Redcoats The British Soldier and War in the Americas, 1755–1763

An examination of the experiences of the British Army soldiers, or 'redcoats', who fought in North America and the West Indies between 1755 and 1763. It explores the Army's distinctive society, using new evidence to provide a voice for ordinary soldiers who have previously been ignored by historians. Whilst other books on the period concentrate upon major personalities and events, this study also examines events from the perspective of the individual: themes covered include the experience of combat, captivity amongst the Indians, the Army's women, and the fate of veterans.

In the last decade, scholarship has highlighted the significance of the Seven Years War for the destiny of Britain's Atlantic empire. This major 2001 study offers an important perspective through a vivid and scholarly account of the regular troops at the sharp end of that conflict's bloody and decisive American campaigns. Sources are employed to challenge enduring stereotypes regarding both the social composition and military prowess of the 'redcoats'. This shows how the humble soldiers who fought from Novia Scotia to Cuba developed a powerful esprit de corps that equipped them to defy savage discipline in defence of their 'rights'. It traces the evolution of Britain's 'American Army' from a feeble, conservative and discredited organisation into a tough, flexible and innovative force whose victories ultimately won the respect of colonial Americans. By providing a voice for these neglected shock-troops of empire, Redcoats adds flesh and blood to Georgian Britain's 'sinews of power'.

Introduction: approaching the 'American Army'; 1. Britain's war effort in the Americas; 2. Gone for a soldier; 3. Following the drum; 4. The environmental parameters of American campaigning; 5. The 'American Army' and Native Americans; 6. Irregular warfare in the Americas; 7. The tactical evolution of the Redcoats; 8. The Highland Battalions in the Americas; 9. The legacies of the 'American Army'.

An examination of the experiences of the British soldiers, or 'redcoats', who fought in the Americas from 1755-63. It explores the Army's distinctive society, using new evidence to provide a voice for ordinary soldiers, previously ignored by historians. Includes the experience of combat, Indian captivity, women, and veterans.

A former newspaper journalist, Stephen Brumwell earned his Ph.D in History from the University of Leeds in 1998. He currently works as a freelance writer in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. His recent publications include White Devil: A True Story of War, Savagery, and Vengeance in Colonial America.