William Bartram and the American Revolution on the Southern Frontier [Hardcover]

Edward J. Cashin (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 2000

In Travels, the celebrated 1791 account of the "Old Southwest," William Bartram recorded the natural world he saw around him but, rather incredibly, omitted any reference to the epochal events of the American Revolution. Edward J. Cashin places Bartram in the context of his times and explains his conspicuous avoidance of people, places, and events embroiled in revolutionary fervor. Cashin suggests that while Bartram documented the natural world for plant collector John Fothergill, he wrote Travels for an entirely different audience. Convinced that Providence directed events for the betterment of mankind and that the Constitutional Convention would produce a political model for the rest of the world, Bartram offered Travels as a means of shaping the new country. Cashin illuminates the convictions that motivated Bartram-that if Americans lived in communion with nature, heeded the moral law, and treated the people of the interior with respect, then America would be blessed with greatness.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

"Edward Cashin's research and analysis of Bartram is extensive and complete, giving his book the weight of a major authority on the man and his travels. . . . By pairing Bartram with the political and military events which the naturalist chose to disregard, Cashin offers us a valuable lesson in the art of historiography."--American Historical Review

"Brilliant in conception, exhaustive in research from archives and fieldwork, this book introduces a new genre of historical writing. It is thus far the most definitive work on the southern Indian frontier during the Revolutionary era."--Choice

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

About the Author

A native of Augusta, Georgia, Edward J. Cashin is director of the Center for the Study of Georgia History at Augusta State University and the author of fourteen books.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 448 pages
• Publisher: University of South Carolina Press; Reprint edition (February 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1570033250
• ISBN-13: 978-1570033254
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.8 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,244,153 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Best Bartram Commentary Since Harper, September 22, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: William Bartram and the American Revolution on the Southern Frontier (Hardcover)

Attempting to figure out where William Bartram went during his famous travels can make one very irritable. Cashin's book puts you solidly in the old wanderer's boot tracks. The wealth of historical detail brings to life the places Bartram went, the people he met, and the times in which he lived. An indispensable book for the serious student of Bartram.