David Mccullough 1776 Summary

In the second chapter of his book 1776, David McCullough writes about how George Washington and his army prepared for and handled the siege of Boston. The purpose of talking about this occurrence is to show that the American army was indeed prepared to succeed against the British. Even though the British referred to the Continental Army as a “rabble in arms” (McCullough 25), the author carefully paints his story to show how the colonists were prepared to defeat the British. He does so by mentioning the fact that the size of the Continental Army was twice the size of the British Army that was occupying Boston: “[T]here were perhaps 7,000 of the King’s men in Boston, or roughly half the number under Washington’s command.” (McCullough 25). Although the British troops were better trained and had more experience than the volunteers who were a part of the American army, the multitude in number was still a notable quality of Washington’s men that foreshadowed their ultimate victory. There were many circumstances that were in place that ensured the colonists’ success, but the most important one is the wonderful leadership
For example, Henry Knox’s biography tells the reader that he was from Boston and that he had an interest in “the military art” (McCullough 58). This later came into play when Washington’s army recaptured Boston. Because Knox knew the land in and around Boston and had decent knowledge about military tactics, he was able to devise the plan that ultimately took Boston back for the colonists: “It was Henry Knox who first suggested the idea of going after the cannon at far-off Fort Ticonderoga on Lake Champlain, an undertaking so enormous, so fraught with certain difficulties, that many thought it impossible.” (McCullough 59). Along with the labor of the Continental Army, his strategy was a