Much of what I know about the American Revolutionary War is
about George Washington’s famous victories at Trenton, New Jersey and the one
that finally brought the rebels victory, in Yorktown, Virginia, where the British
expected to sail away on a fleet coming to their rescue, but where a French
armada beat them to it, forcing Cornwallis’ armies to surrender.
Little did I know that whilst Washington’s Continental Army
pushed south, pursuing the reeling British forces, there were other, less
glorious events taking place, like the Penobscot Expedition into what is now a
part of Maine, but, in those days, belonged to Massachusetts. A force of ships
and men was to enter the harbour and reclaim the territory, which the British
had named New Ireland. The British – actually Scottish Highlanders for the most
part – had built Fort George on the Majabigwaduce Peninsula at the opening of
Penobscot Bay.
Told through the eyes of men like Paul Revere and John
Moore, later a British hero and at that time a wet-behind-the-eyes lieutenant,
Cornwell tells of the siege laid by the Americans and of how so many things
went wrong. There was indecision, ego battles, cowardice, a difference of
opinions between land and sea commanders on just about every matter, a
combination of which led to a disastrous defeat against a numerically inferior
enemy.
The failed Penobscot Expedition has been called the United
States’ worst naval disaster prior to Pearl Harbour. The manner in which the
British, who would have doubtless suffered a crushing loss were it not for so
much indecision and infighting amongst the American commanders, snatched
victory from the jaws of defeat was incredible. Cornwell’s brilliant ability to
capture the mood of events is as good as ever. You can almost reach out and cut
the tension with a knife when the Americans are squabbling. It fairly springs
off the page. So do the battle scenes.
As per usual, Cornwell is expert at bringing the story to
life. The one difference between this and his Richard Sharpe novels is that the
campaign, being as complex as it was, with naval and land forces on both sides,
and other civilians playing a part, has less time to delve into things from a
minutely personal level, as he’s done so well with Sharpe. Characters in The
Fort are treated with broader brush strokes, though I still felt a connection
with all of them, particularly Lieutenant John Moore in his first battle.
Paul Revere, famous for the midnight ride to warn Lexington
that the British were coming, is portrayed as somewhat arrogant, and certainly
not good at taking orders. At the end of the doomed expedition, when the
American ships are trapped by a British force that has sailed up from New York
City, he decides against using his vessel to rescue crewmen on American ships
in favour of escaping safely with his personal baggage in tow. It is an ugly
black mark against a man who shall regardless be remembered as a true patriot.
And The Fort is a great book.
No comments:
Post a Comment