Customer Reviews

Victory at Yorktown: The Campaign That Won the Revolution

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After reading this book, in spite of the previous customer reviews, I am extremely disappointed in the seemingly short sighted attitude of those individuals who wrote subject reviews. I would agree that possibly the title for this book is incorrecet as it covers a lot more ground than Yorktown and goes into a significant amount of history leading up to the battle at Yorktown.

I was pleased with the overall subject and the information that Ketchum presented in a very factual and yet interesting manner. I would consider this one of the books that makes a better understanding of everything leading up to the final "full scale" battle between American and French allied forces and those of Great Britain in our fight for independence.

One of the things I have enjoyed about Ketchum's works is how readable they are and Victory at Yorktown is no exception. That being said,I did not enjoy this work as much as I did his previous works. One reason might be that I read Decisive Day, The Winter Soldiers and Saratoga before I knew much about the Revolutionary war, and I have read a lot of other books since then. I didn't really feel as though I learned anything new in Victory at Yorktown. It gives a brief account of the campaign in the Carolinas and Arnold's treason before delving into Yorktown. The description of the battle, and the Naval engagements prior to, seemed to lack any emotion or excitement. The personal accounts he provides are really the same ones that every other book about the revolution gives. This could be a good book for those reading about the later stages of the war for the first time, however those who are well read on the subject may want to skip it.

I did enjoy reading Victory at Yorktown. I did think the title of the book was a bit misleading. As other reviewers have pointed out, about one half of the the book deals with the southern campaign. What little time is devoted to the actual Yorktown engagement is broken up by frequent wanderings into other areas, some relevant, others not. I was also a bit disappointed by the very skimpy coverage devoted to the diplomatic dealings going on during the Yorktown battle. The book, entertaining as it was, could really have improved had more attention been given to the surrender negotiations.

Even with this criticisms I highly recommend Victory at Yorktown.

A disappointing rehash of early works on the 1781 Siege of Yorktown. Half the book deals with the southern campaign of the American Revolution. The portion of the book dealing with Yorktown strays greatly from the chronological happenings of the siege. For example, the author starts detailing the story of the assaults on redoubts 9 and 10, which occurred on the night of October 14th. Before completing the account of the assaults, he jumps to the sortie by the British on the night of October 16th and then after several paragraphs goes back to the assaul on the redoubts. A better choice for those wanting to read about the siege is Henry P. Johnston's book on the Yorktown Campaign.

Having read Richard M. Ketchum's books during the past 35 years, I have to say that this book is probably one of his most disappointing effort. This book is supposed to be about the campaign of Yorktown...the campaign that won the revolution but instead, the book proves to be your basic history of the last two years of the American Revolutionary War and its various campaigns that led up to Yorktown Campaign. For a book that is supposed to be about the Yorktown Campaign, there is very little written about it and unless you are a novice reader, there isn't much most veteran readers won't know already.

Of course, being Richard M. Ketchum book, it is well written and I thought pretty well research. However, lack of details, insights and specifics of the Yorktown campaign defeat this book. This could have been an indepth study of the Yorktown Campaign but it felt pretty generic and geared toward novice readers. I was expecting something close to his Saratoga work but instead, got a well written high school history in a nutshell.

I would recommend this book as a good introductory material for novice reader getting into this subject, its broad, it basic and it has just enough wit and story writing to keep any new-comer entertained and educated. But for veteran reader of the American Revolution, you can passed on this book.

Victory at Yorktown is a highly readable book that captures the Yorktown campaign with a broad strategic view with a long run up to Yorktown. If you are looking for a detailed book on the Yorktown campaign that includes a tactical study, then this book is not for you as the author only addresses the campaign over the final chapters of the book. But, if you want to read a book about the overall events that lead up to the Yorktown campaign, then this book will not disappoint. The bulk of the book deals with the sad fragile condition of the Continental Army, the financial impotent congress who cannot support it, the emergence of the strong French support in troops, the mobilization of the allies' troops and navy and perhaps most fascinating, the harmful discord within the British Command, from Generals Clinton and Cornwallis to Admiral Graves. The author starts with circumstances from 1780 forward providing a strategic understanding of how Yorktown came into being, thus the southern campaigns are necessary and the author provides the detail in summary form. The book does stray a bit as in the interesting detail on Benedict Arnold's betrayal and the maps are limited (3 buried in the middle of the book) but overall an enjoyable read finishing up with a touching portrayal of Washington's final days as commander while he stifles his army's planned march on congress. What is quite amazing, as my friend's son observed, is how Yorktown was a matter of miraculous timing. The Continental and French Armies made a very long and complicated journey to reach the peninsula blessed with the dramatic and necessary appearance of the French fleet that traveled quite a ways itself. Another interesting note in this book was the number of black soldiers in the militias who fought throughout the campaign that is described here and not otherwise noted in other books. It would have been even more interesting if the author elaborated more particularly as the British attempted to utilize blacks as well in avariety of roles with the temptation ofa better life. A more appropriate title for potential readers for this book would have been, "The Last Years of the Revolution that Ended at Yorktown". The book is a very good read particularly if you know and want what you are getting.

If your weren't up on how much the French and other European powers assisted with Washington's victory at Yorktown, please read this book. Excellent account of the French ground and naval contributions to the battle at Yorktown. Also, continues to highlight what other authors have discussed regarding the precarious nature of the American troops at Washington's disposal. The book also brings up some interesting anecdotes about how disorganized and unsupportive the majority of the Congress at the time was. If you are just an interested reader on the Revolutionary War, this book will be for you; great read.

Richard Ketchum certainly knows the War for Independence, having authored well-received books on Bunker Hill, Saratoga, New York, and Trenton. In Victory at Yorktown, he offers a detailed, well researched, and entertaining account of the events of 1781, when General Washington was required to face that cold, hard truth that, without a decisive victory in the field, the revolution (along with its founders) were doomed. The Continental Army, never large enough to begin with, had dwindled to a mere 3 to 4 thousand hungry, unpaid men. America's French allies were untrustworthy but indispensable. But the British army was divided, with Clinton in New York and Cornwallis coming north from South Carolina, and with the arrival of the French fleet, there would never be a better chance to strike a decisive blow against them.

Ketchum lays the groundwork for the dramatic climax of the war with factual information enlivened by lesser known details about the personalities and activities of the major players, American, French, and British. The interception of John Andre and exposure of Benedict Arnold's treachery are described in vivid detail, culminating with the farcical reaction of Arnold's alluring wife to Washington's arrival at the house where both were staying. The clandestine motives of the French government (the securing of more American territory for their crown, for instance) are revealed. Naturally, the siege at Yorktown receives considerable attention, but equal importance is granted to the formal surrender ceremonies, which Cornwallis refused to attend, and to the behavior of the French and English toward each other once hostilities has ceased (greeting each other as privileged gentlemen, who understood each other far better than those rustic American commoners ever could.) And who knew that germ warfare was a feature in the war in Virginia?!

If more historical accounts were as readable and interesting as this book, history would be a much more popular subject. Truly, the American victory was close to miraculous, and if you'd like to find out how such a thing could happen, check out Victory at Yorktown.

Some criticism here that the author jumps around somewhat and is not a slave to chronology. Let me suggest books with bigger print and more illustrations for those who find themselves thus challenged. This was in fact the most complicated campaign, requiring more coordination, stones and pure luck than any other. For those who retort "Trenton" let me merely respond "scale". Two fleets (one in Newport and the other in the West Indies) had to arrive at the York/James at precisely the same time as an army which traveled 700+ miles mostly on foot on horrible roads from New York. It is well-written, with many interesting new details and a suspense that builds despite the fact the outcome is well known. If you consider yourself a buff you have to add this one to your personal library.

The value of this book is not so much in the details of troop maneuvers on the battlefield, but rather the lead-up to this battle. This includes the infighting between British leaders in NY and Virginia; the sorry state of affairs of the American army, the motivations of the French armies and even the great respect they showed for their American counterparts.

When the seige itself unfolds within the latter chapters of the book, it is richly described and a fitting conclusion. It is also a reminder that the actions of just a few generals - savvy or otherwise - can change the course of history.

Having walked the fields at Yorktown many times, this book filled in all the blanks for me.