Review: Geography, biography and history

Randy L. Abbott, Head Reference Librarian, University of Evansville Libraries, reviews Norman Desmarais's "The Guide to the American Revolutionary War in New York: Battles, Raids and Skirmishes" published by Busca, Inc.

"Norman Desmarais, a librarian at Providence College in Rhode Island, and an active American War of Independence re-enactor, has written a highly detailed guide to the American Revolutionary War in New York State. This title is the second in a projected series that aims to identify and describe all the battles, raids and skirmishes from each state during the eight-year conflict. The first volume, published in 2005 and co-authored with June Fritchman, was titled Battlegrounds of Freedom: A Historical Guide to the Battlefields of the War of American Independence, and it served as an introduction by outlining the most significant battles of the war.

This New York state guide is arranged by geographic location and includes maps and illustrations. Desmarais has written his guide in five parts: Upstate New York, Downstate/Hudson Valley, East Long Island, West Long Island and Manhattan/Staten Island. Presented chronologically within each geographic section, the places, towns and cities are accompanied by notes explaining their location in relation to other landmarks, places, towns or cities mentioned in the guide. The volume includes an extensive section of notes, a glossary of terms and an index.

For every place name that saw a battle, raid or skirmish, there is a complete listing of dates. Separate paragraphs denoted by stars distinguish the individual occurrences at that particular location. One feature Desmarais has excelled at is in providing birth and death dates for all named persons, and this is done the first time the person is mentioned in a paragraph detailing a battle, raid or skirmish. It will not be long before the reader has memorized the birth and death years for General George Washington, General William Howe, Major General Benedict Arnold and others of the most-often mentioned war leaders. However, the reader must remember that this is a guide, not an historical narrative. As such, it is an impressive volume due to its level of specificity and depth of description, often including the number of dead on each side of a conflict, the type and number of livestock stolen, the number of acres of grain destroyed, the type and severity of wounds suffered in battle, and often a discussion of the strategic importance of a place that made it worthy of attention.

The author brings the horror of war home to the reader, and the generations of soldiers removed from the American Revolutionary War might suffer wounds inflicted on the modern battlefield caused by explosive devices or grenade launchers, but the severity of the injuries, both mortal and non-life-threatening, remain the same. Descriptions of scalping, beheadings, and other mutilation brought about by crude weapons such as tomahawks and musket balls remind us of the eternal brutality of war.

The importance of New York State in the strategic defence plans of General George Washington during the American War of Independence was paramount. Washington's greatest concern was that Britain and its loyalist allies would drive a wedge through the colonies by way of the Hudson River, cutting off New England, dividing his forces into two or three distinct isolated factions. New York City was the headquarters of the British-led forces, and Washington spent much of his time during the war years within the state's boundaries. When Washington became president, he took the first presidential oath of office in New York City. Beyond its mere strategic importance, the state of New York was heavily populated by opposing loyalists. Opposing combat forces included the British, Hessian mercenaries, and Native Americans of the Six Nations (especially Mohawk, Cayuga, Onondoga and Seneca) fighting the Continental Army, state militia, and Native Americans of the Six Nations (especially Oneida and Tuscarora).

The vast fields of grain and abundant livestock in the New York countryside were vital in feeding the armies of all combatants. An army marches on its stomach, and farmers in upstate New York were desperate to hide their grains and livestock from marauders on both sides. What crops and livestock the armies could not eat or steal, they burned or slaughtered to prevent their enemies from doing the same.

New York State was the site of major battles, including the battle of Saratoga, one of the most important victories of the conflict and an early success for the colonists. In addition, New York was also the site of the battle for Fort Ticonderoga, the site of Nathan Hale's execution, the site of Benedict Arnold's treachery at West Point, the site of British major John Andre's execution, and the first instance of a submarine used in war (The Turtle).

From 1775-1783, the War for American Independence raged, and was finally halted by the signing of the Treaty of Paris. During these eight years, Desmarais notes, 21,417 men of the state of New York served in the war, including nearly 18,000 in the Continental Army. In addition, tens of thousands of New Yorkers, loyal to the British throne, either fought against the American forces or fled to Canada."

Randy L. Abbott
Head Reference Librarian, University of Evansville Libraries
Evansville, Indiana, USA

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Reviewed in:

Emerald Journal: Reference Reviews

RR 2011/144

Review Subject: Geography, biography and history : The Guide to the American Revolutionary War in New York: Battles, Raids and Skirmishes
Review DOI 10.1108/09504121111119130
vol.25, no.3,pp.52-53,2011
Copyright: © Emerald Group Publishing Limited
ISSN: 0950-4125

The book:

The Guide to the American Revolutionary War in New York: Battles, Raids and Skirmishes
Publisher: Busca, Inc.
Place of Publication: Ithaca, NY
Publication Year: 2010
ISBN: 978 1 954934 02 9
Price: $22.95
Article type: Review
Pages: 285 pp.

Keywords: Eighteenth century, Guides and handbooks, United States of America, War

Local Author Brings Revolutionary War to Life (Audra E. Clark, Valley Breeze)

(By AUDRA E. CLARK, Valley Breeze Staff Writer)

Revolutionary War re-enactor Norman Desmarais, of Lincoln, traveled all over the county and England while researching his new book on the American War of Independence.

"My goal was to write a comprehensive, if not exhaustive, history of the American Revolution," said Desmarais.
"The Guide to the American Revolutionary War in Canada and New England" is being published this year by Busca Incorporated.
The book is meant to be the first in a multi-volume series. Desmarais spent the last 12 years on research for the series and it took him up and down the Eastern seaboard and even to England.
According to Desmarias, his research took him to England to examine the archives over there and visit Lord Nelson's ship, the HMS Victory.
While in England, Desmarias took a tour of Bath.
"On the tour they showed the home of Major André. The British didn't know his first name, and I said his name is John," said Desmarais. "They asked what I knew of John André. I talked about how he knew Benedict Arnold's wife and how they got Arnold to betray West Point, and so they turned the tour over to me."
Desmarais' book gives the location and important facts on 403 Revolutionary War battles, raids, and skirmishes in New England and Canada.
Many of the battles described in the book are accompanied by photos of any remaining landmarks or evidence of Revolutionary War forts and battles. Most of the photos were taken by Desmarais during his travels.
As he flips through his book, Desmarais points to a photo of a stone and says that it is the only way that this particular battle field can be identified.
"There are so many unmarked battlefields that people walk past or hike past and don't even know what they are seeing," said Desmarais. "Even the people who live in the town might not know it's there."
According to Desmarais, all that's left of the defenses from the battle in Charleston, S.C., is a section of tabby wall.
"I was at the Francis Marion Hotel in Charleston and I told the people staying there that they didn't realize it, but they were standing on a battlefield," said Desmarais.
The book's chapters are divided by state, and at the beginning of each chapter is a modern map of the state with a mark for each battle detailed in that chapter.
According to Desmarais, he never would have written "The Guide to the American Revolutionary War in Canada and New England" if he was not a re-enactor. Desmarais has been a member of the 2nd Rhode Island Regiment for 14 years.
"Re-enactiong gives you a deeper appreciation of history," said Desmarais. "You get to feel a lot of the emotions and stresses that our ancestors felt."
Desmarais said that participating in re-enactments took him to many of the places he eventually wrote about in his book.
"What happened here?" That is the question Desmarais said he would hear re-enactors asking each other at battlefields. "I thought that if re-enactors aren't aware of it, then the general public certainly isn't aware if it," said Desmarais.
He wrote the book intending it to be a good informational tool for re-enactors, historians, genealogists trying to trace their ancestors to the Revolutionary War, local historical societies and the general public interested in history.
Desmarais' next volume will be on the battles of New York state. "The Guide to the American Revolutionary War in Canada and New England" is fully footnoted from research of original sources including diaries and pension records.
The book is available from publisher, Busca Incorporated, and at normd@providence.edu.
SDLqThis is a war that we could have easily lost, and if we had, I imagine we could still be British citizens today," said Desmarais. "People seem to think that our winning the war was a forgone conclusion, but it wasn't."

http://www.valleybreeze.com/Free/ENT-MAIN-Rev--War-Author-w-pic-clone

Busca Publishing News: The Guide to the American Revolutionary War in Canada and New England: Battles, Raids, and Skirmishes

The Guide to the American Revolutionary War in Canada and New England: Battles, Raids, and Skirmishes

Author: Norman Desmarais

ISBN: 978-1-9349340-1-2

Learn more about the book online here:

http://buscainc.com/html/guidetotheamericanrevolutionarywar.html

Our website includes a 192 image collection of revolutionary war related photos; a complete bibliography; an alphabetical list of battles; a chronological list of battles; and a list of battle sites grouped to major cities and locations.

The book is on sale now - and when purchased online at http://www.buscainc.com/ it is available for 10% off.