If they had managed to do great damage to the French forces, the British could have cut off those French troops from helping the Americans, and the war would have gone to the British. He writes, "The failure of the British to attack, and possibly fatally wound, the French at Newport was calamitous in the long run" (Ketchum 36). Thus, the author gives the reader insight into both sides of the battle, including his own analysis of what went wrong and what went right for both sides, making it easier for the reader to understand the background and inner workings of the battle. In addition, Ketchum clearly understands the inner workings of many of the "cast of characters" of this book. He clearly admires Washington, but he is also very familiar with many other participants, such as Lafayette, Benjamin Franklin, and many others. He introduces them clearly and effectively, and almost makes them seem to be characters in a very well plotted play. Many historic texts can be dry and scholarly, but Ketchum brings a lively writing style to this work, which makes it much more engaging for the reader. This makes it easier to read the book, and makes it more applicable to many readers and their interests, as well.

Ketchum's thesis seems to be two-fold. He wants to chronicle the events leading up to the Battle of Yorktown and the battle itself, but he also wants to show the personality and leadership qualities of George Washington. He accomplishes both of these theses by creating a detailed look at both the battle and the general. He completes much research to accomplish this, but he manages to use that research to portray the inner workings of the participants so that they become more real and compelling to the reader....

He does not simply supply dry facts and figures, he makes the people real and appealing, which makes this book much more enjoyable to read.
It is also interesting to note that Washington had trouble dealing with the French, and that many of the decisive victories the Continental Army enjoyed were under other leader's command, rather than Washington's, such as the victories in South Carolina and Georgia, led by Nathanael Greene. It seems many Americans feel Washington was single-handedly responsible for the American victories, but as with any war, that is simply not the case, many people were responsible for strategies and victories. The author writes, "With a huge French fleet anchored in Chesapeake Bay, blocking Cornwallis from escaping by sea, and on lad a vastly superior allied army confronting him, the siege of Yorktown had begun" (Ketchum 114). Indeed, the author makes this book seem more like a novel, and like any novel, this one has a happy conclusion.

In conclusion, Ketchum's book is a detailed and interesting account of a pivotal time in U.S. history. Anyone interested in American history would appreciate this book, and anyone interested in the Revolutionary War should certainly read and/or own it. The book is not so scholarly that it is difficult to understand, and Ketchum's writing style makes it much easier to comprehend and enjoy. In addition, his research is thorough and detailed. This book should be used in classrooms so students can grasp more underlying information about the Revolutionary War and those who participated in it.

References

Ketchum, Richard M. Victory at Yorktown: The Campaign That Won the Revolution. New York: Henry Holt and Company, 2004.