Re: Seeing Both Sides

[nobody@REPLAY.COM (Anonymous)]

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Robert Hettinga wrote:
>Concord is clearly proof that Britain didn't understand that they
>couldn't control America anymore and acted on that misinformation. It
>was *their* problem, as the revolution bore out.

Britain would probably have been capable of controlling America had
France not intervened.

France provided desperately needed powder and money to the
revolutionaries.  During the siege of Boston it was seriously proposed
that bow and arrows be employed due to powder shortages.  Spears were
actually prepared for use!

France also provided officers to staff the poorly trained and
organized American armies, troops, and even a navy.

The final victory at Yorktown was largely a French operation, for
example.  Here is Richard N. Rosenfeld's take on it from "American
Aurora":

Page 418: "There are approximately 32,000 French soldiers and sailors
at Yorktown, four to six times the number of George Washington's army,
and more than twice, if not three times, the number of all Americans
at Yorktown, including militia.  Indeed, there are many more French
soldiers on the ground than American Continentals.  The entire
blockading force at sea is French."

Page 419: "Of French and American forces which encircle Charles
Cornwallis at Yorktown, the naval part of this circle consists
strictly of French warships (more than thirty) and sailors (nineteen
thousand!).  America has no warships in this naval blockade."

Page 419: "Orchestrating the siege at Yorktown is strictly a matter
for the French.  Washington has no experience in siege warfare.  The
French perfected the art.  Rochambeau has taken part in fourteen
sieges!  General Lebigne, the Chevalier Du Portail, and other French
officers and engineers take charge of siege operations."

Page 420: "Two French soldiers die for each American death at
Yorktown.  Two French soldiers are wounded for each American wound at
Yorktown.  French casualties exceed 250."

Page 421: "British General Charles O'Hara, acting on behalf of General
Charles Cornwallis (who has pleaded illness), attempts to surrender
Cornwallis' (sic) sword to French Commander in Chief General the Comte
de Rochambeau, but Rochambeau magnanimously refuses to accept the
surrender weapon and directs the British general to George
Washington."

Monty Cantsin
Editor in Chief
Smile Magazine
http://www.neoism.org/squares/smile_index.html
http://www.neoism.org/squares/cantsin_10.htm

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