The fort A novel of the Revolutionary War

Cornwell turns his key historical eye on the Penobscot Expedition, a little-known episode in the annals of the Revolutionary War that culminated in a resounding naval defeat for the fledgling U.S. Grounding his story in primary sources, including diaries, letters, and court transcripts, and animating a cast of real-life historical characters, he fleshes out the story of the vastly outmanned British infantry troops who stood their ground against a numerically superior naval fleet launched to summarily expel them. After establishing a shaky outpost in Penobscot, Maine then the eastern province of Massachusetts in 1779, the British forces and a band of loyalist colonists were beset by a large fleet and a sizable militia sent by the state of Massachusetts. Intent on establishing a siege, the American contingent, undermined by martial miscalculations and surprised by uncompromising resistance, was eventually thwarted by the enemy. Illuminating the battle from all angles and telling the story from both sides, Cornwell once again offers a fresh perspective on a stirring episode in martial history.--Flanagan, Margaret Copyright 2010 Booklist

In a slight departure from his usual sword and musket epics, Cornwell (Agincourt) delivers a straightforward fictionalized account of a disastrous 1779 American military campaign in today's Maine (then Massachusetts) that's heavy on historical figures and tense battle scenes. After the British establish a fort on the Penobscot River, the Massachusetts patriots mount an expedition to oust the redcoats. Unfortunately, the campaign is poorly planned and ineptly executed, pitting an ill-trained and undisciplined force against experienced British soldiers and the Royal Navy. The commander of the American land force is Gen. Solomon Lovell, a useless and dithering Boston politician, and the American navy is led by Cmdr. Dudley Saltonstall, an obstinate officer who refuses to risk his ships. Then there's Paul Revere, artillery commander and shameful yellow belly. In fact, the only American officer with any spirit for a fight is a former schoolteacher, Gen. Peleg Wadsworth. This is a rousing yarn of clashing personalities, crashing cannons, and lively musket and bayonet work, along with spies, cowardice, and moments of incredible bravery. Cornwell presents a fascinating, accurate, and exciting history lesson enlivened with a generous blast of gun smoke and grapeshot. (Oct.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

This novel represents something of a departure for Cornwell (Agincourt), set in Revolutionary War-era America instead of his native England. It portrays the efforts of the Massachusetts Militia to expel the British from Penobscot Bay (and the rest of North America) in July and August 1779. Cornwell relates the events of the battle in a straightforward fashion, depicting the British landing and hasty construction of Fort George, the arrival of the American troops, and the unfolding land and naval battles. As with all his books, Cornwell does not flinch from describing in great detail the blood and gore of 18th-century battle. His British heritage provides a fresh perspective; he repeatedly and unfavorably contrasts the leadership of Solomon Lovell and Dudley Saltonstall, the American commanders, with British commander Francis McLean. American readers may be somewhat taken aback by his negative portrayal of the American leadership and of Paul Revere in particular. Verdict Cornwell fans and readers who enjoy historical military fiction will find this a readable and thoroughly researched account of an obscure Revolutionary War battle.-Douglas Southard, CRA International, Boston (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.