Book SummaryThe British Are Coming, by Rick Atkinson

1-Page Summary1-Page Book Summary of The British Are Coming

The onset of hostilities marked the start of the American Revolution.

The early skirmishes that took place in Lexington and Concord are widely recognized for precipitating the historic event known as the "Shot Heard Round the World."

The British Army's withdrawal to Boston, following their unsuccessful quest for arms in Concord, heralded the beginning of an extended and violent struggle.

In the dim light of a waning gibbous moon, a contingent of 800 well-armed British troops stealthily set out from Boston on April 18, 1775. Lieutenant General Thomas Gage had given the British troops the impression that a significant stockpile of colonial arms and supplies was concealed in Concord, which is situated 18 miles to the northwest. The objective of the operation was to quickly seize military provisions and ensure a withdrawal back to Boston within the span of one day. Many of the British soldiers, inexperienced in combat, expected to quickly overcome what they perceived as a disorganized, unready, and faint-hearted militia.

The British committed errors that precipitated the first exchange of gunfire, as Atkinson demonstrates. The soldiers departed from Boston with confidence that they would seize the supplies at Concord and return without facing opposition. Their initial confidence diminished as they moved toward Lexington, situated east of Concord, when the secrecy of their mission began to unravel. The region became aware of the situation through a network of express couriers, the drumming from local militia units, the ringing of church bells, and a well-organized sequence of signal fires. Atkinson highlights the colonial era's alarm system's success, which can be partly attributed to the lack of insight Gage and his men had about the organizational skills of the opposition and the fervor of the rebellion. At dawn on April 19, Major John Pitcairn came upon the first concerted opposition as he and his British light infantry approached Lexington, where a modest assembly of Massachusetts militia members was noticeably assembling in the growing morning light. The immediate deaths of eight men resulted from a chaotic volley of musket shots that seemed uncoordinated, and more of those who fled were injured than those among the militia's formation. In Concord, the British managed to capture several wagons and proceeded to dismantle different artillery units, as well as ignite a multitude of flour barrels. They then commenced their extensive trek towards Boston. The true conflict began when the royal troops met adversaries who seemed, in the words of one combatant, to have emerged as though from the celestial realms.

The area encompassing Boston.

The Crown's soldiers in Boston encountered challenges in obtaining supplies and executed maneuvers to establish an advantageous position.

After the disastrous foray to Concord, British regulars retreated inside a defensive perimeter on Boston Neck, fortified with guns and a deep water-filled moat. The incidents that occurred on April 19 precipitated a swift escalation in conflict, which a clergyman compared to the rapid proliferation of hostility. A rapid influx of eager volunteers, stretching from New England to Georgia, swiftly bolstered the ranks of colonial forces surrounding Boston. The Congress in Philadelphia was concurrently endeavoring to establish, outfit, and finance an army for an extended conflict, while militia units from various New England states rapidly formed a siege line that stretched nearly ten miles.

The military commanders faced a multifaceted dilemma as they had to manage a limited number of troops confined to a garrison while also dealing with opposition from a substantial segment of the nearby community. They primarily survived by foraging on neighboring landmasses and through provisions sent from England, Ireland, and various Caribbean territories, although the success of these endeavors varied. As summer neared, Gage sensed an increasing urgency to engage with the rebels and reestablish dominance, yet he decided to delay further clashes until more troops came, with the intention of keeping a firm grip on this vital colonial port and avoiding what he termed "the scorn of Europe." To bolster their faltering campaign in the American territories, the British regime sent three new generals – William Howe, Henry Clinton, and John Burgoyne – to Boston in May.

The costly victory achieved by the British during the Battle of Bunker Hill.

The spirited and adept defense put up by the militia during the siege, even though they were ultimately overcome, highlighted the vulnerability of British troops to such strategies.

In mid-June, Atkinson recounts a scenario in which the hasty judgments of the American forces unintentionally provided the British with the chance they sought to impart a lasting lesson to the insurgent colonists. In a recent strategic move, the American troops took control of the elevated terrain on the Charlestown peninsula near Boston, which encompasses Breed's and Bunker's Hills, and during a nighttime mission, close to a thousand Massachusetts militia newcomers began building a fortification on the summit of Breed's Hill, the area's most elevated point. At dawn the next morning, as Royal Navy warships began blasting away to little effect, General Gage and his staff watched rebel reinforcements streaming across Charlestown Neck. The depiction of the area's features and defenses by General Howe led to the initiation of an attack.

To avoid being trapped when the British inevitably stormed ashore from Boston, American commanders had requested thousands of additional troops and vast stores of ammunition – neither of which arrived. At around four o'clock on June 17, Howe commenced his attack with a force of about twenty-six hundred experienced soldiers, including the esteemed grenadiers, in a move that Washington would later describe as forceful. The rebel defenses proved...

The British Are Coming Summary The logistical, strategic, and personal challenges were faced by both the British and American forces.

The discipline and command structure of the troops.

The professional British Army faced challenges such as desertion, looting, and insubordination, which became more severe due to the indecisiveness of General Gage and the passive approach of General Howe, unlike the nascent American Army under General Washington's command, which sought to unify local militias into a unified national force and introduced innovative ideas regarding military behavior, leadership appointment, and the importance of stringent discipline.

The proficiency and combat capabilities of the British forces, which had shaped Washington's views on military discipline, proved to be less efficient in a conflict characterized by unconventional tactics and waged on terrain that was not well-known to them. British soldiers, adept at living off the land and finding food in their environment, often defied orders from their commanders by taking provisions from the locals, thereby challenging the assertion that the crown's sole intention was to protect its loyal subjects. The temptation of rewards offered by the insurgents made deserting one's position more attractive than advancing into battle under the...

The British Are Coming Summary The impact of the conflict on various civilian populations.

The dilemma confronted by individuals who remained steadfast in their allegiance to the British monarchy.

Maintaining allegiance to the king proved to be a significant challenge during the period of the American insurrection, which was marked by social upheaval, confiscation of property, and violent actions directed at civilians.

As the American insurrection intensified into a revolution and then into a full-blown civil war, individuals who aimed to repair ties with the British monarchy, stay neutral, or simply wanted to steer clear of social upheaval, soon found themselves at odds with their more zealous compatriots. The author meticulously describes the tribulations faced in regions where loyalists were outnumbered, particularly in areas like New England, where they endured persecution, withstood intimidation, bodily harm, and various penalties including the seizure of their assets, banishment, and the risk of being covered in tar and feathers or facing the death penalty. The writer depicts the harsh treatment of individuals steadfast in their allegiance to the British monarchy, which involved either the demolition of their residences or forcing them to renounce...

The British Are Coming Summary Key Figures, Leadership Dynamics, and Shifting Perspectives Throughout the Conflict

George Washington emerged as a symbol for the United States.

Initial doubts about his abilities slowly turned into admiration for his political acumen, his talent for motivating dispirited troops, and his ultimate acknowledgment as the commander of a struggle that evolved from an uprising into a comprehensive battle for self-rule.

Before achieving renown as the commander of the Continental Army, George Washington was perceived by his contemporaries as a man motivated by his own aspirations, struggling with feelings of social inadequacy, someone who had advanced through personal endeavor but whose modest military experience and incomplete formal education meant he was not widely acknowledged beyond his local circle. Atkinson conveys his profound and occasionally heartfelt hesitations about accepting the position, frequently yearning for the days spent at his property where he might have persisted in his equine breeding and tree cultivation endeavors rather than taking on the responsibilities of a military leader amid the uprising. As Washington assumed command, Atkinson notes a significant shift in his public image, evolving from a self-important militia officer in...

The British Are Coming Summary The activities of British forces in the southern areas

A force set sail from Cork with the mission to suppress the rebellion in the Carolinas.

The British strategy to suppress the southern colonies by sending an Irish brigade and a Royal Navy squadron stumbled as they encountered severe weather, rampant illness, and the steadfast resistance of the American forces, culminating in their loss at Sullivan's Island near Charleston.

As 1775 came to an end, Lord Dartmouth, responsible for overseeing the British interests in America, found himself intrigued by a strategy suggested by Governor Josiah Martin of North Carolina, which held the promise of a quick and economical victory over the rebels. Martin persuaded the London officials that by appointing a competent commander like General Henry Clinton, whose accomplishments in Boston had earned the esteem of the monarch, and by providing a reasonable contingent of naval and army forces, they could rally a substantial group of loyalists in Carolina to assist in suppressing the uprising and establishing firm control over the southern colonies. Atkinson offers a thorough analysis of the event, underscoring the British forces' frequent miscalculations, including their misplaced...

The British Are Coming Summary The transformation of disparate regional militias into a cohesive Continental Army.

The pivotal role played by regional militias in the struggle for American independence.

The early confrontations at Lexington and Concord, the siege of Boston, and various clashes stretching to Quebec City were significantly influenced by the regional militia forces. The local militias, despite their occasional unreliability and loose discipline, played a crucial role in combat, safeguarding the populace, implementing revolutionary actions, and enhancing the overall combat effectiveness of the American forces.

The fight to assert American independence differed from the usual conflicts led by kings and emperors, who often had disciplined military forces and sought conquest or glory, although such goals were indeed sought by some. Atkinson portrays the conflict as extensive and chaotic, involving two groups with common ancestry, connected through history, language, and faith, yet divided by contrasting political ideologies and markedly dissimilar circumstances. The American populace quickly recognized the war as a testament to their united determination, characterized by the careful choice of combat zones and the rapid assembly of armed troops. The local militias,...