Another excellent popular American history work by Philbrick, this book covers the last three years of the American Revolution, focusing on the battle for the South during that period, and Washington's growing understanding of the need for naval power to counter the Royal Navy's control of the American coast.
Philbrick documents Washington's ongoing efforts to get the French to commit a large naval force to the war, which caused him endless frustrations and delays, but ultimately led to the Battle of the Chesapeake between British and French fleets.
Philbrick portrays this sea battle, where the French navy forced the British fleet to escape to the north to refit and regroup, as the decisive development that set up the American victory at Yorktown, by cutting off Lord Cornwallis's forces from resupply or escape by sea.
It's a lively read, and a good military and political analysis of this less well-known phase of the Revolution. Recommended.
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