-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Robert Hettinga wrote:

Concord is clearly proof that Britain didn't understand that they couldn't control America anymore and acted on that misinformation. It was *their* problem, as the revolution bore out.

Britain would probably have been capable of controlling America had France not intervened. France provided desperately needed powder and money to the revolutionaries. During the siege of Boston it was seriously proposed that bow and arrows be employed due to powder shortages. Spears were actually prepared for use! France also provided officers to staff the poorly trained and organized American armies, troops, and even a navy. The final victory at Yorktown was largely a French operation, for example. Here is Richard N. Rosenfeld's take on it from "American Aurora": Page 418: "There are approximately 32,000 French soldiers and sailors at Yorktown, four to six times the number of George Washington's army, and more than twice, if not three times, the number of all Americans at Yorktown, including militia. Indeed, there are many more French soldiers on the ground than American Continentals. The entire blockading force at sea is French." Page 419: "Of French and American forces which encircle Charles Cornwallis at Yorktown, the naval part of this circle consists strictly of French warships (more than thirty) and sailors (nineteen thousand!). America has no warships in this naval blockade." Page 419: "Orchestrating the siege at Yorktown is strictly a matter for the French. Washington has no experience in siege warfare. The French perfected the art. Rochambeau has taken part in fourteen sieges! General Lebigne, the Chevalier Du Portail, and other French officers and engineers take charge of siege operations." Page 420: "Two French soldiers die for each American death at Yorktown. Two French soldiers are wounded for each American wound at Yorktown. French casualties exceed 250." Page 421: "British General Charles O'Hara, acting on behalf of General Charles Cornwallis (who has pleaded illness), attempts to surrender Cornwallis' (sic) sword to French Commander in Chief General the Comte de Rochambeau, but Rochambeau magnanimously refuses to accept the surrender weapon and directs the British general to George Washington." Monty Cantsin Editor in Chief Smile Magazine http://www.neoism.org/squares/smile_index.html http://www.neoism.org/squares/cantsin_10.htm -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: 2.6.2 iQEVAwUBNHnGVJaWtjSmRH/5AQH3hgf+LcvSRiufKxypdjVEXn5vbMa1Ob2IUfyY qSklLDEdYlRP2iOtl1dsLT/XIXaabo6F8lkAVqBXnXffiLd5ewzWs51jI9HEeoMa gtlfgUS49fxBeLeaojen1VVLvr4zkVWjATmspNk1SRu2l6Arc/3KgwPeYgX0A9+V 5fqguVO/frV4BH6wqnVyuKosO2DXoP8njVfjwuTybwO1yO1BQ4+EtgW1m6jkXIwE RjSZsGS7+KK2Ywu9eGWdC2Y0sOPG6k9zy/4zmm+xlttocYx75ixwCwYNWJihNfPe /uT8emxWak0aPAAynug6ZGPU3CXdRZ3JsWKB6a2s3kVgGiIQ2oLxrg== =ZZoe -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----