Battle of Brandywine Gallery

In honor of the 242nd anniversary of the Battle of Brandywine today, I have compiled a gallery of artistic depictions of it.  These are 19th and 20th century illustrations, and usually suffer from  anachronisms.  Please use caution if using them for historical/costume/wargame reference.  However, they are wonderful in capturing a "moment" in time, even if the fine details do not hold up under scrutiny.  Enjoy!

Jacques Onfray de Breville illustrates the attack of the British and Hessian grenadiers.  These two are pieces of the same painting, but as it was an illustration, about 1/4" of the middle was lost in scanning.

F. C. Yohn shows a hastily-constructed line of American troops attempting to stem the tide of the British outflanking attack.

Arthur Becher shows the moment when Washington and his staff received news that the British attack had crumpled the American lines.

As the British surged onward towards victory, a young major general named the Marquis de Lafayette attempted to rally the Americans to halt the British.

In this painting by E. Percy Moran, Lafayette looks like he has single-handedly changed the tide of the battle.  Unfortunately, that was not the case.















Frank E. Schoovener shows Lafayette and a rag-tag group of Americans advancing into the fog of war.  I previously identified this flag as a composite of other flags.  This was erroneous.  The flag is actually copied directly from a surviving artifact.  (Seen at https://www.8thvirginia.com/blog/the-triumphant-return-of-legendary-flag)  This flag was in a private collection until its sale in 2012.  Mr. Schoovener must have had excellent connections to view and copy this flag.

Victor A. Searles' illustration is a bizarre hodge-podge of 18th Century costume, but does capture the impression of a close-quarters melee.

Review of The War for America 1775-83 by Piers Mackesy

I will begin with the end summary first: this is one of the best books about the American Revolution that I have read in a long time.  It provides a very nice counterpoint to Matthew Spring’s With Zeal and With Bayonets Only.  While Spring’s work focused on the nitty-gritty of British tactics and soldiers’ experiences, Mackesy gives a global perspective on the American rebellion.

What is known today as the American Revolution was truly a world war.  Fighting began on Lexington Green in Massachusetts in 1775.  But by the time peace was signed, the war had been waged in Africa, India, the Caribbean, and the seas of Europe.  Though many of these operations are mostly forgotten today, Mackesy fits all of them into the grand strategic plans formed by the leaders in London.  However, events rarely conformed to their plans, and the decisions taken by commanders on the spot (both on land and sea) are also examined.

But this book is not just a sweeping campaign narrative.  It is also the personal story of men tasked with leading their country through a difficult war.  The decisions and personalities of Lord North, Lord Sandwich, and Lord George Germain (not to mention King George III) are just as important to the story as the movements of fleets and armies.  How they each influenced the war is a major part of the book.

The Royal Navy forms a large part of Mackesy's book

To create a book with any kind of biographical content (or even history in general) usually requires digging deep into primary sources, and Mackesy has done so.  Page after page contains footnotes to letters or reports from the War Office, or the Foreign Office, or a host of other sources.  It is impressively researched.  The only minor criticism is that his sources are overwhelmingly British ones.  Few rebel or French, or even Loyalist sources for that matter, are used.  However, his story is that of Great Britain fighting to save her empire, and so probably does not require as many sources from other perspectives.

  

To anyone with an interest in the American Revolution, I would highly recommend this book.  It is a detailed look at the British strategy during the war, so it can be a little slower than other books at some parts.  However, this book’s wealth of information well repays any effort put into it.

5/5 stars.