American Warfare in the Pre-Civil War Era: A 59-Minute Perspective

By Martina Sprague

The colonists arrived in America anticipating conflict; they arrived with the prior knowledge that they would have to fight and defend themselves. As they pushed the frontier, they were willing to resort to almost any method of warfare, no matter how ruthless. They did not engage in large state-sponsored wars for the purpose of controlling enemy governments, but fought for survival in a new land. Violence thus became an essential part of early American history. Although violence is an integral part of all types of warfare, there is value in studying American military history. By comprehending the past, we can at least begin to comprehend the development of our nation's military forces on the domestic and international level.

There are many prisms through which one can view warfare in the pre-Civil War era. Rather than examining specific battles or simply giving the reader a rundown of events for memorization, this book focuses on the underlying military, social, and political factors that shaped early American warfare and drove the development of our nation's military tradition. Discussions include the following topics:

1. The Development of Warfare in North America, and Colonial Struggles for North American Domination

2. The Military Mores of American Colonial Forces, British Regulars, and Native Americans

3. Political and Ideological Perspectives on the Revolutionary War

4. A Hessian Soldier's View of the Revolutionary War

5. How Pragmatic Was American Warfare in the Revolutionary War?

6. The Transformation of the Navy

7. Shaping of National Interest after the Revolutionary War

8. America in the Mexican-American War

9. The Foundation for Overseas Commerce and Territorial Expansion

10. Topics for Further Study and Debate

The book is suitable for history interested readers looking for thought provoking topics, but not having a lot of time; and for teachers preparing the class for critical thinking about historical events, and how they have come to affect current affairs. More books with focus on domestic and international military history will be forthcoming in this new series titled, A 59-Minute Perspective.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Martina Sprague
• Release date: Apr 29, 2018
• ISBN: 9781540119339

Martina Sprague

Martina Sprague grew up in the Stockholm area of Sweden. She has a Master of Arts degree in Military History from Norwich University in Vermont and has studied a variety of combat arts since 1987. As an independent scholar, she writes primarily on subjects pertaining to military and general history, politics, and instructional books on the martial arts. For more information, please visit her website: www.modernfighter.com.

Book preview

INTRODUCTION

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The colonists arrived in America anticipating conflict; they arrived with the prior knowledge that they would have to fight and defend themselves.¹ As they pushed the frontier, they were willing to resort to almost any method of warfare, no matter how ruthless. They did not engage in large state-sponsored wars for the purpose of controlling enemy governments, but fought for survival in a new land. Violence thus became an essential part of early American history. Although violence is an integral part of all types of warfare, there is value in studying American military history. By comprehending the past, we can at least begin to comprehend the development of our nation’s military forces on the domestic and international level.

Americans in the pre-Civil War era resorted to a form of irregular warfare; that is, they employed something that resembled, at least to a degree, guerrilla-style tactics. The type of warfare practiced against the Native Americans focused on conquest and the expansion of the frontier. Irregular warfare proved necessary because the Native Americans refused to fight the decisive battle that the colonists desired. By contrast, the type of warfare practiced later against the British during the Revolutionary War focused on independence and retaining what one already had. Irregular and protracted warfare continued to prove necessary because of limited resources.

Although the elements of American warfare in the pre-Civil War era have remained present to some extent in all of America’s wars from the Colonial period to the strategic bombing campaigns of World War II and beyond, America has undergone several phases of warfare, often dictated by need, in the development of its military tradition. For example, during the Mexican-American War, General Winfield Scott recognized that his strength lay in fighting a war of limited objectives. The annihilation of the Mexican army was not his primary concern, because the cost in casualties would be too high.² In contrast to modern wars, which tend to rely on army-on-army engagement when circumstances permit, until World War I, America had a rather underdeveloped army and navy that was unfit for conquest, at least by European standards.³

There are many prisms through which one can view warfare in the pre-Civil War era. Rather than examining specific battles or simply giving the reader a rundown of events for memorization, this book focuses on the underlying military, social, and political factors that shaped early American warfare and drove the development of our nation’s military tradition. Since brevity is the goal, the reader is apt to find a number of considerations of merit left out. The section at the end, titled Topics for Further Study and Debate, is meant to be thought provoking in the hope that it will trigger additional analysis and discussion. It can also be used by teachers preparing the class for critical thinking about historical events, and how they have come to affect current affairs.

There is obviously a great deal more that can be said about the subject. After finishing this brief study, those interested in exploring further can start by referring to the bibliography at the end. More books with focus on domestic and international military history will be forthcoming in this new series titled, A 59-Minute Perspective.

THE DEVELOPMENT OF WARFARE IN NORTH AMERICA, AND COLONIAL STRUGGLES FOR NORTH AMERICAN DOMINATION

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In the late seventeenth century, three forces struggled for control over North America: the English, French, and Spanish. However, since Spanish power was in decline, English and French forces came to dominate in the struggle. The British colonists who enjoyed a manpower advantage used several tactics, including privateering, to impede the flow of supplies to the French forces.⁴ Simultaneously, there