When the Continental Congress decided to declare independence from the British empire in 1776, ten percent of the population of their fledgling country were from Ireland. By 1790, close to 500,000 Irish citizens had immigrated to America. They were was very active in the American Revolution, both on the battlefields and off, and yet their stories are not well known. The important contributions of the Irish on military, political, and economic levels have been long overlooked and ignored by generations of historians. However ...
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When the Continental Congress decided to declare independence from the British empire in 1776, ten percent of the population of their fledgling country were from Ireland. By 1790, close to 500,000 Irish citizens had immigrated to America. They were was very active in the American Revolution, both on the battlefields and off, and yet their stories are not well known. The important contributions of the Irish on military, political, and economic levels have been long overlooked and ignored by generations of historians. However, new evidence has revealed that Washington's Continental Army consisted of a far larger percentage of Irish soldiers than previously thought???between 40 and 50 percent???who fought during some of the most important battles of the American Revolution. Romanticized versions of this historical period tend to focus on the upper class figures that had the biggest roles in America's struggle for liberty. But these adaptations neglect the impact of European and Irish ideals as well as citizens on the formation of the revolution. Irish contributors such as John Barry, the colonies' foremost naval officer; Henry Knox, an artillery officer and future Secretary of War; Richard Montgomery, America's first war hero and martyr; and Charles Thomson, a radical organizer and Secretary to the Continental Congress were all instrumental in carrying out the vision for a free country. Without their timely and disproportionate assistance, America almost certainly would have lost the desperate fight for its existence. Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Arcade imprint, are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in history--books about World War II, the Third Reich, Hitler and his henchmen, the JFK assassination, conspiracies, the American Civil War, the American Revolution, gladiators, Vikings, ancient Rome, medieval times, the old West, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.
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How the Irish Won the American Revolution by Phillip Thomas Tucker is a historical account of the notable figures of Irish origin who fought in the American Revolution. Accounts in the books are set within the scope of the years 1775 to 1783. During this period, the Kingdom of Great Britain had established colonies known as the thirteen colonies in America. Britain was effectively controlling the colonies and collecting revenues in the form of tax which kept growing to the dismay of the colonies. What followed were protests which escalated into a full blown war of independence with the colonies seeking autonomy. Though buried and forgotten in history Philip Thomas Tucker opines that Irish immigrants played a key role in the revolution. In the alternative, America would still be paying homage to a British Monarchy and be a British Protectorate like Canada had the Irish not been a key element for the struggle against British colonization. Furthermore, the book seeks to accurately answer how the war was won by George Washington's seemingly tiny army against the Brits who were well-seasoned in warfare and sequestering foreign nations.
The author has been able to bring to the fore his opinion that the Irish were not on the margin of the revolution but smack in the middle of it as major moments, holding prime positions in the war and thus steering the course of history as we know it. Philip at a point in the account narrates the story of fathers who, in a show of patriotism, went to war with their sons and outperformed other soldiers in deeds of valor. Case in point: The Patterson Clan, who he describes as a father and three sons who set themselves apart and died together at the battle on the 'bullet- swept' King's Mountain. Then he accounts for four brothers from the Beattie Clan who fought side by side and led the war as soldiers in the captains. For a historical book I find it quite accurate and the author having done extensive research to bring forth facts that support his claim.
With regards to his literary skills, Philip has out done himself in using colorful language marked by well-placed adjectives used in the anecdotal accounts of the war. He has kept the paragraphs at a short trim and concise. The paragraphs are straight to the point and they elucidate the fact that the war could not have been won without the Scotch- Irish.
The book is an accurate account written with a noble goal of giving long overdue credit to brave Irish souls that helped America become what it is.
