David Mccullough’s “1776” Essay

David McCullough, who has won Pulitzer Prize and National Book Awards two times impresses in his book† 1776 â€Å" that the year 1776 is one of the most significant years in annals of U. S. A . McCullough segregates his book not by key military skirmishes but by negligible incidents with major consequences on those skirmishes. McCullough in his book â€Å"1776† lucidly explains the triumphant American siege of Boston in 1775, the catastrophic defense of New York City against irresistible British troops in the late summer of 1776, the Continental Army’s close encounter with dissolution and failure and its excellent dead-of-winter success over the Hessians and the British at Princeton and Trenton as 1776 gave way to 1777. According to McCullough, General Washington was not without flaws but as a military inexpert who was out-generaled by his British adversaries. By demonstrating the intensity to which American fortune had descended by mid-November 1776, McCullough lauds the triumph in Trenton and illustrates that how American heroism is yet again demonstrated. McCullough restricts himself to events that occurred in a single calendar year and a little more. Further, he zeros in on a single person –General Washington. McCullough prose is stylish, sturdy and has a novelist style of structure and pacing. The choice of year 1776 is wise one as it was the year of roller-coaster ride in terms of American military triumphs. â€Å"1776† began on a high note when General Henry Knox, taking the benefit of severe winter weather, employed sledges and barges to transport about sixty tons of cannons and mortars down from Fort Ticonderoga in northern New York and across snow heaped Massachusetts countryside. 1 Negotiating anxiously in the night, General Washington troops successfully placed the artillery atop Dorchester Heights, facing Boston Harbor, in early March 1776. Though, the city was under the control of British, they were now openly exposed and the British had no other choice but to withdraw. The three key chapters of book are categorized as follows; ? The Siege ? Fateful Summer ? The Long Retreat In the first chapter â€Å"The Siege†, McCullough narrate the military features of war. It is to be recalled that the title â€Å"The Siege† was coined after the fortifications made at Dorchester Heights. In this chapter, McCullough recounted insight to the minds of combatants on each side of the skirmish with excerpts from letters written by soldiers. At that point of time, warriors on each side were under the impression that they had the enough motives to fight but did not realize that it would soon transform. Howe, the general on the British side was a man of action and had not any patience to wait and wanted to settle his score with American troop instantly. However, General Washington was most concerned about the inexperience and lack of knowledge of his warriors. Further, adding fuel to the fire, there was shortage of firearms and ammunitions on American side which had made General Washington to worry about. At this juncture, McCullough recalled the exact words used by General Washington when he narrated this precarious situation to his brother through a letter. â€Å"We had fewer bullets than riffles and not adequate riffles for every soldier and not enough soldiers to succeed into the war. † The shortage of firearms for rebels was such that General Washington had issued precondition to those who wanted to join him to fight against British to bring firearms with them from the farm. This scenario aptly illustrates how American side was in wobbly condition as regards to firearms and ammunition as compared to the mighty British army. Further, in this Chapter, McCullough describes the information exchanged by General Washington with his wife through letters which detailed the problems and pitfalls faced by rebels and how American army was handicapped and devised its strategy against the mighty British. However, as per McCullough, General Washington was highly diplomatic as he never revealed how frantic the scenario was to American soldiers at that juncture. In one another letter to his brother, General Washington was of the opinion that he wanted to be an enlisted warrior rather than holding the position of General and always concerned for the soldier’s morality. At the conclusion of the first chapter, McCullough narrates that fortunately General Knox arrived in Dorchester with much wanted cannons and due to this, the future looked very dazzling for the American soldiers. The second chapter has been named as â€Å"Fateful Summer† since General Washington was under impression that the destiny of unborn millions now reckon on his success. General Washington cautioned his troop that failure was not an option and at any cost, they must achieve success. Major portion of this chapter devotes to memoirs of General John Sullivan, Major Joseph Reed and General Rufus Putnam. McCullough recalls that there is absence of unity among colonies at that juncture. Since, majority of the generals were from South, they had feeling that they were superior to generals hailing from North. McCullough reveals this through the conversation that had occurred between General Washington and General Graydon as they vouched that â€Å"Yankees were despondently organized† and did not visualize that the northern regiments would be able to safeguard their position in battle. However, Southern leadership found that they had a misconception on the strength of the northern regiments when they vigorously wrestled and won in Bunker Hill and in Lexington. McCullough illustrates that majority of men who has joined the regiment at that juncture were from northern colonies. McCullough also refers General Washington’s quote that he did not envisage any concern with Negroes who have then freed from their slavery but was not especially consonant with them in his status and rank. McCullough also portraits young soldiers who have joined the regiment did not have any discipline as no proper training were imparted to these young new recruits. Further, these young soldiers were also affected by sexually transmitted diseases when they had relationship with prostitutes who roamed the New York City at that time and there was also shortage of medicine to cure them. According Washington estimate, he lost more 10,000 soldiers due to prevalence of small box and venereal disease. This chapter ends with note that though American suffered a big defeat, however they were united in their cause and had plans to flee away to New York to settle their scores in another day. The third and final chapter is named as â€Å"Fortune Frowns†. In this chapter, McCullough explains how Washington informed their defeat to Congress. McCullough uses most of the letters written by Washington to his wife in this chapter to narrate the incidents. However , Washington never exchange military or warfare strategies with his wife this time as in the past but gave instruction about how interior had to be organized in his residence. With defeat in the Battles of Long Island and Brooklyn, Washington, his troops and the nation were witnessing very hard time. In his letter to Governor Trumbull which was written on December 14, 1776, Washington mentioned that he wanted to assume risk to any extent and all that he needed was a bit of luck. Washington also unraveled in that letter that his strategy was to cross the Delaware during the dark and wage an attack on Trenton engulfing from three sides. This time there was excellent cooperation among the commanding generals. Washington strategy worked well and attack after crossing Delaware during dark was a remarkable triumph for Washington. McCullough in his concluding part of the book made a high note about the success in Trenton battle. McCullough in his book â€Å"1776† narrates several inspirational speeches delivered by General Washington to his soldiers from his horse back. It is to be observed that General Washington’s greatest talent was his capability to inspire even the most timid soldier to become courageous enough to wrestle. Success in Trenton has proved American heroism once again. McCullough wish to remind us that Americans have to value their ancestor’s grand sacrifice and if Americans fail to recognize the same, freedom may slip away from them. The moral of the book is that sole purpose to remind the battle against British in the year 1776 is to conserve the good deeds accomplished for Americans in the past so that American can prepare for the tasks and trials which still lie ahead. Hence, this is history as a structure of national rearmament that is why it harmonizes so nicely with the embattled nation temper. BIBILIOGRAPHY Countryman, Edward. â€Å"1776. † The Historian 69, no. 1 (2007): 120+. Daniel Lazare,†Patriotic Bore: 1776 by McCullough–book review,† The Nation, 281[7] [2005]:p. 31-37. Kingseed, Cole C. â€Å"1776. † Parameters 35, no. 4 (2005): 128+.