Searching for Yankee Doodle

Book excerpt: The people most responsible for achieving America's independence by winning the Revolutionary War were George Washington's foot soldiers--the men of the Continental Army. But exactly who were they, and what was it that inspired them to endure such appalling hardships throughout the conflict? What was their life like during and after the war? And what is their legacy today? In an effort to uncover the facts about these men, author and historian Bob Mayers has scoured through obscure documentary material and little known British, Hessian, and Loyalist records to unearth truths that challenge traditional beliefs about Washington's soldiers. During the process he discovered that the image of the American soldier has been sanitized for more than two centuries. The fighting men and women of the Revolution were incorrectly portrayed as zealously patriotic citizen-soldiers, when in reality they were professionals dedicated to the American cause. This realization lies at the heart of this book, and propels the narrative along in a way that is entertaining and enlightening.Expertly designed, the book is fortified with over fifty images in twenty-two chapters, all of which is intended be enjoyed by the average reader, and not just the hard-core history fan. Included is a comprehensive chapter on researching individual Revolutionary War veterans, and four appendices--the makeup of a regiment, distribution of regiments by state, names and publication sources of diarists, and an actual muster roll--that provide useful supplementary information.With skill and certitude Mayers has given us an entirely fresh portrait of the foot soldiers of the American Revolution. His examination of their motivations, personal lives and experiences before, during, and after the war is a compelling story, one that should be familiar to every American.