Headed for Auction: Back-Channel Gloom on Revolutionary War

NY Times ^ | March 22, 2010 | SAM ROBERTS

[Pharmboy]

Letters to and from Henry Strachey, secretary to the British commanders in chief, are being auctioned as the Copley Library sells its collection.

Despite King George’s boast that “once these rebels have felt a smart blow, they will submit,” back-channel messages from British generals and diplomatic officials in America during the Revolutionary War, some of them previously unpublished, turn out to have been decidedly more pessimistic.

As early as June 1775, after the Battle of Bunker Hill — which the Redcoats technically won — Gen. John Burgoyne pronounced British military prospects in America “gloomy” in what he called “a crisis that my little read in history cannot parallel.”

“Such a pittance of troops as Great Britain and Ireland can supply will only serve to protract the war, to incur fruitless expense and insure disappointment,” Burgoyne added in a letter in the collection that will be auctioned beginning next month by Sotheby’s in New York. “Our victory has been bought by an uncommon loss of officers, some of them irreparable, and I fear the consequence will not answer the expectations that will be raised in England.”

By the next summer, Henry Strachey, the secretary to Gen. William Howe and Adm. Richard Howe, the brothers who served as commanders in chief of the army and naval forces in the colonies until 1778, was also voicing despair. The Howes had been dispatched to New York to negotiate peace with the rebellious American colonies and, failing that, to wage war against them.

[omega4412]

The War for America, 1775-1783 by Piers Mackesy. The American Revolution as part of a world war between Britain and France.

While you're on the subject, The Ideological Origins of the American Revolution by Bernard Bailyn. Based in part on the political pamphlets from then.

[aculeus]

Interesting find.

[AnalogReigns]

I'm a direct descendant of a man who died on a British prison ship in New York harbor.

More patriots died (over 10,000)--typically of disease or starvation--on these floating Buchenwalds than died in battle...

Though over 225 years ago, it makes me angry thinking of it.

Fort Green Park Conservancy Prison Ships Martyrs' Monument:

[the OlLine Rebel]

“just could not figure out what we were so mad about.”

Gee, just like liberals today. And I mean, Joe Schmoe liberals.

Why would we be against “free” “health” (as opposed to medical?) care? Why would we be against seatbelt laws? Why would we be pro-gun? I mean, it’s all to make everything nice!

[Pharmboy]

Thanks for your ancestor's service and ultimate sacrifice.

Over the years I have posted many times on the prison ships. The most common number usually given now is 11,000 dead.

On a personal note, I attended high school withing 500 yards of the monument.

[dsutah]

I’d heard that there was some bitterness between loyalists and rebels even up into the 20th century! I see this a lot on “You Tube”, when reading the comments sections on some of the most innocuous videos.

Look on videos of some of the marching songs from GB and US. Also, look on other pages w/videos/songs like “The Battle Of New Orleans”, etc.. There are some battleaxes on there at times back and forth, and this 200 yrs. or more later!

[La Enchiladita]

I am haunted by thoughts of the Jersey, of which I have heard some of the cruelest most inhumane treatment of prisoners by any group against another. Our Revolutionaries suffered unthinkable deliberate horror at the hands of the Brits.

[SunkenCiv]

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	Gods Graves Glyphs	Thanks Pharmboy. Nice pic of Burgoyne. Gentleman Johnny got the shaft not merely for his own silliness, but also by General Howe, who was supposed to move north in support and to link up, and decided to seize Philadelphia instead. He wound up getting recalled as a consequence of that. Regardless, I'm appalled sometimes at the garbage that Washington put up with, mostly from politicians, as he let his hand be heavy where and when he could, and remained just out of reach of his adversaries. Valley Forge was well chosen by Washington to contribute to Howe's misstep. Just adding to the catalog, not sending a general distribution. To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list. GGG managers are SunkenCiv, StayAt HomeMother, and Ernest_at_the_Beach
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[AnalogReigns]

I’ve wondered why New York city just seems a bit....hmmmm....not TOTALLY American in my eyes. Of course it is (and has been) extremely left wing liberal, for a very long time, so that doesn’t help, in my view, in respecting someones American patriotism—but also the knowledge that is was early captured and totally controlled by the Brits during the War of Independence...and it was a hotbed of Tories, well, maybe that’s why I’ve never really liked the place.

I dunno. Perhaps my great-great-great-great-grandfather’s spirit influenced my attitude.

[AnalogReigns]

Thanks for your thanks...of course I didn’t do anything, and we only found this out recently from geneology. I hope my speculations on my personal distaste for NYC didn’t insult you.

I have a good friend originally from Brooklyn, and I know there are many fine people there.

[BunnySlippers]

Timely. Never quit!

[the scotsman]

BOTH sides committed atrocities. During and after the war.

[steel_resolve]

Could you put me on the GGG list? Thanks.