Men of the Meanest Sort

Description

“Men of the Meanest Sort” explores the evolution of military leadership within the provincial armies of New England to further illuminate British colonial society prior to the American Revolution. Through journals and diaries of common soldiers, Sean Sculley delves into the experiences of colonists during times of war and examines how officers of a largely voluntary military force maintained both cohesion in battle and recruitment for the next campaign season. What evolves is the portrait of a colonial military structure fully imbedded in society, an institution forced to contend with growing sentiments of democracy and egalitarianism in New England which the author argues provided a capable force despite its lack of professional training. In so doing, we gain a greater understanding of 18th-century British contempt for colonial armies and how these colonial “militia” were willing and able to function reasonably well at the outset of the American Revolution.