The Invasion of Virginia, 1781

by Michael Cecere

The American War for Independence was fought in nearly every colony, but some colonies witnessed far more conflict than others. In the first half of the war, the bulk of military operations were concentrated in Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. A shift in British strategy southward after the Battle of Monmouth in 1778 triggered numerous military engagements in 1779 and 1780 in Georgia and the Carolinas.Surprisingly, Virginia, the largest of the original thirteen colonies, saw relatively little fighting for the first six years of the Revolutionary War. This changed in 1781 when British and American forces converged on Virginia. The war’s arrival did not result from one particular decision or event, but rather, a series of incidents and battles beginning in the fall of 1780 at Kings Mountain, South Carolina.

Benedict Arnold’s sudden appearance in Virginia in early 1781 with 1,600 seasoned British troops and his successful raid up the James River to Richmond and subsequent occupation of Portsmouth, demonstrated Virginia’s vulnerability to attack and the possibility that the colonies could be divided and subdued piecemeal, a strategy Britain had attempted to deploy several times earlier in the war. British General Henry Clinton’s decision to reinforce Arnold in Virginia expanded Britain’s hold on the colony while events in North Carolina, including the battle of Guilford Court House, led British General Charles Cornwallis to conclude that defeating the Patriots in Virginia was the key to ending the war. As a result, Cornwallis marched his army north in May 1781 to assume command of what was now a very powerful British force of over 7,000 troops. The war had returned to Virginia with a vengeance, and how it did so and what happened as a result is the focus of The Invasion of Virginia 1781. 

 

Genres: American Revolutionary War, History

200 pages, Hardcover

Published June 7, 2017

Reviews

[Steve Bender · Rating 5 out of 5]

Illuminating book on the events that led up to Yorktown, but not the battle itself. The only thing more I would have wished from this book are modern mapos rather than reprints of old maps that are difficult to follow. Great book on the end of the Revolutionary War. Recommended.

[Joseph Ficklen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Concise account of the actions in North Carolina and Virginia between Camden and Yorktown, without covering either of those battles. Discusses King’s Mountain, Arnold’s Raid on Richmond, Cowpens, the Race to the Dan, Guilford Courthouse, Blandford (Petersburg), the raid on Charlottesville, Spencer’s Ordinary, and Green Spring. Follows first Leslie then Benedict Arnold himself in Virginia as he set about raiding Virginia’s munitions and supply depots, and also covers Cornwallis as he chased Greene through the Carolinas, and tracks his decision making that leads him into Virginia after Guilford Courthouse. Initially just a detour into Virginia, and a highly successful one, orders from Clinton forced Cornwallis to stay put, and the French navy’s victory off the Capes prevented him from extricating himself from a little tobacco wharf known as Yorktown. But that goes beyond the scope of this book. I really liked it, I also enjoyed Cecere’s “March to Independence” about the early battles of the Southern Theater.

Audiobook narrator consistently pronounced Ewald as “Yuwell” and Banastre as “Banistray” which was annoying.

[Ernst · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is only 150 pages long, and perhaps a quarter of it summarizes the battles of the Southern Campaign that took place outside Virginia. It remains a relatively detailed description of the time when Benedict Arnold, Tarleton, and eventually Cornwallis on the British side confronted Lafayette and Baron Von Steuben, among others on the American side.
I would have liked some description of the farmers or workers in the town -- how all these troops running around in their state impacted the businesses and how they survived it. The military history is well written.

[Tim Nokken · Rating 3 out of 5]

An in depth history of the 1781 invasion of VA by Cornwallis and the British. A really comprehensive account of this period of the war. Stylistically, a bit rote and mechanical. Best suited for those who already possess extensive knowledge of the war and people waging it. I liked this, but felt I needed more of a back story so I was familiar with the key players. It also made clear how lucky we were to win.

[Roy Draa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another excellent offering from the author. This book is a succinct account of the campaigns of Arnold and Phillips in Virginia as well as the events in North Carolina and New York that led to the end of Cornwallis’ campaign. An excellent compliment to the military journals of Simcoe and Ewald during the period as well as the collected letters of Greene and Jefferson.

[William Guerrant · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fine book and valuable resource, well-written and well-researched. The amount of detail on the campaigns in Virginia is impressive for such a small book (145 pages). An even more detailed and thorough examination of the pre-Yorktown 1781 Virginia campaigns would be welcome--particularly more detail on Tarleton's raid through central Virginia, which is allotted only one sentence in this book.

[Jennifer Elkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the details and especially the part about Jack Jouette. I teach Va history to 4th graders :) I would have given 5 Stars if the book had covered The Siege of Yorktown.