A Dirty, Trifling Piece of Business: Volume 1: The Revolutionary War as Waged from Canada in 1781

by Gavin K. Watt, James F. Morrison (Contribution by), William A. Smy (Contribution by)

Overview

By 1781, the sixth year of the American rebellion, British strategic focus had shifted from the northern states to concentrate in the south. Canada's governor, Frederick Haldimand, was responsible for the defence of the Crown's largest colony against the threat of Franco-American invasion, while assisting overall British strategy. He cleverly employed his sparse resources to vigorously raid the rebels' frontiers and create anxiety, disruption, and deprivation, as his Secret Service undermined their morale with invasion rumours and threatened their Union by negotiating with the independent republic of Vermont to return to the British fold.

Haldimand flooded New York's Mohawk and Schoharie valleys with Indian and Loyalist raiders and, once the danger of invasion passed, he dispatched two coordinated expeditions south. One was launched onto Lake Champlain to alarm Albany and further the secret talks with Vermont. The second struck deep into enemy territory, fought a battle at Johnstown, and retreated precipitately. The rebels effectively countered both expeditions.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781554884209
Publisher:	Dundurn Press
Publication date:	04/06/2009
Pages:	504
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.30(d)

About the Author

Gavin K. Watt is a founding member of the Museum of Applied Military History. His previous histories of the American Revolution are Rebellion in the Mohawk Valley: The St. Leger Expedition of 1777 and The Burning of the Valleys: Daring Raids from Canada Against the New York Frontier in the Fall of 1780. He lives in King City, Ontario.

Table of Contents

List of Maps and Plans 9

Introduction and Acknowledgements 11

List of Abbreviations 14

A Cast of the More Important Persons 16

The Flood of Raids, Scouts, and Abduction Attempts of 1781 19

1 The Governor of a Strategic Backwater 21

2 The Background to the 1781 Campaign A Plan of Attack Upon Quebec 38

3 Winter Turmoil on the Western Frontier Driven to the Last Extremity 68

4 Spring: The Calamities of the Country Ravages of a Barbarous & Ruthless Savage Enemy 94

5 A Bloody Early Summer on the Frontiers A Long Train of Horrid Villainy 165

6 Constantly Infested with Parties of the Enemy I Shou'd Hope to Give a Good Account of Him 238

7 The Hammers Fall Comparative Chronology: Ross and St. Leger They Broke and Fled with Precipitation They Cannot Have the Least Hope of Success 307

Appendices 403

Notes 410

Bibliography 471

Index 494

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

" This piece of work is a must for any serious student of the Revolutionary War. Gavin Watt is one of the foremost writers and experts on the important contributions of the Loyalists who supported the Crown in the war. No Rev War library will be complete without this and volume two which is due to be published shortly. Three cheers for Mr. Watt: Huzzah! Huzzah! Huzzah!" — Rolland Minor, New York State

Editorial Reviews

This piece of work is a must for any serious student of the Revolutionary War. Gavin Watt is one of the foremost writers and experts on the important contributions of the Loyalists who supported the Crown in the war. No Rev War library will be complete without this and volume two which is due to be published shortly. Three cheers for Mr. Watt: Huzzah! Huzzah! Huzzah!

New York State - Rolland Minor

"It is so full of information that it's rather like having several books in one."

Loyalist Gazette

"It is so full of information that it's rather like having several books in one."

From the Publisher

"It is so full of information that it's rather like having several books in one."

Loyalist Gazelle - Fall 09 Issue