American spring : Lexington, Concord, and the road to revolution / Walter R. Borneman.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Borneman, Walter R., 1952-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Lexington, Battle of, Lexington, Mass., 1775.

Concord, Battle of, Concord, Mass., 1775.

Bunker Hill, Battle of, Boston, Mass., 1775.

Massachusetts--History--Revolution, 1775-1783.

Massachusetts.

United States--History--Revolution, 1775-1783.

United States.

Massachusetts--Boston.

Massachusetts--Concord.

Massachusetts--Lexington.

Genre:

History.

Physical Description:

viii, 469 pages, 8 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations, maps, portraits ; 25 cm

Edition:

First edition.

Place of Publication:

New York : Little, Brown and Company, 2014.

Summary:

"When we reflect on our nation's history, the American Revolution can feel almost like a foregone conclusion. In reality, the first weeks and months of 1775 were very tenuous, and a fractured and ragtag group of colonial militias had to coalesce to have even the slimmest chance of toppling the mighty British Army. American Spring follows a fledgling nation from Paul Revere's little-known ride of December 1774 and the first shots fired on Lexington Green through the catastrophic Battle of Bunker Hill, culminating with a Virginian named George Washington taking command of colonial forces on July 3, 1775. Focusing on the colorful heroes John Hancock, Samuel Adams, Mercy Otis Warren, Benjamin Franklin, and Patrick Henry, and the ordinary Americans caught up in the revolution, Walter R. Borneman uses newly available sources and research to tell the story of how a decade of discontent erupted into an armed rebellion that forged our nation"--Publisher description.

Contents:

Prologue : Tuesday, December 13, 1774

An irrepressible tide : January-March 1775. New Year's Day 1775 ; Drumbeats of dissension ; Who would be true patriots? ; Volleys of words ; "Fire, if you have the courage" ; Boston in the bull's-eye ; Independence or reconciliation?

"Let it begin here" : April 1775. The general's dilemma ; Two lanterns ; Lexington Green ; On to Concord ; By the rude bridge ; Retreat, if we can ; Percy to the rescue ; What have we done? ; Spreading the news

Decisive days : May-June 1775. Must we stand alone? ; "In the name of the great Jehovah ..." ; Ben Franklin returns ; Lexington of the seas ; Three generals and a lady ; What course now, gentlemen? ; "The white of their gaiters" ; "A dear bought victory

Epilogue : Monday, July 3, 1775.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 401-455) and index.

ISBN:

9780316221023

0316221023

OCLC:

857879424

Online:

Contributor biographical information

Publisher description

Additional Information at Google Books