Book Review: "The French and Indian War"

[dustdevil28]

..... by Walter R. Borneman.

Well it's been awhile, but I finally got another book under my belt.

I'm currently enrolled in a history class to try and work towards a degree and I started this book initially because of an assignment on General Braddock and his disasterous campaign to capture Fort Duquense from the French.

I started to read more and more into it as a reference to George Washington's early experiences in the military and I have to say it was a very compelling read.

We often don't hear much about the French and Indian war, but it's importance in world history is enormous and it's filled with many hits and near misses that could have turned the war one way or another. The first thing that hit me was the incompetance of the British Generals in the early goings of the war. Braddock for some reason made a couple of key errors that somebody with his experience should have never made and it cost him almost half, or 1000 men, and his own life.

General Abercromby was also faced with superior numbers, but went fool hardily into a barrel of French muskets that decimated his ranks and forced a withdrawl.

Fortunatly William Pitt was given the reigns of government in England and he set about promoting officers who could accomplish the conquests of Canada and the French West Indies.

To anybody intersted in a good read that gives detailed discriptions of warfare around this time I'd recommend this book.

[MrDoublel]

Thanks BB, I'll add it to my list.

[cataracts]

battleborn said:

..... by Walter R. Borneman.

Well it's been awhile, but I finally got another book under my belt.

I'm currently enrolled in a history class to try and work towards a degree and I started this book initially because of an assignment on General Braddock and his disasterous campaign to capture Fort Duquense from the French.

I started to read more and more into it as a reference to George Washington's early experiences in the military and I have to say it was a very compelling read.

We often don't hear much about the French and Indian war, but it's importance in world history is enormous and it's filled with many hits and near misses that could have turned the war one way or another. The first thing that hit me was the incompetance of the British Generals in the early goings of the war. Braddock for some reason made a couple of key errors that somebody with his experience should have never made and it cost him almost half, or 1000 men, and his own life.

General Abercromby was also faced with superior numbers, but went fool hardily into a barrel of French muskets that decimated his ranks and forced a withdrawl.

Fortunatly William Pitt was given the reigns of government in England and he set about promoting officers who could accomplish the conquests of Canada and the French West Indies.

To anybody intersted in a good read that gives detailed discriptions of warfare around this time I'd recommend this book.

Battleborn,
Fascinating. I don't know whether I'll ever get around to reading it or not. But I would like to.
Years ago I purchased a book by George Washington. It was his diary of the time he, by himself, went to spy on the French at a Fort which would now be called the city of Pitsburgh. He was only 21 years old at the time. His commanding officer sent him. I would say that his commanding officer saw something in him which he found commendable.

Cataracts

[dustdevil28]

cataracts said:

Battleborn,
Fascinating. I don't know whether I'll ever get around to reading it or not. But I would like to.
Years ago I purchased a book by George Washington. It was his diary of the time he, by himself, went to spy on the French at a Fort which would now be called the city of Pitsburgh. He was only 21 years old at the time. His commanding officer sent him. I would say that his commanding officer saw something in him which he found commendable.

Cataracts

The "commanding officer" was actually the governor Dinwiddie of Virginia. He wanted to secure colonial claims in the Ohio territory for Virginia and received permission from London to do so only after they first requested that the French leave the territory. Therefore somebody had to go and tell the French off, for this he chose Washington.

It was more of a diplomatic mission with instructions also to survey for a suitible spot to build a fort. The spot Washington favored was later the spot of the French Fort Duquesne. After the French later abandoned it, the British built a new fort on the spot and named it "Fort Pitt" after the de facto British PM William Pitt. Of course, later a large city sprouted from this spot and gained the name "Pittsburgh."

[youngstown]

The prelude to the "French & Indian War", deserves some attention. In the 17th Century, the 5 nations of New York were in eminent danger of being wiped off the face of the earth, by the Neuter, Erie, Algonqin, & Huron Nations.....sympathetic with the French. The Dutch, who lived in the territory of the Five Nations, were not pleased with the situation the Catholic French championed. Sooooo they gave the 5 Nations the "Atom Bomb", and provided them with Firearms, and ammunition. Thereby giving them the means to provide the settlers with game and fur? Thats what they said!!!..........The result was the Neuter Nation ceased to exist, as did the Erie. The Algonquin and Huron, were left on the verge of extinction. The soujurn against the French/Catholcs at Pittsburg was a continuation of the Dutch/Protestant Policy of ridding America of All French Influence. It's rather ironic, that despite this History, the French were largely responsible for the founding of The United States of America. Lafayette was a brother to Washington, and a cousin to us all.

[Remey688]

The French and British were separated more by religion in the era than ethically.