 |
GetTextbooks.com
Compare Prices & Save up to 90% |
|
|
|
| Login | Sign up | My Wish List |
 | | A Narrative of a Revolutionary Soldier by Joseph Plumb Martin, Thomas Fleming (Introduction) ISBN-10: 9780451528117 ISBN-10: 0-451-52811-5 ISBN-13: 9780451528117 ISBN-13: 978-0-451-52811-7 Paperback 2001-09-01 Signet Classics Find Lowest Price |
Editorials | ||
Product Description In this first-hand account of the Revolutionary War, Joseph Plumb Martin narrates his true adventures as an eighteen-year-old private in the Continental Army-and gives a rare glimpse of the earthy beginnings of our nation's history. | ||
Reviews | ||
Starving gaining liberty One thing comes through loud and clear with Plummer's account of his service in the Continental Army: Starvation and disease were a lot worse enemy than the British, followed by his own countrymen who didn't want to give up on the English way of life. From reading this narrative it is apparrent that someone has taken the liberty to "wordsmith" the account with heavy editiing. The grammar is too much akin to 20th century language patterns, which casts doubts on the whole work as to the truthfulness. | ||
a very good book This is a very interesting book. I like it a lot. It is also very small so would be handy to take along on business trips, etc.. I had to take a break from reading my Civil War books to go back to the Rev. War. to read this one. Highly recommended! Moviemaniac | ||
Incisive and intriguing account This fascinating personal account does not fixate on the grandeur and laurels of high-ranking generals, the lofty ideals of revolution, or on battlefield strategies. It focuses on one man's arduous eight years of service in an army that neither common citizen nor Congress seemed really to care much about. Engrossing and littered with humor and honesty, it is a unique chance to witness a common man in an uncommon time. Martin's account should be required reading for every enthusiast of the Revolutionary War. For those of little knowledge about the war, the book nonetheless is still an engaging account of war and army life, a generally fascinating subject for the layman. It effectively communicates the monotony and vexation of an ordinary man who struggles and succeeds in a terrible enlistment. Martin's descriptions of his extended family, of his hometown life, of the everyday observations are fascinating windows into the 18th century. Martin laments that in his eight-year journey his constant companions were "fatigue, hunger, and cold." The book's exhausting ride leaves the reader in undeniable agreement. | ||
A great read!! Serious, sad, scary & often funny. Read about US history from someone who was actually there. This young man was a patriot, and a member of our misguided youth, as well. What fun. But not for them. | ||
The Original GI Grunt This priceless memoir is one of those works often quoted, but never read. Countless Rev War historians quote this work by pvt. Joseph Plumb Martin, and many TV documentries do the same. At length I was finally able to obtain a copy of this most elusive, yet oft used work. Martin's recollections range from the trivial, to the fascinating. His homespun style of writing catches the mood of what the Revolutionary War soldier was. Written many years after these events one can only marvel at the authors ability to recall so much detail. But I think this is the case with many veterans. My father (God rest his soul) who fought in WW2 would have agreed with everything Martins says. Like him, my dad's memory of war events became clearer in his advanced years, and I think this was probably the case with our writer here. While much of it could have been fabricated, there seems too much an air of authenticity to deny its truth. Martin speaks with the convictions of a determined old rebel, and while may personal feelings lean more toward the British/Loyalist perspective, I can't deny the utter charm this work has for the reader. Intespaced with all the hunger and privation of his expereinces, the old soldier still has the ability to offer wit and humor at his circumstances. Martin's expereinces could well apply to any soldier of both sides, for the British soldier's lot was often not much better, despite all the supposed power of Albion! What strikes one most about this memoir is how little fighting Martin saw, despite the whole time he spent in the war. Yet his time was almost always spent in hunger and want. This is the universal plight of the soldier no matter what time period we speak of. In the end, Martin rightly faults his country for allowing him and his comrades to suffer so much for so little in the end. His quote that his government expected every last obligation from him, yet was so half-hearted in fulfilling its own in turn I think is a tendency that still haunts us today in the USA. Not much his changed in that regard. The veterans of Iraq today would find much to agree with Pvt. Jospeh Plumb Martin. There are interesting details about his movements in the New York, New Jersey area, and any person interested in this local history would find this book fascinating. Martin's account of his time as an enginner is also quite interesting. His account of the attack on redoubt's No. 9 and 10 at Yorktown sheds much light on how the stroming parties took those advanced posts. Martin was the original combat engineer. In fact he is the original GI grunt. Forget Vietnam and Iraq, here is the essential US army veteran. Reader's today, whether military historians or not, could gain many fascinating insights into the soldier's daily life, which as I said earlier is unniversal. This book certainly deserves a wider reading audience. Many will find the appealing nature of the author's words worthy of a smile and a nod of admiration. A classic work, essential for reader on the Rev War. | ||