A recent review that I read for my latest novel, Fields of the Fatherless, made me groan.
Now please don’t get me wrong: I VERY MUCH appreciate folks who take the time to read and/or listen and then review my books. Reviewers could spend their precious moments on any given day doing anything else in their busy lives. Instead, they have chosen to post their thoughts about a book that I wrote. I am so grateful to my reviewers.
What made me groan was yet another reminder of how often Americans confuse two crucial wars that occurred in our country: The American Revolution and the Civil War (also called the War Between the States). Each war significantly changed our country. Each conflict set our states on a new course. And each war should be duly remembered for its importance in our nation’s history.
Although my book is clearly labeled a Revolutionary War novel, the above-mentioned reviewer called it a book about the Civil War. The person even changed the clearly designated British soldier as a “Confederate” soldier. *SIGH*
Ok. Time for a brief history lesson:
The American Revolution was the war that changed Colonial America into the United States of America. It was fought between the American colonists against Great Britain, the mother nation.
It began in 1775 and lasted eight years. The signing of the Declaration of Independence, for which we celebrate the 4th of July and the birth of our nation, occurred in 1776. So this year celebrates our 238th Birthday. Happy Birthday, America!
George Washington became the 1st president of the United States, starting after the first election in 1789.
The Civil War started on April 12, 1861 and was fought between the Northern states and the Southern states of this country. It ended when General Robert E. Lee surrendered the last Confederate (Southern) Army to General Ulysses S. Grant on April 9, 1865 (although the last battle was actually fought in Texas on May 13, 1865).
The core conflict was the issue of slavery and states rights.
The war took place during the presidency of Abraham Lincoln, the nation’s 16th president.
* * * * *
As you can see from this extremely brief history lesson, the wars occurred in completely different centuries and had conflicts born of varying concerns.
As a writer of historical fiction set in the American Revolution, I hope that my work brings to light the issues that led to the birth of the United States.
And on this 4th of July weekend, please take a moment to thank God for the sacrifices that our forefathers and foremothers made in establishing this nation in 1776 when the Declaration of Independence was signed. It was an astonishing announcement—the concept of a free and independent country ruled by the people, of the people and for the people.
May that freedom continue to ring.
Huzzah!
You can purchase Fields of the Fatherless here.