''Redcoats and Rebels: The American Revolution through British Eyes'' is a history of the

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...

(using its British name of "The American War of Independence") from the British perspective by historian

Christopher Hibbert Christopher Hibbert MC (born Arthur Raymond Hibbert; 5 March 1924 – 21 December 2008) was an English author, historian and biographer. He has been called "a pearl of biographers" (''New Statesman'') and "probably the most widely-read popular ...

. The book was first published in 1990.

Chapter summary

Chapter 1: Sons of Liberty

"One Single act of Parliament has set people a-thinking in six months more than they had ever done in their whole lives before." –
James Otis, Jr. James Otis Jr. (February 5, 1725 – May 23, 1783) was an American lawyer, political activist, colonial legislator, and early supporter of patriotic causes in Massachusetts at the beginning of the Revolutionary Era. Otis was a fervent opponent ...

Chapter 2: First Blood

"The die is cast, and more mischief will follow." – William Knox

Chapter 3: Bunker Hill

"I wish we could sell them another hill at the same price." – Nathaniel Greene

Chapter 4: Washington Takes Command

"Everyone is made to know his place and keep in it" –
William Emerson (minister) William Emerson (May 6, 1769 – May 12, 1811) was one of Boston's leading citizens, a liberal-minded Unitarian minister, pastor to Boston's First Church and founder of its Philosophical Society, Anthology Club, and Boston Athenaeum, and fathe ...

Chapter 5: 'An Ugly Job'

"The ardour of this nation in this cause has not arisen to the pitch on could wish" – Lord North

Chapter 6: The War In Canada

"One or two dogs were killed which the soldiers ate with good appetite, even the feet and skins." – Major R. J. Meigs

Chapter 7: Disasters in Virginia

"I never was uneasy on not having a retreat, because I never imagined the enemy could force me to that necessity" – William Moultrie

In December 1775, Captain Charles Fordyce led a group of loyalists and black slaves on an attack of approximately 900 colonists under the command of Colonel William Woodford. The battle took place 20 miles south of

Norfolk, Virginia Norfolk ( ) is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. Incorporated in 1705, it had a population of 238,005 at the 2020 census, making it the third-most populous city in Virginia after neighboring Virginia Be ...

. Fordyce and many of his men died. The colonists suffered few casualties, and they allowed the British troops to retreat out of pity without continuing to fire. A similar force was raised in

North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...

, however, even after a small victory over some colonists this force was not seen as a great benefit to the British Military. General Henry Clinton began to realize that the loyalists would not be able to continue the fight against the rebels on their own, nor would they be able to defend themselves once the British troops were gone. General Henry Clinton decided to take his force North to attack and capture

Charleston Charleston most commonly refers to: * Charleston, South Carolina * Charleston, West Virginia, the state capital * Charleston (dance) Charleston may also refer to: Places Australia * Charleston, South Australia Canada * Charleston, Newfoundlan ...

as well as the Fort on Sullivan's Island. The American Commander on Sullivan's Island was General William Moultrie who built a fort out of rudimentary supplies to defend Charleston. In the attempt to take the island the British lost approximately 200 men and the Colonists lost only a dozen. Chapter 8: The Declaration of Independence

"How is it that we hear the loudest yelps for liberty among the drivers of Negroes?" –
Samuel Johnson Samuel Johnson (18 September 1709 – 13 December 1784), often called Dr Johnson, was an English writer who made lasting contributions as a poet, playwright, essayist, moralist, critic, biographer, editor and lexicographer. The ''Oxford ...

Chapter 9: The Battle for New York

"There is something exceedingly mysterious in the conduct of the enemy" –
George Washington George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of th ...

Chapter 10: Generals at Loggerheads

"We never had agreed upon any single question" –
Sir William Howe William Howe, 5th Viscount Howe, KB PC (10 August 172912 July 1814) was a British Army officer who rose to become Commander-in-Chief of British land forces in the Colonies during the American War of Independence. Howe was one of three brot ...

Chapter 11: Winter on the Delaware

"Many of our soldiers had not a shoe to their feet and their clothes were ragged as those of a beggar" –
John Greenwood (dentist) John Greenwood (May 17, 1760 – November 16, 1819) was an American fifer and dentist, serving as George Washington's personal dentist. He was responsible for designing Washington's famous dentures, which were not wood but carved from hippopotam ...

Chapter 12: The Fall of Philadelphia

"They decamped with the utmost precipitation, and in the greatest confusion" – Robert Morton

Chapter 13: The Army of the North

"I little foresaw that I was to be left to pursue my way through such a tract of country, and hosts of foes, without any co-operation from New York." – John Burgoyne

Chapter 14: Surrender at Saratoga

"This day General Burguine Sined the Articles of Capitilation … and the whole army Capilated and the general officers came out in the fore Noon & in the afternoon the rest of the Armey came out and they wair two hours a marching out." – Solomon Dwinnell

Chapter 15: The English Debate

"Not one of the Ministers knew what to say, and so said nothing" –
Horace Walpole Horatio Walpole (), 4th Earl of Orford (24 September 1717 – 2 March 1797), better known as Horace Walpole, was an English writer, art historian, man of letters, antiquarian, and Whigs (British political party), Whig politician. He had Strawb ...

Chapter 16: Intrigues at Valley Forge

"They worry one another like Mastiffs." –
John Adams John Adams (October 30, 1735 – July 4, 1826) was an American statesman, attorney, diplomat, writer, and Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father who served as the second president of the United States from 1797 to 1801. Befor ...

Chapter 17: Fighting at Monmouth Court House

"Sir, these troops are not able to meet British grenadiers" –
Charles Lee (general) Charles Lee ( – 2 October 1782) was an English-born American military officer who served as a general of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. He also served earlier in the British Army during the Seven Years War. He ...

Chapter 18: Enemies of the French

"There are not ships enough in readiness to form a squadron fit to meet the Toulon fleet" –
John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich, PC, FRS (13 November 1718 – 30 April 1792) was a British statesman who succeeded his grandfather Edward Montagu, 3rd Earl of Sandwich as the Earl of Sandwich in 1729, at the age of ten. During his life ...

Editions

First published: *1990: Grafton Books as a Hardcover, 375-page publication. Following editions include: *April 2002: Norton paperback, 375-page publication. *2006: Folio Society Hhardcover, 400-page publication. *February 2008: Pen and Sword paperback, 384-page publication. History books about the American Revolution Books by Christopher Hibbert 1990 non-fiction books