In Winsor, “Narrative and Critical History of America”, vol. VI (1889), and in Larned (editor), “Literature of American History”, pp. 111-152 (1902), the authorities are critically estimated. There are excellent classified lists in Van Tyne, “The American Revolution” (1905), vol. V of Hart (editor), “The American Nation”, and in Avery, “History of the United States”, vol. V, pp. 422-432, and vol. VI, pp. 445-471 (1908-09). The notes in Channing, “A History of the United States”, vol. III (1913), are useful. Detailed information in regard to places will be found in Lossing, “The Pictorial Field Book of the Revolution”, 2 vols. (1850).
In recent years American writers on the period have chiefly occupied themselves with special studies, and the general histories have been few. Tyler’s “The Literary History of the American Revolution, 2 vols. (1897), is a penetrating study of opinion. Fiske’s “The American Revolution”, 2 vols. (1891), and Sydney George Fisher’s “The Struggle for American Independence”, 2 vols. (1908), are popular works. The short volume of Van Tyne is based upon extensive research. The attention of English writers has been drawn in an increasing degree to the Revolution. Lecky, “A History of England in the Eighteenth Century”, chaps. XIII, XIV, and XV (1903), is impartial. The most elaborate and readable history is Trevelyan, “The American Revolution”, and his “George the Third” and “Charles Fox” (six volumes in all, completed in 1914). If Trevelyan leans too much to the American side the opposite is true of Fortescue, “A History of the British Army”, vol. III (1902), a scientific account of military events with many maps and plans. Captain Mahan, U. S. N., wrote the British naval history of the period in Clowes (editor), “The Royal Navy, a History”, vol. III, pp. 353-564 (1898). Of great value also is Mahan’s “Influence of Sea Power on History” (1890) and “Major Operations of the Navies in the War of Independence” (1913). He may be supplemented by C. O. Paullin’s “Navy of the American Revolution” (1906) and G. W. Allen’s “A Naval History of the American Revolution”, 2 vols. (1913).
Washington’s own writings are necessary to an understanding of his character. Sparks, “The Life and Writings of George Washington”, 2 vols. (completed 1855), has been superseded by Ford, “The Writings of George Washington”, 14 vols. (completed 1898). The general reader will probably put aside the older biographies of Washington by Marshall, Irving, and Sparks for more recent “Lives” such as those by Woodrow Wilson, Henry Cabot Lodge, and Paul Leicester Ford. Haworth, “George Washington, Farmer” (1915) deals with a special side of Washington’s character. The problems of the army are described in Bolton, “The Private Soldier under Washington” (1902), and in Hatch, “The Administration of the American Revolutionary Army” (1904). For military operations Frothingham, “The Siege of Boston”; Justin H. Smith, “Our Struggle for the Fourteenth Colony”, 2 vols. (1907); Codman, “Arnold’s Expedition to Quebec” (1901); and Lucas, “History of Canada”, 1763-1812 (1909).
For the state of opinion in England, the contemporary “Annual Register”, and the writings and speeches of men of the time like Burke, Fox, Horace Walpole, and Dr. Samuel Johnson. The King’s attitude is found in Donne, “Correspondence of George III with Lord North”, 1768-83, 2 vols. (1867). Stirling, “Coke of Norfolk and his Friends”, 2 vols. (1908), gives the outlook of a Whig magnate; Fitzmaurice, “Life of William, Earl of Shelburne”, 2 vols. (1912), the Whig policy. Curwen’s “Journals and Letters”, 1775-84 (1842), show us a Loyalist exile in England. Hazelton’s “The Declaration of Independence, its History” (1906), is an elaborate study.
The three campaigns–New York, Philadelphia, and the Hudson–are covered by C. F. Adams, “Studies Military and Diplomatic” (1911), which makes severe strictures on Washington’s strategy; H. P. Johnston’s “Campaign of 1776 around New York and Brooklyn,” in the Long Island Historical Society’s “Memoirs”, and “Battle of Harlem Heights” (1897); Carrington, “Battles of the American Revolution” (1904); Stryker, “The Battles of Trenton and Princeton” (1898); Lucas, “History of Canada” (1909). Fonblanque’s “John Burgoyne” (1876) is a defense of that leader; while Riedesel’s “Letters and Journals Relating to the War of the American Revolution” (trans. W. L. Stone, 1867) and Anburey’s “Travels through the Interior Parts of America” (1789) are accounts by eye-witnesses. Mereness’ (editor) “Travels in the American Colonies”, 1690-1783 (1916) gives the impressions of Lord Adam Gordon and others.
On Washington at Valley Forge, Oliver, “Life of Alexander Hamilton” (1906); Charlemagne Tower, “The Marquis de La Fayette in the American Revolution”, 2 vols. (1895); Greene, “Life of Nathanael Greene” (1893); Brooks, “Henry Knox” (1900); Graham, “Life of General Daniel Morgan” (1856); Kapp, “Life of Steuben” (1859); Arnold, “Life of Benedict Arnold” (1880). On the army Bolton and Hatch as cited; Mahan gives a lucid account of naval effort. Barrow, “Richard, Earl Howe” (1838) is a dull account of a remarkable man. On the French alliance, Perkins, “France in the American Revolution” (1911), Corwin, “French Policy and the American Alliance of 1778” (1916), and Van Tyne on “Influences which Determined the French Government to Make the Treaty with America, 1778,” in “The American Historical Review”, April, 1916.
Fortescue, as cited, gives excellent plans. Other useful books are McCrady, “History of South Carolina in the Revolution” (1901); Draper, “King’s Mountain and its Heroes” (1881); Simms, “Life of Marion” (1844). Ross (editor), “The Cornwallis Correspondence”, 3 vols. (1859), and Tarleton, “History of the Campaigns of 1780 and 1781 in the Southern Provinces of North America” (1787), give the point of view of British leaders. On the West, Thwaites, “How George Rogers Clark won the Northwest” (1903); and on the Loyalists Van Tyne, “The Loyalists in the American Revolution” (1902), Flick, “Loyalism in New York” (1901), and Stark, “The Loyalists of Massachusetts” (1910).
For the exploits of John Paul Jones and of the American navy, Mrs. De Koven’s “The Life and Letters of John Paul Jones”, 2 vols. (1913), Don C. Seitz’s “Paul Jones”, and G. W. Allen’s “A Naval History of the American Revolution”, 2 vols. (1913), should be consulted. Jusserand’s “With Americans of Past and Present Days” (1917) contains a chapter on ‘Rochambeau and the French in America’; Johnston’s “The Yorktown Campaign” (1881) is a full account; Wraxall, “Historical Memoirs of my own Time” (1815, reprinted 1904), tells of the reception of the news of Yorktown in England.
The “Encyclopaedia Britannica” has useful references to authorities for persons prominent in the Revolution and “The Dictionary of National Biography” for leaders on the British side.