had opportunities to win, and might have done so had they faced opponents with less skill, ability, and luck - naming Washington and Greene as two of the most significant ones. He also suggests that the Americans had opportunities to end the war earlier that they were not able to seize. Blunders and missteps were plentiful on both sides.
I highly recommend the book. The information about specific battles is limited because it's not that kind of book. It's about the men in charge and is loaded with biographical information as well as details on their strengths, weakness, and the obstacles they faced in their respective capacities. I give it 5 out of 5 broadsides.
Book One in my Tomahawks and Dragon Fire Series features an appearance by both Howe brothers. In fact, General Howe makes appearances throughout the first six books in the series.
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My noir story is almost ready to submit. Another half-hour of editing should do it. I plan to submit it tomorrow night. My wyrd western short story is still in the early stages, but I anticipate a rapid completion over the next week. After that, who knows?
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