For eight grueling years, American and British military forces struggled in a bloody war over colonial independence. This conflict also ensnared Native American warriors and the armies and navies of France, Spain, the Dutch Republic, and several German principalities. From frozen Canada to tropical Florida and as far west as the Mississippi River, the Revolutionary War included hundreds of campaigns, battles, and skirmishes on land and sea in which soldiers and sailors fought and died for causes, crowns, and comrades. In this sweeping, yet accessible narrative of America’s fight for liberty, military historian John R. Maass identifies the decisive battles and campaigns that won the war and secured independence for the thirteen hard-pressed but determined American colonies. Maass identifies and details six key turning points of the Revolutionary War that were the crucial to eventual Patriot victory. These include
1.
George Washington’s surprise winter battlefield success at Trenton and Princeton in 1776-77;
2.
the improbable American capture of an entire British army in the wilderness of Saratoga in the fall of 1777;
3.
the hardships and perseverance in the bitter cold, poorly supplied camps at Valley Forge in the snowy winter of 1778;
4.
crucial French recognition of American independence and King Louis XVI’s momentous decision to supply Washington’s troops with desperately needed arms, money, and French soldiers and fleets;
5.
the redcoats’ Pyrrhic victory at Guilford Courthouse in early 1781, which ended their hopes in the South;
6.
and Washington’s stunning victory at Yorktown with French support later that year, that secured an eventual victory in the war. These turning points—without which defeat was likely—ensured a military victory for the new United States, and established its place among the nations of the world.
By:
John R. Maass
Imprint: Osprey
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions:
Height: 236mm,
Width: 158mm,
Spine: 30mm
Weight: 485g
ISBN: 9781472863751
ISBN 10: 1472863755
Pages: 272
Publication Date: 01 July 2025
Audience:
General/trade
,
ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming
SUBJECT TO CONFIRMATION Introduction First Turning Point: Twin Victories at Trenton and Princeton, 1776-7 Second Turning Point: The Saratoga Campaign, 1781 Third Turning Point: Winter at Valley Forge, 1777-8 Fourth Turning Point: The Battle of Guildford Courthouse, 1781 Fifth Turning Point: The Siege of Yorktown, 1781 Conclusion: Why some battles were not turning points Bibliography
John R. Maass is a staff member of the National Museum of the U.S. Army at Fort Belvoir. He received a BA in history from Washington and Lee University and a PhD in early American history at The Ohio State University. He is the author of several books and numerous articles on early U.S. military history, including North Carolina and the French and Indian War: The Spreading Flames of War (2013); Defending a New Nation, 1783-1811 (2013); The Road to Yorktown: Jefferson, Lafayette and the British Invasion of Virginia (2015); George Washington's Virginia (2017); and The Battle of Guilford Courthouse: A Most Desperate Engagement (2020).
Reviews for From Trenton to Yorktown: Turning Points of the Revolutionary War
Historian John Maass brings closure to centuries of debate over the Revolutionary War's most crucial moments, in this original, penetrating, and highly readable analysis of the conflict's five great turning points. * Edward G. Lengel, author of General George Washington: A Military Life' * This is a revealing and provocative read and belongs on any American Revolution bookshelf. * Mark Edward Lender, author of 'Cabal! The Plot Against General Washington' * John Maass has entered the ongoing debate about the importance of battles and campaigns in determining a war’s outcome. This well-written and excellent book argues persuasively that four campaigns and the Valley Forge winter were decisive turning points of the American Revolution. This superb book is especially welcome as we approach the 250th anniversaries of these pivotal events. * Kevin J. Weddle, author of 'The Compleat Victory: Saratoga and the American Revolution' *
