Those Damned Rebels: The American Revolution As Seen Through British Eyes

by Michael Pearson

A re-creation of the American Revolution from the British point of view --and a dramatically different picture of the birth of our nation.

Using firsthand accounts--journals, letters from British officers in the field, reports from colonial governors in the colonies--Michael Pearson has provided a contemporary report of the Revolution as the British witnessed it. Seen from this perspective, some of the major events of the war are given startling interpretations: for example, the British considered their defeat at Bunker Hill nothing more than a minor setback, especially in light of their capture of New York and Philadelphia. Only at the very end of the conflict did they realize that the Yankees had lost the battles but won the war. From the Boston Tea Party to that day in 1785 when the first U.S. ambassador presented his credentials to a grudging George III, here is the full account of "those damned rebels" who somehow managed to found a new nation.

Genres: History, American Revolution, American History, Nonfiction, Politics, British Literature, American

456 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 30, 1971

Reviews

['Aussie Rick' · Rating 4 out of 5]

`Those Damned Rebels' was originally published in 1972 in hardback and later re-released in paperback in 2000. I am glad that DaCapo Press decided to re-publish this title, as it's one of the better one-volume accounts of the American Revolution that I have read for some time. As the sub title indicates this book is mainly the war as seen though British eyes but after reading the book I think it's without any particular bias.

The author uses numerous first-hand accounts and reports from the participants to reconstruct the events as they appeared to the soldiers, sailors, commanders and politicians at that time. This is so well done that the narrative never bogs down or becomes boring. The story is told in such a fluid and informative manner that it literally sweeps you into the history of the monumental events of this period.

The author covers all the main highlights of this war, from Bunker Hill to the surrender at Yorktown but he also supplies information on many of the smaller battles and skirmishes throughout this war. Nor does the author exclude events in Britain and Europe and the ramifications of battles won and lost in America on those seats of power that were involved in this conflict from afar.

The story moves from the battlefields of America to the Kings Court and Parliament in England and into the Courts of France, Spain, Russia and Holland. The events are told in manner that gives the reader a feeling of "authentic immediacy of an eye witness".

In over 402 pages of narrative (hardback version) the story told gives the reader a full account on the birth of the United States of America. The only gripe I have with this book (the 1972 edition) was the standard of the maps. In this edition they were taken from original maps of the time which I suppose fits in with the author's intention but are pretty useless to the modern reader to track events.

Overall I found this to be an easy to read book and I am sure that most people who enjoy this period of history will have a great time reading this account.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

As an American, what I’ve learned about the Revolutionary War was only from the American perspective. I wanted to know what the war was like through the eyes of the British, and I thought this would be a good place to start.

This book was well researched using journals, letters, and government documents as its primary sources. I appreciate the hard work that went into writing this book, however, it was not well written. Sentences were often wordy, with an abundance of adverbs, and this made it a difficult read for me.

With that being said, I learned a lot from this book and it gave me a new perspective on the war. In the end I’m glad I read it.

[Christopher Valin · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite book on the American Revolution from the British point of view. It avoids the dryness of many of these types of books and gives a fascinating account from the other side of what most Americans read.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the story of the American Revolution recreated from the British point of view at that time using the journals, letters and reports from British officers, colonial governors, and others. It was first published in 1972 and I first read it sometime in the 70s--and decided to reread it before donating it to a library book sale.
I have appreciated seeing the American War for Independence from the British perspective. One thing is for certain--American independence was not a forgone conclusion. Right until almost to the end of the war ( the Battle of Yorktown, Virginia), the British could have won and the Americans lost... I may add more to this review later!
What keeps this book from a 5 star rating is the lack of good maps. I like my history to come with plenty of good detailed maps!

[Addyson Huneke · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very infuriating book. I wouldn't have read it if I didn't need to for a research paper. So the British soldiers rape, murder, plunder, commit adultery, gamble, drink, brutalize themselves and others, and that's supposed to be accepted and yet they're still better than the Americans, who were so nice to the British when they had to surrender to them after Saratoga that the British wanted to make peace with them? For real?

[Jerry · Rating 5 out of 5]

INCREDIBLE !
I do not in the least have any reservation in stating that a complete and accurate understanding of the American Revolutionary War cannot be had without completing Michael Pearfon's masterful work, Those Damned Rebels. Through extensive, and I dare say, exhaustive research through British archives the author has produced a unique and invaluable interpretation of this critical period in history. I say unique, not because occasional references to the thoughts of British political and military figures are sporadically revealed within it's pages, unique for the British perspective constitutes Those Damned Rebels entirely !
Compulsory education, i.e. K-12, in so far as The American Revolution is concerned, delves into the British standpoint little more than opaque references to major players, (King George III, Lord Cornwallis) and key events, (Boston Massacre, Boston Tea Party, Battle of Yorktown). The exception would be a high school honors or AP history class and then perhaps a few more names and dates would be revealed. Reading Pearfon's masterpiece, and in my opinion it is no less, one is taken to a point of objectivity heretofore rarely seen. It is NOT the letters and accompanying correspondence of Washington, Franklin, Adams, Jefferson, Monroe, Hamilton, Madison. Rather it is the letters, correspondence, AND minutes of King George III, Cornwallis, Clinton, Germain, Howe, Gage, and Stormont. It is within THIS communication that a true appreciation for the decision making from both a professional as well as personal perspective, is possible.
Let us not forget that it was the thought process and corresponding decisions OF THE CROWN AND PARLIAMENT that not only gave birth to the American colonies , but also, provided the seeds of eventual revolution. Therefore logic dictates that an awareness of those British persons of power is implicit in any understanding of the American Revolution. It is within the pages of Those Damned Rebels by Michael Pearfon, that one may discover this awareness. Bravo !

[Jeremy Lucas · Rating 4 out of 5]

While the text can be grueling, filled with a level of historical and military minutiae that distracts from the flow of the narrative, I appreciated the author’s strict adherence to a British perspective, only on occasion dipping his toes in a relevant quote or two from Washington, Adams, and the like. What lingered with me more than anything else, perhaps, was the famous road to Lexington and Concord, usually glossed over as one of those iconic American moments of heroism, bravery, and solidarity, but which was portrayed here as a tragedy of colonial barbarity and inhumanity toward the British. A truly great book on the American Revolution, written by an American, ought to include these kinds of notes, acknowledging not just the times when we struggled or were down, as is often the case, but the times when our struggle led us to behave in manners that were less than honorable. Fortunately, the bulk of this book and any other book that might be written on the subject comes down to a tricky tracking of international war strategies, the highs and the lows on both sides that led to the close of Yorktown.

[Steve Dahlgren · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s a very good history book and very readable. The thing it lacks is adequate coverage of what was happening in London with regard to the conflict. I wanted more coverage of how the war was covered in the papers of the time, what debates were going on, what the merchant class thought of how the loss of the American market affected them, what the soldiers returning were saying, and more about the fear of attack by the French, Spanish, and Russian client Holland.

This book provides info and insight of what the British forces we’re experiencing which adds to the information Americans are taught in school and at the battlefield sites that I’ve visited.

[Andrew Ziegler · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an excellent book. As an American, you kind of grow up on things like, "America won the Revolution because they hid behind trees and fought a guerrilla war." You miss a LOT of the actual story of a conflict that from Tea Party to Peace lasted almost a decade. I really enjoyed this history from the eyes and pens of the British. Highly recommend.

[Marcus · Rating 4 out of 5]

To the victors the spoils, to the losers, a rather good book! As well as telling an exciting tale well, the correspondence of the British commanders and establishment has been tapped by the author to provide some fascinating insights into how the British waged the Revolutionary War. This viewpoint pretty much describes how the British snatched defeat from the jaws of victory, after winning battle after battle, but there are key elements within the narrative and particularly from the response back in Britain, that indicate that it was an un-winnable war, as many commented at the time.
Even though the genius of Washington is understandably muted in this book, it nevertheless shines through as the book progresses, as does the gradual but decisive growth of the Continental Army and the crucial support of France. By way of contrast, the glaring errors that the British military chiefs undoubtedly made are clearly illuminated and dissected; even without hindsight some of the mistakes were pretty amateurish.
Well worth a read for anyone who likes history, essential for those keen on the US Revolution.

[Stacy Moll · Rating 5 out of 5]

For those that would like to know more about the revolutionary war than was taught in school, or for those that understand that reading only the winners point of view leaves a lot to be desired, you should read Those Damned Rebels. It is very interesting to read and learn things that somehow were never taught in school about the start of our opposition to British rule. Additionally, it is interesting to see how history does repeat itself, and not in a good way.

[Antony Castellano]

Using firsthand accounts—journals, letters from British officers in the field, reports from colonial governors in the colonies—Michael Pearson has provided a contemporary report of the Revolution as the British witnessed it. Seen from this perspective, some of the major events of the war are given startling interpretations: For example, the British considered their defeat at Bunker Hill nothing more than a minor setback, especially in light of their capture of New York and Philadelphia. Only at the very end of the conflict did they realize that the Yankees had lost the battles but won the war. From the Boston Tea Party to that day in 1785 when the first U.S. ambassador presented his credentials to a grudging George III, here is the full account of "those damned rebels" who somehow managed to found a new nation.

[Les Wolf · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this history of the American Revolution. Told from the British perspective, the book imparts an insight that is at once both fascinating and compelling. An extrememly well-written book and one that has added a new dimension to my level of understanding of the conflict.
King George III, Commanders Howe, Clinton and Cornwallis, Lord Tarleton and others are so well described and quoted that they become unforgettable as real people. The details of each battle are relevant and engaging and the personal incidents are sometimes humorous, always significant.

[Michaelpatrick Keena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Context is everything. What makes this book so enjoyable is reading about the War for American Independance through the perspective of the British; fore it was their war too. They were divided upon the issue as we have been in various ans similar circumstances. Knowing the full picture help us not only to better understand history; but appreciate insights to current events.

[Mark]

The American Revolution as told through the British perspective. Extremely interesting to hear the other side of the story.

[Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a decent overview of the American Revolution. I didn't really find very much if anything new that I hadn't read in American views of the Revolution.

[Mark Singer · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Revolutionary War" is an easy to read and chatty history of the American Revolution as told from the British perspective. Also published under the title "Those Damned Rebels".