The Revolutionary War in the Southern Backcountry [Hardcover]

James Swisher (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 4, 2007 | ISBN-10: 1589805038 | ISBN-13: 978-1589805033

Small armies of men waged a ferocious series of battles in the southern theater, changing the outcome of the Revolutionary War. When the British effort to subdue the Colonies moved to the southern provinces, the men of Appalachia sought to protect their homes and families. In the winter of 1780-81, the turning point of the southern war occurred in the Carolina back country. A trio of battles occurred at Kings Mountain, Cowpens, and Guilford Court House. These clashes proved pivotal to American independence, destroying British army capability in the south and facilitating the American victory at Yorktown.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

James K. Swisher has received the Jefferson Davis Medal given by the United Daughters of the Confederacy and the Virginia State Library Book of the Year Award (2000). He was a Virginia Society of the Book Nominee and has published numerous articles in national publications including "America's Civil War," "Confederate Veteran," "Military Heritage," and "Military History." He has a master's degree in history from the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, and he is a member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans and Sons of the American Revolution. He serves on the Lynchburg Museum Board and the Lynchburg Civil War Roundtable.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 384 pages
• Publisher: Pelican Publishing (December 4, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1589805038
• ISBN-13: 978-1589805033
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.4 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #63,802 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Read On The Original Civil War, April 10, 2009

By 

Michael Taylor "Michael Taylor" (Indian Trail NC) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Revolutionary War in the Southern Backcountry (Hardcover)

"The Revoutionary War In The Southern Back Country" by James Swisher focuses on just what the title says - the American Revolutionary War in the Southern Colonies (North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, some of Virginia). While the revolution was started in the North, one could arguably say that the revolution was won in the South.

The book covers just about all of the major Southern Campaigns:

Charleston, Camden, Ninety-Six, Cowpens, King's Mountain, Guilford Courthouse, Savannah. Also included are other battles not as widely covered in other books (Pyle's Massacre, Buford's Massacre, Cherokee War, Ramsour's Mill, etc.).

The book is well-written and the narrative flows smoothly, whether describing a battle, personality, strategy, etc.

The only reason I did not give the book 5-stars was the same shortcoming in several other military books - maps. Some titles hardly have any maps while others have good maps but too few of them (such as this one). A precious few titles have several well-produced maps that help the reader better understand the described actions and strategies.

Complaint aside, the book is a great read and is highly recommended.

Enjoy!

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent account of the war in the south!, October 8, 2010

By 

JAG 2.0 (IN United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Revolutionary War in the Southern Backcountry (Hardcover)

James Swisher's book on the Revolutionary War in the southern colonies is an excellent work on this underappreciated theater of military operations. The book begins not with battles between Patriot and Redcoat but with frontiersmen against amerindians. In this respect, it sets the stage for the later, larger struggle because the Americans who fought the valiant Cherokee would later use the same tactics, weapons and leaders against Tory and Redcoat.

The author evaluates professional soldiers versus militia as well as the strengths and weaknesses of both. He accurately portrays the violent and cruel civil war between tory and patriot. The reader gets a sense of the meritocracy of frontier society where effective militia leaders rose by their abilities to fight the enemy effectively. The reader is made aware of the economics of the area where the battles were fought and how the inability of the British to supply their armies contributed to their losses.

Mr. Swisher is able to expertly and clearly convey the course of battles and the tactics used. More than this, the author makes the reader aware of the attitudes of various commanders on both sides to show how their backgrounds affected the decisions they made and underpinned their overall strategies - or the lack thereof in the case of many British officers.

One is also made aware of the often brutal civil war in the south between those who wished to remain loyal to their King and those who demanded independence. British military authorities consistently divided the population between "us and them" as well as issuing arrogant proclamations which were interpreted as very real threats that pushed many into the "rebel" camp. The reader can clearly understand how the British failure to "protect the population" and instead seek decisive battle (which one can say was an American failure in Vietnam) contributed to their ultimate ruin at Yorktown.

This volume brings to light early American leaders who are forgotten today: Morgan "The Old Waggoner", "Swamp Fox" Marion, Shelby, Sevier, Pickens and others. We see their opponents: Lord Cornwallis, Tarleton, Ferguson. We read of these men, their strengths and weaknesses. We get a sense of how these men thought and acted.

This is an excellent work and I recommend it with five stars.

20 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Revolutionary War in the Southern Backcountry, January 9, 2009

By 

Scott Hewitt (Georgia , USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Revolutionary War in the Southern Backcountry (Hardcover)

I have read many books on the Revolutionary War , but never before realized the true importance of these " backcountry " battles to our overall quest for independence .
This book provides explanations and maps of the battles and troop movements throughout the Carolinas , as well as , fine introductions to all of the main characters in both armies . Recommended reading for anyone who enjoys learning more about this fascinating period in our history .