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Sto caricando le informazioni... Capital in Flames: The American Attack on York, 1813di Robert Malcomson
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Iscriviti per consentire a LibraryThing di scoprire se ti piacerà questo libro. Attualmente non vi sono conversazioni su questo libro. This book is worth it for the massively in depth order of battle alone, definitely the definitive account of the Battle of York. Pairs nicely with Malcolmson's "Lords of the Lake." ( ) On April 27, 1813, a force of 1,800 American soldiers landed on the beaches west of the small Canadian town of York. After driving off the British troops sent piecemeal against them, the Americans captured the provincial capital of Upper Canada, which they occupied for nearly a week before withdrawing. Though viewed by the Americans as a modest success of their arms, as Robert Malcolmson shows in this first-rate account of the incident, the battle and the occupation came to assume great significance for the inhabitants of what would become the modern metropolis of Toronto, as well as Canadians throughout the region. To that end, Malcolmson begins by describing the origins of the battle in the war being waged. For contemporary Americans the War of 1812 was supposed to provide them the opportunity to annex Canada to their union, yet their initial efforts ended ignominiously in failure. In response, the U.S. flooded the region with men and materiel seeking to reverse British gains. One tempting target was the town of York on Lake Ontario, which many believed was being expanded into a naval base for British forces. The British, however, changed their minds not long before the Americans launched their assault, believing the town to be exposed and indefensible from enemy attack. In this respect the American attack on York only served to validate that judgment, leaving the Americans' victory a limited one but not without consequences for the town's residents. Malcolmson recounts all of this in a book rich with detail about the context and events of the battle. Ultimately he singles out the British commander of the region, Sir Roger Sheaffe, for failing to provide the leadership his men needed, though Sheaffe's superior, Sir George Prevost, receives his share of blame for the disaster as well. Though Malcolmson's narrative seems on the verge of drowning the reader in details at times, for the most part his writing style engages the reader with a nice mixture of information colored by anecdote. It is a book unlikely to be bettered as a study of the battle of York, and should be the first source to which anyone interested in learning about it or its legacy should turn. nessuna recensione | aggiungi una recensione
Premi e riconoscimenti
The city of Toronto was the frontier town of York in 1813 when it suffered its most traumatic day. Though it was the capital of Upper Canada, York had weak defences, and when military leaders made it the central depot and naval dockyard on the Great Lakes early in the War of 1812, they essentially painted a bull's-eye on the town and its 700 residents.In April 1813 a squadron of warships under U.S. Commodore Isaac Chauncey landed about 1,800 soldiers where today's Canadian National Exhibition grounds are located. Renowned western explorer General -Zebulon Pike led them into battle against -British, Canadian and native defenders commanded by General Sir Roger Hale Sheaffe, victor of the Battle of Queenston Heights. The attackers were pressing forward when a mighty explosion ripped the earth open and rattled windows forty miles away. One general was killed and the other withdrew. Though the Americans had taken the town, the invasion was a disappointment as the vessels they expected to seize were not there and supplies they hoped to capture were destroyed. Discipline broke down and roving gangs of invaders looted and burned public buildings - and the loyalty of some citizens came into question. The young town suffered a trauma few of its inhabitants would ever forget. And Sheaffe, the much-criticized British general, was sent home and never again saw active service.Robert Malcomson brings to life the politicians, soldiers and citizens whose destinies clashed at York. He explores the causes of the event and allows the voices of the mighty and the meek to recount their experiences. Not only does he provide fresh insights into the capture of Upper Canada's capital; he relates the various landmarks of the battle to the modern city, so that readers can walk the ground themselves. Non sono state trovate descrizioni di biblioteche |
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Google Books — Sto caricando le informazioni... GeneriSistema Decimale Melvil (DDC)971.03History and Geography North America Canada Canada Upper and Lower Canada 1791-1841Classificazione LCVotoMedia:
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