Conquering the American wilderness : the triumph of European warfare in the colonial northeast

Book

Conquering the American wilderness : the triumph of European warfare in the colonial northeast / Guy Chet.

Chet, Guy, 1968- (Author).

Summary:

A study of military tactics and strategy before the War of Independence, this book reexamines the conquest of the North American wilderness and its native peoples by colonial settlers. Historians have long believed that the peculiar conditions of the New World, coupled with the success of Indians tactics, forced the colonists to abandon traditional European methods of warfare and to develop a new "American" style of combat. By combining firearms with guerrilla-like native tactics, colonial commanders were able not only to subdue their Indian adversaries but eventually to prevail against more conventionally trained British forces during the American Revolution. Yet upon closer scrutiny, this common understanding of early American warfare turns out to be more myth than reality. As Guy Chet reveals, clashes between colonial and Indian forces during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries did not lead to a reevaluation and transformation of conventional military doctrine. On the contrary, the poor performance of the settlers during King Philip's War (1675-76) and King William's War (1689-1697) prompted colonial magistrates to address the shortcomings of their military forces through a greater reliance on British troops and imperial administrators. Thus, as the eighteenth century wore on, growing military success in the New England colonies reflected an increasing degree of British planning, administration, participation, and command. The colonies' military and political leadership, Chet argues, never rejected the time-tested principles of European warfare, and even during the American War of Independence, the republic's military leadership looked to Europe for guidance in the art of combat. -- Provided by publisher.

Record details

ISBN: 1558493662 (lib. bdg. : alk. paper)
ISBN: 9781558493667 (lib. bdg. : alk. paper)
ISBN: 1558493824 (pbk. : alk. paper)
ISBN: 9781558493827 (pbk. : alk. paper)
Physical Description: xviii, 207 pages : illustrations, maps ; 24 cm.
Publisher: Amherst : University of Massachusetts Press, c2003.

Content descriptions

Bibliography, etc. Note:: Includes bibliographical references (p. [189]-202) and index.
Formatted Contents Note:: 1. The Beginnings of a Colonial Military Tradition -- 2. Muskets and Bows -- 3. Military Degeneration and Victory -- 4. The Canadian Challenge -- 5. Administrators against the Wilderness -- Conclusion: Military Science or the Art of War?

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Location	Call Number / Copy Notes	Barcode	Shelving Location	Status	Due Date
Lummi Library	F 8 .C49 2003	267155	Stacks	Available	-

Electronic resources

Related Resource: http://www.h-net.org/review/hrev-a0d5q5-aa
- Book review (H-Net)
Version of Resource: http://www.loc.gov/catdir/toc/fy037/2002151285.html
- Table of contents

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▼ MARC Record

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100	1	.	‡aChet, Guy, ‡d1968-
245	1	0.	‡aConquering the American wilderness : ‡bthe triumph of European warfare in the colonial northeast / ‡cGuy Chet.
260		.	‡aAmherst : ‡bUniversity of Massachusetts Press, ‡cc2003.
300		.	‡axviii, 207 pages : ‡billustrations, maps ; ‡c24 cm.
336		.	‡atext ‡btxt ‡2rdacontent
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504		.	‡aIncludes bibliographical references (p. [189]-202) and index.
505		.	‡a1. The Beginnings of a Colonial Military Tradition -- 2. Muskets and Bows -- 3. Military Degeneration and Victory -- 4. The Canadian Challenge -- 5. Administrators against the Wilderness -- Conclusion: Military Science or the Art of War?
520		.	‡aA study of military tactics and strategy before the War of Independence, this book reexamines the conquest of the North American wilderness and its native peoples by colonial settlers. Historians have long believed that the peculiar conditions of the New World, coupled with the success of Indians tactics, forced the colonists to abandon traditional European methods of warfare and to develop a new "American" style of combat. By combining firearms with guerrilla-like native tactics, colonial commanders were able not only to subdue their Indian adversaries but eventually to prevail against more conventionally trained British forces during the American Revolution. Yet upon closer scrutiny, this common understanding of early American warfare turns out to be more myth than reality. As Guy Chet reveals, clashes between colonial and Indian forces during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries did not lead to a reevaluation and transformation of conventional military doctrine. On the contrary, the poor performance of the settlers during King Philip's War (1675-76) and King William's War (1689-1697) prompted colonial magistrates to address the shortcomings of their military forces through a greater reliance on British troops and imperial administrators. Thus, as the eighteenth century wore on, growing military success in the New England colonies reflected an increasing degree of British planning, administration, participation, and command. The colonies' military and political leadership, Chet argues, never rejected the time-tested principles of European warfare, and even during the American War of Independence, the republic's military leadership looked to Europe for guidance in the art of combat. -- Provided by publisher.
651		0.	‡aNew England ‡xHistory ‡yColonial period, ca. 1600-1775.
651		0.	‡aNew England ‡xHistory, Military ‡y17th century.
651		0.	‡aNew England ‡xHistory, Military ‡y18th century.
650		0.	‡aMilitary art and science ‡zNew England ‡xHistory ‡y17th century.
650		0.	‡aMilitary art and science ‡zNew England ‡xHistory ‡y18th century.
650		0.	‡aMilitary art and science ‡zEurope ‡xHistory.
650		0.	‡aIndians of North America ‡xWars ‡y1600-1750.
650		0.	‡aIndians of North America ‡zNew England ‡xHistory.
650		0.	‡aBritish Americans ‡zNew England ‡xHistory.
650		0.	‡aFrontier and pioneer life ‡zNew England.
852		.	‡p267155 ‡820071126 ‡kF ‡h8 .C49 2003 ‡6PB
856	4	2.	‡3Book review (H-Net) ‡uhttp://www.h-net.org/review/hrev-a0d5q5-aa
856	4	1.	‡3Table of contents ‡uhttp://www.loc.gov/catdir/toc/fy037/2002151285.html
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