New England in the American Revolution: Stories of Starvation, Disease and Determination [Paperback]

During the War of Independence, New Englands soldiers faced the possibility of death in battle on the field, from an errant cannon blast or, more commonly, from a skirmish in the woodlands. More feared, perhaps, were the dangers that came off the field of battle in the form of illness, hunger and exposure to the elements. Those who served til the wars end faced the tides of sickness and hunger that swept through their encampments and prisons during the regions frigid and unforgiving winters. Historian Robert A. Geake explores these challenges through collected diaries, documents and letters. They reveal a largely untold story of the conflict, while providing a true testament to the grit and determination of the Continental army, including patriots of color, during the most demanding of times.

Robert A. Geake has been writing about Rhode Island history for more than thirty years. His articles have appeared in theProvidence Journal,The Bridge of Pawtuxet, theCoventry Townsmanand other publications. He is the author of ten books on local and New England history, includingKeepers of the Bay: A History of the Narragansett Tribe of Rhode Island,A History of the Providence River,The New England Mariner TraditionandColonial New England Curiosities. He is a board member and archivist at the Warwick Historical Society.

The Battle Off the Field