NORTHCOM Battle Knowledge Centers

This is an overview of the entire Revolutionary War period in American history from the inception of the revolutionary movement to the conclusion of peace. The book synthesizes scholarship on the period from 1763 to 1788, discussing military, political, social, cultural, and diplomatic history in relation to this important era in American history.

Organized chronologically by conflict and the battles within each, American Battlefields is illustrated with two-color maps re-created from actual battle plans and archives as well as many photographs and period drawings. Each entry includes descriptions of the battle's underlying causes and strategic objectives, its notable commanders and pivotal turning points, and its historical importance. Full coverage of every battle in each region of the country, appendices that include a state-by-state guide to the battlefields, and lists of commanders and troop strengths make American Battlefields both a reference standard and a perfect travel book.

Historians have long considered the Battle of Monmouth one of the most complicated engagements of the American Revolution. Fought on Sunday, June 28, 1778, Monmouth was critical to the success of the Revolution. It also marked a decisive turning point in the military career of George Washington. Without the victory at Monmouth Courthouse, Washington's critics might well have marshaled the political strength to replace him as the American commander-in-chief. Authors Mark Edward Lender and Garry Wheeler Stone argue that in political terms, the Battle of Monmouth constituted a pivotal moment in the War for Independence. Viewing the political and military aspects of the campaign as inextricably entwined, this book offers a fresh perspective on Washington's role in it.

The Americans didn't simply outlast the British, nor was the war just a glorified guerrilla action with sporadic skirmishes, says W. J. Wood. Americans won their independence on the battlefield by employing superior strategies, tactics, and leadership in the battles of Bunker Hill, Quebec, Trenton, Princeton, Saratoga, and Cowpens, among many others. Here in this groundbreaking book are detailed accounts of attempts by commanders to adapt their forces to the ever-shifting battlefield of the Revolutionary War, as well as analyses of the factors that determined the eventual American victory.