Customer Reviews

Redcoats: The British Soldier and War in the Americas, 1755-1763

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This is one of the best books that I have read on the British soldier in North America.It dispels the misinformation that the redcoats did not know how to fight on this continent.When covering the Braddock Expedition of 1755,there are many reasons given for the expedition's failure other than "the British were used to European linear warfare type tactics".When one looks at the battle that was fought between Montcalm & Wolfe on the Plains of Abraham,this too was fought in classic "European"style as were many battles in the American Revolution some twenty years later.This book shows that the British Redcoat had indeed learned to "improvise,adapt& overcome"in order to survive in the New World.Towards the end of the war,the Brits had even developed light infantry units and had the native americans complaining that"the British refuse to stand still and let us kill them".This book is a must for any serious student of the War For Empire.

It is very refreshing to see a book about the Seven Years War in America that combines solid academic scholarship and research with insightful interpretation -- all in a readable format. This is not a romanticized account of soldiers vs. savages. Rather, this is a history of the redcoat himself, not a chronological account of the French and Indian War (If you want the latter, simply read Fred Anderson's superb "Crucible of War.") Brumwell describes the redcoat's life, background, recruitment, service, etc. through a variety of perspectives, including one quite interesting chapter on the use of Highland regiments in America. His detailed account of how soldiers were recruited, drafted and transferred for service in the British regiments during this period is particularly valuable. This author strives to make the point that the "man in the ranks" who shouldered a musket under very trying conditions, for poor pay and in dangerous conditions, should be seen as the main reason for the success of British arms in the colonies.

Having recently met Dr. Brumwell, a soft spoken gentleman. And having had the pleasure of discussing this book. He asked me a simple question, after he made sure I'd actually read the book, " Did you agree or disagree with the content?" I assured him that I totally agreed with him, as it was 'bang on' with the research I had completed. I have been trying for some years to explain that soldiers in the war did not venture about the wilds in their 'Sunday Best' and on the contrary were quite adapted for this forest warfare by 1758. This book when carefully read will give a true picture of the adaptation both common soldier and officer had made. As a reenactor of 'the Black Watch' in this time period, I need only to point to this book as a primary source for documentation for our strange uniforms and tactics. I highly recommend this book to the scholar and reenactor alike. It is very refreshing to see such a large amount of study going into something like this. And as I had told Stephen,"If it were in my power, I'd see to it you'd recieve a medal, for a job very well done." He, on the otherhand, said,"I could only wish."

A thouroughly researched and well-documented narrative comes alive thanks to the numerous quotations which reflect the personal views and experiences of individual officers and men.
Brumwell's study brings insight and depth to a profession whose image has been traditionally distorted by mystique and prejudice.
Copious examples reveal the plight of individual soldiers, lending a human perspective to what is an excellent academic study.

Well...while this book is very informative about the subject, it is also somewhat tedious at times. Still, like I said, very informative, but you have to be really interested in the subject.

I truly enjoyed this one. Definitely one of the top ten I read this year. The book was thorough, enticing and educational. I look forward to Brumwell's next book.

Redcoats is a book for the historian or academician but not the general reader. Brumwell has one point to make, more or less, that the English soldier in North America adapted to the style of fighting needed during the French-Indian War and was effective. This does not require an entire book and does not make for an interesting one. Every page contains several footnotes which usually don't explain anything further and could better be placed at the end. I had to work to finish the book. But possibly I'm being unfair in that I was looking for a book to build on my understanding of the war and not such an esoteric treatment of one part of it.