I Love Cynics!

The year 1776 marked the beginning for America’s struggle for independence. It’s a time we study intensely as school children, though we don’t get a complete sense of all that was happening at the time. Our teachers may gloss over certain aspects of the conflict, or not know themselves the difficulties involved in claiming independence from Britain.

In 1776, David McCullough presents us with the fight for independence that occurs after the Boston Massacre and continues through a year of trial, hardship, and more often then not, failure.

McCullough paints a portrait of a year of learning. A year in which the military leaders, including and especially Washington himself, face trial after trial, learning each time from failure and success.

In our education as American school children, we no doubt heard of the victories at Boston, the daring night raid on Trenton with the famous painting of Washington crossing the Delaware, and the privateers harassing the British fleets and supply ships. Glossed over, perhaps, are the stories of a bedraggled army, worn and weary to the point of desertion, the capture of Lee at a tavern and the uncertainty some had for Washington’s leadership.

The book weaves a tale of worry and doubt as after victory in Boston leads to retreat after retreat. Failure on Long Island leads to failure in New York. Despite knowing the outcome, as a reader you find yourself anxiously reading to see what happens next.

Aside from the sheer history and tactics described in the book, what makes this book are the excerpts of journals and letters, both British and American. From the lowly foot-soldier to King George III, we are given the intimate details of daily struggle. From the lowest points where desertion and traitorous acts are common to the elation of victory after battle we read the stories as they were written in 1776.

McCullough makes no attempt at providing the entire conflict. That would take a much larger volume at this level of detail. Instead, he picks apart the first full year of the fight for independence. A year in which leaders where made as a conflict over independence heats up.