The Fate of the Day: The War for America, Fort Ticonderoga to Charleston, 1777-1780

The Revolution Trilogy #2

by Rick Atkinson

In the second volume of the landmark American Revolution trilogy by the Pulitzer Prize-winning and #1 New York Times bestselling author of The British Are Coming, George Washington’s army fights on the knife edge between victory and defeat.

The first twenty-one months of the American Revolution—which began at Lexington and ended at Princeton—was the story of a ragged group of militiamen and soldiers fighting to forge a new nation. By the winter of 1777, the exhausted Continental Army could claim only that it had escaped annihilation by the world’s most formidable fighting force.

Two years into the war, George III is as determined as ever to bring his rebellious colonies to heel. But the king’s task is now far more fighting a determined enemy on the other side of the Atlantic has become ruinously expensive, and spies tell him that the French and Spanish are threatening to join forces with the Americans.

Prize-winning historian Rick Atkinson provides a riveting narrative covering the middle years of the Revolution. Stationed in Paris, Benjamin Franklin woos the French; in Pennsylvania, George Washington pleads with Congress to deliver the money, men, and materiel he needs to continue the fight. In New York, General William Howe, the commander of the greatest army the British have ever sent overseas, plans a new campaign against the Americans—even as he is no longer certain that he can win this searing, bloody war. The months and years that follow bring epic battles at Brandywine, Saratoga, and Charleston, as well as a winter of misery at Valley Forge, and yet more appeals for sacrifice by every American committed to the struggle for freedom.  

Timed to coincide with the 250th anniversary of the beginning of the Revolution, Atkinson’s brilliant account of the lethal struggle between the Americans and the British offers not only deeply researched and spectacularly dramatic history, but also a fresh perspective on the demands that a democracy makes on each of its citizens.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, American History, American Revolution, War, Military History, American Revolutionary War

863 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 29, 2025

About the author

Rick Atkinson is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of seven works of history, including The Long Gray Line, the Liberation Trilogy (An Army at Dawn, The Day of Battle, and The Guns at Last Light), and The British Are Coming, the first volume of the Revolution Trilogy. His work as a historian and journalist has won numerous awards, including three Pulitzer Prizes.

Reviews

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Sunrise at precisely six a.m. hardly brightened the day. Gunsmoke and burning wheat stubble, ignited by muzzle flashes, thickened into ‘the most horrid fog I ever saw,’ wrote Brigadier General George Weedon. Wounded redcoats stumbled toward the rear, including a sentry with his hand all but severed by a bullet through the wrist. The 52nd Foot surged forward, adding another 350 muskets to the British line, and for a few unnerving minutes, the Americans buckled and the attack stalled. A 6-pound cannonball ripped a leg below the knee from Private Abraham Best of the 6th Pennsylvania, his blood freckling the men around him. Another ball ricocheted off a signpost, blew through the withers of the horse carrying Brigadier General Francis Nash, commander of the North Carolina Continentals, cut a furrow across Nash’s left thigh, then virtually decapitated Major James Witherspoon, the eldest son of Reverend John Witherspoon, a signer of the Declaration and the president of the College of New Jersey, in Princeton. Sprawled in the dirt next to his dead horse and his dead aide, Nash covered the terrible wound to his leg with both hands and called to his men, ‘Never mind me, I have had a devil of a tumble. Rush on, my boys…’”
- Rick Atkinson, The Fate of the Day: The War for America, Fort Ticonderoga to Charleston, 1777-1780

When we look back at historical events, we are often able to overlay coherence – a sense of ebb and flow – even where none actually existed at the time. We can find the pivotal moments, the turning points, the exact instant fortunes changed. Even with hindsight, that’s difficult with the American Revolutionary War. The conflict – which lasted around eight years – was a back-and-forth affair, with each punch by one side followed by a counterpunch by the other. By the end, the losing side actually won the most battles.

The seesawing nature of this affair is brilliantly captured in Rick Atkinson’s The Fate of the Day. The second volume of The Revolution Trilogy begins with the disastrous American defeat at Fort Ticonderoga. Many pages later, it ends with another crushing blow in Charleston. In between, the rebellious colonists win one of the war’s greatest victories, defeating the army of Sir John Burgoyne at Saratoga. By the time Atkinson’s thrilling narrative ends, the issue is still in doubt, leaving us to await the concluding volume.

For my money, Atkinson is the best popular historian working in the English language today. If he played baseball, I’d call him a five-tool player. To each of his books he brings prodigious research, in which he finds fascinating scraps of detail in unusual places. His set-pieces are cinematic, and thrust you into the action. His portraiture is also on-point, with characters who come alive again, long after they passed from the earth. Finally, he manages to balance the big strategic picture with the tactical realities on the ground. Atkinson’s books are events, at least for those of us who spend a lot of time dwelling on the past.

***

As the subtitle tells us, The Fate of the Day takes us from General Arthur St. Clair’s abandonment of Fort Ticonderoga in New York State, to General Benjamin Lincoln’s surrender of Charleston, South Carolina. Nevertheless, Atkinson begins in France, with a lengthy prologue centered on Benjamin Franklin and Gilbert du Motier, the Marquis de Lafayette. It makes perfect sense to start in the court of Louis XVI, because much of this volume is concerned with American efforts to convince the French to join the war, and then integrate them into the war itself.

From there, it’s an epic journey of diplomacy, conspiracies, astounding turns of fortune, and a bunch of firefights.

***

The Fate of the Day is chiefly a military history. To that end, Atkinson spends a lot of time on smoke-shrouded fields. Beyond the aforementioned Saratoga, he covers a long list of martial exchanges. This includes full-fledged fights at places like Bennington, Oriskany, Germantown, and Monmouth, and also smaller, no-less-deadly encounters such as the Battle of Paoli.

Few writers are as good as Atkinson in evoking long-ago battles. He does a masterful job with the topography, the weather, the integration of first-person accounts, the intimate details, and the overarching course of each clash. When you glance at his endnotes, you see that he personally visited these places, and it shows. Aided by a surfeit of maps – and the fact that Revolutionary War battles were relatively small-scaled – you get a very good sense of how things unfolded.

Atkinson’s vision encompasses combat at sea as well as on the land. For instance, the duel between Captain John Paul Jones’s Bon Homme Richard and the H.M.S. Serapis is as gripping as the best fiction.

***

Beyond the shooting, The Fate of the Day focuses on the arrival of France, and the creation of a Continental Army. As Atkinson shows, France’s intervention did not proceed with perfect smoothness. Early joint operations were a failure, while the British Navy still maintained a significant advantage at sea. The exploits of Lafayette are well known; less recalled are the failures of Charles Henry Hector, the Comte d’Estaing, a soldier-turned-admiral whose bravery did not make up for a lack of skill.

The creation of a profession military force also proceeded slowly. Despite the attentions of Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben, George Washington’s forces never quite matched the professionalism of their British counterparts. Still, for men who were unpaid, poorly clothed, terribly fed, and generally neglected, they fought pretty dang well.

***

Atkinson’s gift for biographical sketches is marvelous. The men and women who cross his stage are vividly drawn. He also has a gift for nuance, in finding the dimensions of characters who have had their edges smoothed away by myth or libel. Especially fascinating is Atkinson’s handling of General Charles Lee, an infamously irascible man removed from command by a furious Washington at the Battle of Monmouth. In other books, Lee can come across as a pure intriguer dallying with treason; in Atkinson’s hands, you see other sides. Sympathetic portrayals of the British generals – especially the conflicted William Howe – are also provided.

***

Atkinson comes to celebrate American history, not to bury it. That said, The Fate of the Day is far from the simplistic nonsense of earlier years, in which liberty-loving farmer-patriots turn the world upside down with fowling pieces, enlightenment principles, and an irresistible urge to avoid paying for governmental services. Atkinson is very clear-eyed about what went down. Many participated for glory and gain, not principles. At times, the war descended into sheer, local savagery, as neighbor fought neighbor. Most obviously, the American conceptions of “liberty” and “freedom” were seriously circumscribed on the basis of race. These realities are expertly woven into the whole, without things devolving into a tendentious lecture.

***

The Fate of the Day is a big book that follows a big book and probably precedes another big book. Atkinson has been given a lot of space by his publisher to dwell at length upon what he will, and he takes advantage. For instance, he devotes two-and-half pages just to the murder of Martha Ray, the mistress of the Earl of Sandwich. Is this necessary? No. Is this even relevant? Also no. Is it interesting? Yes. Would an editor working for anyone other than Rick Atkinson have cut this out completely? Undoubtedly.

As a fan of sweep, scope, depth, and works of nonfiction that can be stepped-upon to reach high shelves, Atkinson’s discursiveness is a virtue, not a flaw. However, if you are the type of person who wants concision, you will likely feel otherwise.

***

When reviewing The British Are Coming, the first volume of Atkinson’s trilogy, I mentioned my wish that had picked another topic for his talents. I still hold to that opinion. Had I been asked, I would have begged him for a multivolume history of the Korean War or Vietnam War. Something more complex and nearer are present day. But I wasn’t asked, and given the passion of his storytelling, it is obvious that he was drawn to this particular tale.

Having made my peace with his decision, I can say there is nothing surprising about The Fate of the Day. I picked it up expecting it to be a masterpiece – a near-perfect combination of vivid drama and academic rigor – and it exceeded that bar. By the time Atkinson is finished, it is unlikely there will be a better, livelier, more entertaining account of the battles of the American Revolution. Hopefully, he will have time and energy remaining to move onto a new subject.

[Brendan (History Nerds United) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me get this out of the way real quick. If you are looking at reviews for Rick Atkinson's The Fate of the Day because you already read The British Are Coming and want to make sure Atkinson didn't magically forget how to write then fear not. Volume Two is just as exceptional as Volume One of his Revolution Trilogy. Please go read in the warm confidence that there is no letdown.

For those who haven't read The British Are Coming, well, go read that. Why would you start with The Fate of the Day? That's like watching Back to the Future II before you watch the first one. Oh, you still want a full review? I mean, fine. It's still weird, though.

Atkinson's newest looks at the time between the capture of Fort Ticonderoga in 1777 (by the British, the Americans took Ticonderoga in the last one) to the siege of Charleston (and not the Battle of Sullivan's Island from the first book... and see it makes more sense if you read the first book before this one). Atkinson covers everything he possibly can from a military perspective from the big battles to smaller ones often ignored when talking about the Revolution.

There is an easy flow to the author's writing. People are introduced, their background given a little embellishment, and then we get to the military activities. A lot of books fall into the trap of either derailing the narrative to give long biographies of every character or not presenting enough for the reader to become connected to the person. Atkinson deftly avoids this by giving short biographies but also using the person's own words whenever possible. It allows the reader to get a better understanding of character while not going off on tangents. I actually think Atkinson does this even better in this book than the previous. Slightly longer introductions of people like the Marquis Lafayette (a personal fave) and John Paul Jones are exceptional and welcome. Atkinson also spends a bit more time with the political stories around the Revolution. More time is spent in England and France to give a fuller understanding of how the war was affecting those countries at home.

At the same time, there is no letup when it comes to the military actions. To be clear, this is not what I would call a "military history" in the traditional sense. We don't get pages upon pages of every single maneuver in battle (which is sometimes awesome, for the record). It is a detailed accounting of the chosen battles but only for vital activities. More importantly, Atkinson resurrects the stories of many battles and actions which you won't find in most books. Yes, American Revolution nerds know about the Battle of Ushant for example, but I certainly don't expect most people to have ever heard of it. However, Atkinson both tells a great story and shows how important it is to the our understanding of the war and its outcome.

A common misconception is the sequel is often worse than the original. It is certainly incorrect here.

(This book was provided as an advance reader copy by Netgalley and Crown (ha, ironic!) Publishing.)

[Tony · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rick Atkinson is a trilogy kind of a guy. He used three volumes to detail World War II. This is the middle volume of a trilogy about the Revolutionary War. Atkinson is the kind of writer who I check regularly, sometimes foolishly too early, to see when the next volume is coming out. Nothing in this work disappointed. I'm already checking for 3. And here's the thing: I needed to read about the Second World War; I didn't think I needed this. But I did.

It's a military history, yes, but that would be dismissively unfair. Because Monarchs send troops, and troops are the people. And people, who do not want the war, lose their wheat fields and milking cow, and sometimes worse.

So that's all there. There was stuff I knew, but maybe I didn't know. Like how the British employed Native warriors and Hessian mercenaries. And that the Franco-American alliance was not a small thing, though the French tended to pull-up in battle.

Disease, weather, incompetence, treachery, wives and children: all here.

But such a writer.

If you love words - and you wouldn't be reading this if you didn't - you would know that Atkinson does too. And so, the Earl of Sandwich was not just a rascal, but a rakehell. "Vices, more than years, have marked him gray." You'll find panjandrums. You'll awake at cockcrow. And if you sally to France, as John Paul Jones did, you'd be wise to take the wise Ben Franklin's advice (he would know), and get a sleeping dictionary.*

There are wonderful battle vignettes here, told brilliantly, sometimes with horrid details. But things were not going well for the locals, not really for the girth of this book. Yet it ends hopefully, with various voices speaking about My Country. There is something in the air........

On now to check for Volume 3.



______________
*a bilingual mistress.

[Bruce Katz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Still a bit out of it from post-surgical meds so I'll be brief. My reaction to this book was absolutely visceral -- yeah, in a good way. I think most of us have a pretty one dimensional picture of the American Revolution in our minds: brave country patriots rebelling against tyrannical professional Red-coated British soldiers and Hessians sent by the king of England to repress us and tax us into oblivion. It's not an entirely mistaken conception, I suppose, but it is absolutely lifeless. Atkinson's book -- second in a proposed trilogy -- demonstrates how terribly impoverished it is. The American Revolution was a war of independence and a civil war and a world war. The colonies were hardly unified in what they were after and what they thought should be done. South Carolinians and New Englanders despised one another. Ego contests were held regularly and at the highest levels: This general was incompetent and that one a coward or an imbecile, and yet another brilliant but thin-skinned and quick to take offense -- on all sides, American, British, French, Spanish, army, navy. British soldiers and American colonialists fought one another with the most horrifying brutality and cruelty. The appallingly high mortality rates from disease on trans-Atlantic ships and in camps, the famine and an intensely frigid winter that came to be known as "the Little Ice Age," the terrible scarcity of shoes. The large numbers of women and children who accompanied the armies as they fought and camped and foraged for food. The phrase "butcher's bill" takes on powerful meaning here, not least when we read of a 14 year old drummer boy being shot while standing at his father's side or native Americans being paid for the scalps they would deliver to one side or another after a battle, or bayonet attacks. Towns burned to the ground or mercilessly bombarded by ships firing countless cannon calls and incendiary bombs, people (former neighbors) hung from trees for being on the "wrong" side, families forced to flee as soldiers took their belongings, livestock, and food.

Do I make the book sound grim? Well it is. And it's brilliant and eye-opening and shocking and filled with humanity at its best and worst. This year the United States will be commemorating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, and there will be as much anger and distrust and fear and cynicism as there will be celebration. My take on it all? That a book reminding us of the bloody, uncertain, and courageous historical truth of the country's birth is far more necessary at this moment than fireworks, "patriotic" images projected onto monuments, and self-congratulatory speeches.

[Joanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

The second installment in Atkinson's Revolution Trilogy. It is a readable and outstanding account of the fight for freedom. I won't bore you with the story; you all know it.

I thought long and hard about giving this book 5 stars, but in the end, I went with 4. My reasoning is simple-it is not for everyone. Although Atkinson's storytelling is superb, there are a lot of vivid battle scenes and military jargon that many readers of history would find themselves glassy-eyed reading. I am one of those readers who can skim over such things, although Atkinson supplies you with such talk because it is important to the overall scene. I say "skim" and not skip because Atkinson includes a lot of obscure facts that are worth catching.

The author tells the entire story, not just the American side of things. I learned quite a bit about the English upheaval in the home country. how there was no way they could simply give in without losing face and their Empire crumbling. Maybe if they had foresight, a lot of carnage could have been avoided.

Highly recommended for lovers of History.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

At the beginning of 2025 I had only a vague idea of what happened during the Revolutionary War from the time George Washington crossed the Delaware on Christmas night 1776 until Cornwallis surrendered at Yorktown in 1783. With “The Fate of the Day”, the second of a three part trilogy by Rick Atkinson, I have finished my third book this year about this period which explains a lot about why the war was so prolonged. The American colonists began the war in Boston as a rebellion against English tyranny and its neglect of the American people. As rebellion fever spread to other colonies the English army was slow to react as the British command dithered shifting from Boston to New York City.

To be sure the British won many battles against the American army which was really no more than an amalgamation of local militias under Washington. That Washington was able to field any kind of army at all was a testament to his iron will to resist the British. But the army had only mixed success. It won a victory at Saratoga under Generals Gates and Arnold. Washington, on the other hand, had to spend a brutal winter in Valley Forge waiting for the spring when he could retake Philadelphia which had been seized by the British. And he had to deal with an ineffective Congress that could not supply his army with food, clothing and other supplies.

But what slowly emerges in “Fate of the Day” are two things. While the English are probably the greatest power on earth at this time they are virtually friendless in the world. Benjamin Franklin is sent to France to lobby Louis XVI for aid in the form of money, weapons, ships, and manpower. At first Franklin is viewed as an amiable dunce who happened to discover electricity. But his charm and persistence, American battle successes, and France’s desire to weaken England resulted in the French providing much needed support for the American cause.

But the other factor that helped the Americans was the sheer size of the American continent. The English spent the first several years of the war in Boston, New York or Philadelphia. They had trouble holding Boston so they left to headquarter in New York. But since New York was pretty much tamed the British abruptly left and sailed the army to the Chesapeake area. There they marched inland and fought and won a victory at Brandywine. From there they marched into Philadelphia and seized the city. Then they just as abruptly left Philadelphia and took the army south. Approximately one third of the total English army was stationed in the colonies. But the country was so large the British never really knew where deployment was most effective.

The trajectory of the war was similar to many other wars throughout history. Governments, armies and the people just get tired of fighting. Volume Two of Atkinson’s trilogy ends in 1780 with Washington having difficulty recruiting and volunteers leaving the fight to go back to their farms. The English are seeing desertions in the ranks and are having a hard time winning over the people although much of that might have something to do with the burning of villages and executions and imprisonments of rebels. The English government is finding itself in confrontations with France and Spain who hope to pick up territories that the British cannot hold while fighting in America.

It’s hard to believe that at the end of this volume there are still three years of fighting remaining in the war. Rick Atkinson, as he proved in his World War II trilogy, is nothing if not thorough. In this volume he talks about such characters as John Paul Jones, and the contributions of foreign fighters such as Lafayette, Pulaski, Von Steuben and others who fought for the American cause. Volume Three should provide more of the same and cement Atkinson’s reputation as the pre-eminent American historian for both World War II and the Revolutionary War.

[Glenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advanced copy of this book thanks to a Goodreads Giveaway. It’s my opinion that Rick Atkinson’s previous body of work has already placed him in the pantheon of the true greats of American historical writing alongside the likes of Francis Parkman, Bruce Catton and Shelby Foote. This, the second volume of an eventual trilogy covering the American Revolution only further cements his position. Truly exceptional. Can’t wait for volume 3.

[Fran Hawthorne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Almost 150 pages read (out of 618), I will emulate the British in the American Revolution: I concede defeat.

On the positive side: Atkinson is an engaging writer (especially for a nonfiction author), and the book is chock-full of information I never knew about my own country's founding history.
I think it's also important to make readers confront the (literally) bloody details of warfare. The Colonials marching barefoot, their blistered, burning feet swaddled in leaves for relief. A bayonet piercing an eyeball...If we face the physical impact of war, will we jump into it a bit less readily?

But -- this book is too chock-full of too much trivia.
We do not need to see every single footstep of every single soldier (Colonial and Loyalist) on every single road to every single potential battle... nor read a line from every single letter written by anyone on either side.
That slog of details drowns out the crucial information about strategy, failure, loyalty, and pride. I feel like one of those boys (they were mainly boys) tromping through the endless marshes of the Hudson Valley or the Carolinas, not even remembering anymore why I'm fighting.

So, DNF. (Spoiler alert: The American rebels will win the war.)

[Joy D · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Fate of the Day is the second book in Rick Atkinson's Revolution Trilogy. It covers the years 1777-1780, including the major and minor battles and what life was like in the colonies (and elsewhere) during the American War for Independence. During these years, George Washington's Continental Army faced exhausting conditions and many challenges. They struggled to obtain and keep funding, troops, and supplies. It opens in France, with Benjamin Franklin trying to convince Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI to support the colonists.

Rick Atkinson is a top rate storyteller, and he provides the context, strategy, and actions for each event, filling in the gaps with analysis of the people involved, motivations, anecdotes, and well-selected quotes. It is well researched, organized, and brilliantly written. Atkinson excels at providing the perspectives of all participants, including the Rebels, Loyalists, Slaves, British, French, Indian tribes, and Hessians.

The narrative contains an extremely detailed description of the era. It covers so many topics it would hardly be possible to list them all. For example, I enjoyed learning the specifics of the many currencies and the impact of both devaluation and inflation. It covers aspects I have not often considered, such as how many candles would be needed or the many requirements to take care of the horses.

This book clearly paints the horrors of war, with vivid descriptions of battle scenes and gruesome wounds. It also focuses on the wide-ranging logistics and covers skirmishes that took place on the seas. I particularly enjoyed the segments that took place in the Caribbean, and the account of John Paul Jones fighting off the coast of Scotland.

I always enjoy Rick Atkinson’s approach to history. It is compelling, flows well, and is a welcome addition to the compendium of historical literature about this period. If you are looking for history that is informative, educational, and entertaining, you can’t go wrong here. I recommend starting with the first book, The British are Coming. Both books are exceptional.

[Joseph · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was worth the wait. I had been waiting for this book ever since 2017 when volume 1 was released. Props to my local library's inter-library loan program for promptly getting this book into my hands. You guys are awesome!! Volume 2 covers the time from Ticonderoga to the siege of Charleston. I would like to see the author do a trilogy on the Civil War. He has already done a WW2 trilogy. Overall, just an awesome book and well worth the time spent. And the Revolutionary War isn't even the main focus of my study!!

[Booknblues · Rating 4 out of 5]

The rating is probably more reflective on me than on Rick Atkinson, as it at times seem to move very slowly for me. In my digital world, I was reminded of what happens in the analog world of the Revolutionary War. Things just moved slowly. It took the Howe Brothers over a month to arrive at Philadelphia from NYC. At that time, Washington and the Continentals didn't know where the Howes were as they had no satellites to relay the images.

Atkinson does a wonderful job of putting the Revolution in perspective of world events and to be truthful, I wasn't always interested in this. I did find the fourth Earl of Sandwich to be quite and interesting fella and was surprised to learn he had more to be famous for than inventing the sandwich.

I was delighted to learn that England's prime minister at that time, Frederick North hated his job, but was not allowed to quit. A shame that our top elected official doesn't feel that way. We would allow him to quit

I was alarmed to learn that the Revolutionary hero of my childhood hometown to which a monument and state park exists, was a mediocre general. General Sullivan, their are even counties named after him and he hardly deserves the veneration.

Enough of these insights, and onward to this book will appeal to those thirsting for a knowledge of the Revolutionary War. Atkinson is a historian who knows how to do his job and is by no means mediocre.

[Alex Self · Rating 5 out of 5]

History at its finest. While Atkinson’s first book in this series seemed somewhat skimpy on the causes of the American Revolution and the political machinations leading to the Declaration of Independence (a deficit that did not detract from the writing but left me a tad unsatisfied), the 1777-1780 period of the war is the perfect vehicle for Atkinson’s kinetic, conflict-focused writing style. Atkinson is a master of bringing the reader into the minds of the commanders and even common troops on the field, and the reader can truly empathize with the privations and trials of war in the 18th century. A great read for a casual history reader and a must read for any American history buff.

[Bob Mayer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Classic Atkinson. Heavy on detail, but interesting details.

Each of his books highlights the main topic but hits on aspects I was unaware of. In this book, the turmoil in England, near Civil War, while we fought the Revolution was eye-opening.

For military readers, you can see the lessons we still have not learned: fighting a far-away war without the support of the populace there, or at home, is doomed.

Very much looking forward to the third book.

[Joseph Ficklen · Rating 5 out of 5]

The fact that the audiobook is narrated by Grover Gardner, who previously narrated the audiobooks of Shelby Foote's Civil War Trilogy, cemented to me this connection: Rick Atkinson is the Shelby Foote of the Rev War. It is an accessible and thorough history of the war, covering even small actions you may never have heard of: Oriskany, Valenciennes, the Penobscot Bay Expedition, etc. I really appreciate how he integrates the wider war and the political context. We may not care about Grenada and St. Lucia, but it mattered a great deal to the French and British, who after 1778 waged a serious naval and amphibious war in the Carribbean to protect their sugar islands, and to attempt to take their enemy's islands. There is a reason that Monmouth Courthouse in 1778 was the last major battle of the war in the northern theater... France's "boots on the ground" may not always have been seen by Americans, but their entering the war caused the British to over-extend themselves.

Thematically, the first volume went from the triumph of the Siege of Boston to the disaster of the New York campaign, to the reinvigorating victories of Trenton and Princeton. This second volume presents the Philadelphia and Hudson River Valley campaigns in tandem, the first being a disaster for the Americans, the later for the British, but both contributing in their own way to French entry into the war. After Monmouth Courthouse, the narrative seems to lose the focus and drive it had at the beginning, and it felt as though Atkinson was looking for a place to land the plane. But 1779 is the odd year of the war, no major conflicts except Stony Point and Savannah. He draws the narrative out as far as the Siege of Charleston in May 1780, which was puzzling to me, as it seems he is not leaving himself enough material for volume 3, but he must know what he is doing.

Atkinson manages to have a remarkable neutrality about the conflict, he shows the bitter and the sweet of both sides. Unlike Shelby Foote, there is a niggling contempt that slips out when Atkinson speaks of the British and Loyalists, but he tells their story adequately and fairly for the most part. (Anybody who is ready for the trans-Atlantic perspective of the conflict may read Andrew Roberts' "Last King of America.")

Another thing Atkinson does is to convey the horror of the American War of Independence which the small casualty numbers may belie. They aren't Napoleonic battles, but the men who lost limbs or suffered painful festering wounds or who were bayoneted after capture, only to endure captivity on a prison ship or some other hole; those men would never forget that experience. Neither would the civilians, the wife trying to raise a family while her husband is off with the army, having to deal with marauding soldiers and food scarcity, the civilians of Newport, Savannah, and Charleston, forced to endure the horror and hardship of a siege. War is hell, and the American Revolution was no different.

[Brian Cohen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another masterpiece of research and storytelling, putting the Revolutionary War into human and relatable context. This volume does feel like a trilogy middle chapter, though, and I didn’t find it quite as enthralling as the first book, but still worth every minute.

[Stephen Morrissey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wars have been embedded in human civilization since the dawn of our age, and yet for many of those wars, but a wisp remains: Hannibal crossing the Alps on elephants; Christian crusaders infiltrating the Holy Land; Napoleon conquering Europe. Commanders are memorialized, but the struggle, and the blood, sweat, and tears of the men and women who fight it, endure it, live it, and die by it are swept aside, buried by the perpetual march of history only dimly remembered.

Rick Atkinson wipes away the accumulated dust and forgetful inertia of history with "The Fate of the Day," a book that meets every expectation in bringing a war from before color photographs, video, and modern media into full color, blood and glory both. Atkinson is a master at his craft - he delves into the logistical minutiae of the British and American war efforts in the most poignant way, showing how scrappy American underdogs endured long winters at Valley Forge and Morristown, and how British commanders mustered an impressive, if ever depleting, war machine three thousand miles across the ocean.

The narrative unfurls a phase of the war largely subsumed by the glorified Minutemen of Lexington & Concord and the eventual defeat at Yorktown. In these pages, Atkinson brilliantly charts the scattershot, though tactically successful, British advance under William Howe from New York to Philadelphia, and the disaster of General Burgoyne in the forests north of Albany at Saratoga. Battles from St. Lucia to Ticonderoga are vividly retold, with an appreciation as to the massive problem confronting the British: a rebellion that was more than superficial and able to withstand the fall of major seaboard cities while collecting its strength further inland and awaiting fertile opportunities to strike.

For the British, one comes away with an eerie colonial repetition of that bugbear of the Vietnam War: incongruities in strategic command and misplaced optimism in the ability to sway back "hearts and minds" to His Majesty's empire. Howe, Clinton, Burgoyne, and Cornwallis are more comfortable at each other's throats than by their leaders' sides, sniping and griping in ink but failing to consider how the real sniping on the battlefield could be sustained with ever diminishing troops, supplies, and the growing risk of war in the Home Islands against France and Spain.

George Washington is that most Fabian of characters for America: perhaps tactically outshined by the British, but always able to martial the body politic, and the mass of unruly soldiers, into a slog of three, four, and five years duration. Washington's critics, such as Charles Lee, may have been correct on the Chief's limitations, but those enemies never grasped the deliberate forward march of the man and his faith in the cause, so long as the feet of his soldiers could be made to march that mile longer, that supply chain to be stretched one month more, and that Congress, motley as it is, calmed once more to focus on the tasks before the army, the states, and the nation.

Perhaps the most difficult thing to do for any Revolutionary War historian is to bring the humanity to modern readers. There are no pictures by Matthew Brady of the grimly fallen at Bunker Hill, nor the sense of galloping bravery by Benedict Arnold at Saratoga like the marches of Stonewall Jackson's legions. Atkinson beautifully brings the war into full color, with the words and deeds of the common soldiers who fought for many reasons, but died for one shining above all others: a new birth of freedom.

[Mike Mikulski · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Fate of the Day vividly describes the events of the American Revolution from early 1777 to Spring 1780. During this time the war moves from the British army putting down a colonial insurrection to a world wide conflict. What I enjoy about Rick Atkinson’s trilogy is how he layers the military history on American battlefields with what is happening in Europe in both the palaces, on the streets and in the villages.

The pivotal point of the book is the entry of France into the war starting with the supply of arms to eventual full support of the French navy. Soon Spain joins the conflict in alliance with France. I never knew about the major action where the combined French and Spanish fleet sailed into the English Channel to engage the British Navy while over ten thousand French troops staged in Brittany and Normandy for a planned invasion to follow the neutralization of the British fleet. Similar to the Spanish armada of the 1500’s weather and unfavorable winds prevented a full naval engagement and the French sailed home. Atkinson also describes British civil unrest spurred by the impressment of citizens into the navy and increased costs of a war thousands of miles from home.

On the American domestic front the book described a period where most battles are fought to draws and the British wins are short lived as a shortage of manpower and the size of the colonies prevents them from occupying the territory won as was the case in Philadelphia and Providence ,RI.

Fate of the Day also describes the evolution of the Continental Army led by George Washington. Washington is often plagued by lack of equipment, soldiers, sick troops and poor intelligence, but hi army is never captured or disabled in full. While a mediocre military general, Atkinson paints Washington as a political master keeping his troops and Congress aligned on the cause of independence, despite a lack of pay, food, clothing and spiraling inflation and no clear sign of long term victory.

The end of the book finds Washington in dire straits in April 1780. He is no longer receiving fresh troops from the colonial militia. US currency is almost valueless and the colonies have just lost the city of Charleston after the French fleet sailed home for the winter.

But there is hope. The British army is firing on London civilians who are rioting in response to new laws relaxing constraints on Catholics in an attempt to increase recruitment of Irish soldiers. While in America, Marquis Lafayette arrives back from a recuperative trip to France with a pledge from King Louis XVI to provide 6000 troops led by Comte de Rochambeau.

We will see what 1780 and 1781 brings. I already know, but Atkinson’s history is well researched and reads like a page turner.

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

George Washington inspired a Continental Army on the verge of collapse to a ten-day campaign that saved the hope for independence, but the empire was ready strike back again. The Fate of the Day: The War for America, Fort Ticonderoga to Charleston, 1777-1780 is the second volume in Rick Atkinson’s The Revolution trilogy following the course of the military, political, and everyday factors that played into course of the American Revolution from the battlefields in America to the palaces of Versailles and Queen’s House leading to battles across the globe.

Navigating through a myriad of locations and through various narrative threads that need to be explored while revealing how each reflects on the other, Atkinson does a stellar job at bringing the complexity of the American Revolution to the reader. The important historical characters are covered, but lesser-known individuals, especially those foreign-born officers that are often unsung, get highlighted when in battle or making a difference for the Continental Army. What is most important throughout the book is how the colonial rebellion on the edge of the war sparked political machinations in the backroom of European palaces to get revenge on Britain or simply put it in its place. While the American Revolution is mostly seen as a land war, the naval aspect is not forgotten though as the book goes on it starts to become a Britain-French centric narrative through John Paul Jones’ cruises around Britain and attacks mainly in Scotland brought the war home to Britain in a way that shocked them almost as much as the thought of a French invasion. Given the numerous decades old books of the American Revolution I’ve read in recent years, this volume covers the same North American material through adding a broader brush to look at everyday life which included the economic realities for both the Continental army and the average citizen no matter their political loyalty. The difference is the thoroughness of Atkinson looking to the British domestic political scene as well as bringing in other European powers’ political and diplomatic moves during these years which resulted in the American Revolution becoming a conflict fought across the global. Honestly, it’s hard to find something important to critique.

The Fate of the Day reveals how events turn a colonial rebellion into a global conflict in an engaging way by Rick Atkinson and being the middle volume of a planned trilogy on American Revolution it makes you look forward to see all the various factors that bring it to a conclusion in the final when it is written.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best writer of history. Period!

Takeaways:

The persistence of the Founding Fathers through so much adversity. Unrelenting focus.

The unbelievable cost of disease in reducing armies and navies. Typhus, scurvy, small pox, yellow fever.

King George III was not a mad king but a very hands on and fearless leader.

This was THE civil war of civil wars. Our first in fact.

The pettiness and egos of so many leaders on both sides- dueling over slights and demanding court martial that would often divide units into factions.

The gullibility of the public. Not much has changed.

A long wait for the final volume but worth it.

[Brian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Atkinson is one of the best writers in the history field today - The Fate of the Day matches the quality of research, writing, and narrative structure of his earlier work. Very excited about the next book to finish the trilogy.

[Susan Kendrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so good! Rick really brings history to life. He is primarily a military historian so a lot of battle details but still very much worth reading even if military accounts aren’t your thing.

[Mary Vogelsong · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's amazing so many facts and occurances of such long-ago battles can be collected and presented with clairity. Atkinson is a fine writer.

[Trevor Seigler · Rating 4 out of 5]

The American Revolution has been put back into our consciousness in no small part due to the success of "Hamilton" and the spector of authoritarianism under Trump that makes the perils that Washington and company fought against seem especially timely now. We fought a war to resist a dictator or a king; it would be nice to think that one of our two major political parties would remember that. Anyway, Rick Atkinson began a trilogy about the Revolutionary War a few years back, and this second volume continues the story in epic fashion, showing how much our attempt to rise up against Great Britain was a world war.

"The Fate of the Day" covers the years from 1777 to 1780, and all the various conflicts that arose not just between the Continentals and the Redcoats, but also between enemies and allies alike. Like Shelby Foote before him, Atkinson is telling a narrative story of the war, showing the way in which personalities on both sides responded to battle and diplomacy alike. For the story of the Revolution isn't just about Saratoga and Charleston, but also Paris (where Benjamin Franklin worked to bring the French court into the war on the side of America) to London (where George III tried to reassure his public that the war was being conducted successfully, despite the lack of a clear ending in sight). This is history on an epic scale, and Atkinson proves adept at rendering the social as well as military history of all that unfolded during these pivotal years. I can't wait for the concluding volume, and I think, in some ways, I draw succor from the moment this book ends on, which seems to be the darkness before the dawn that was American independence. It remains to be seen what America will be when Atkinson finishes his history.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Atkinson follows up the first third of his American Revolution trilogy with another superb entry. I was glad to see it covered more of the elements the elements that I cited as somewhat deficient in the first volume. The book spends a little less time on the Atlantic seaboard in its focus, widening the geographic scope of the story and delving more into the political nature of the war, especially in Europe. I finished it in breakneck speed so I could attend a book talk with Atkinson--pushing myself at times yet my pace was helped by the fact that the book remains a captivating narrative that is somehow, for a 600+ page volume, still tightly written.

[Garrett Gorrasi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great sequel to a promising series. Rick Atkinson has proven himself a skillful master of military history. Similar to his series covering the US Army in WWII this book is full of interesting characters and anecdotes that make the time period come alive. He shows skill in detailing complicated army and navy engagements in a way that is easily accessible. Eagerly awaiting the final book in the trilogy.

[Daa_of_night · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can't review it, yet, my Dad opened the mail, and cracked the book to check it out. That was two days ago. He is halfway through, and says it's very absorbing. He's a Vietnam vet, a history buff, and voracious nonfiction reader. If he says a book is absorbing, that is a VERY good book.

[Charles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Riveting Story of the Middle Years of the American Revolutionary War

This is the story of the middle years of the American Revolutionary War, told by an outstanding historian. First and foremost, author Rick Atkinson writes beautifully, from his descriptions of the terrain in which battles were fought, through the first-hand contemporary accounts of those on both sides of the conflict, to the larger strategic concerns of both British and American political and military leaders.

As with many, I had greater knowledge of the beginning and end of the war than about what happened in the middle years. But Atkinson helps us understand that the years of conflict between 1777 and 1780 could have led to British victory but instead were sliding to the possibility of ultimate defeat.

In telling the story, Atkinson addresses the factors at all levels, from the experiences and morale of individual soldiers on both sides, to the logistical issues for both adversaries in the war, to the strategic concerns that became major factors in decisions about where and when to engage in battle.

At the highest level, Atkinson makes the case that while on the surface Britain was strong and powerful, King George III and his advisors found the country’s resources were stretched dangerously thin. Britain had to defend its home territory against invasion from France and Spain and its home defenses were woefully neglected. The British Empire stretched from India, to North America, to Dominica, St. Lucia, and the other British sugar islands in the Caribbean. As British ministers juggled priorities, at times the Caribbean came out on top as the wealth of the sugar trade helped finance the enormous expense of the American war and of defending the British home islands and India and other territories of the Empire.

It didn’t help that in the face of adversaries such as France and Spain, the British had no allies. A third of the British army was stationed in the American colonies and there were constant debates about where to deploy troops and naval resources. As early as 1777 some in London questioned whether the American war was worth the cost.

One of Atkinson’s achievements is to provide a chronological analysis of the major battles during this four year period, with each side chalking up wins and losses. Often the British won a battle or territory, only to lack the means to hold what they had won. Thus British General Burgoyne captured Fort Ticonderoga but his overextended forces lacked the resources to hold territory as winter approached. Atkinson describes the terrible conditions under which British forces had to withdraw to Canada as winter closed in.

Washington was defeated at Brandywine and Germantown and the British occupied Philadelphia. But the British consistently overestimated Loyalist commitment. “The Loyalists lacked national leaders, effective propaganda, and self-sufficiency without massive British support,” the author observes. When the British fleet and troops were required to defend the sugar island of St. Lucia, the British abandoned Philadelphia and retreated to New York.

Initiative again shifted with the surrender of Burgoyne at Saratoga and the decision of Louis XVI to support the Americans. Soon with French support Washington mounted an attack on Newport, RI, the only other territory the British held. But French indecisiveness (later to be repeated at Savannah) meant that the effort failed.

The battles, and victory or defeat, swayed back and forth, with vindictive British raids on coastal Connecticut. The British failed to seize control of the Hudson River, and Rebel privateers preyed on trading ships from England with John Paul Jones menacing the British coast. These were years in which initiatives, victories, and defeats traded back and forth between the two adversaries.

The book ends with the British occupation of Charleston, SC, some four years after a similar British attempt had failed. But one sign of British lack of understanding of the local white power structure was the horrified Loyalist reaction to the British proposal to arm black slaves at a time when slave insurrection was the greatest fear. Meanwhile British leaders were squabbling among themselves, wishing to be relieved of their responsibilities in America and to return to Britain.

With the end of the war, as we now know, still years off, the British had won a number of battles but in 1780 were confined to New York City, an enclave in Rhode Island, and the port of Charleston. Many British officers and politicians had begun to doubt the cost of the war and some even to question whether victory was possible.

The complicated story of these years is told brilliantly by Atkinson and his writing contributes to our understanding of the sacrifices on both sides. Washington, while he made mistakes, held the revolution together even as an end was not in sight and financial support from the states was virtually non-existent. The middle years of the war were no less important than the events that began and ended it. This book is a valuable addition to history, analyzing a period when the outcome of British withdrawal was more predictable than seen at the time.

[Dan Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading Rick Atkinson is an easy way to look super smart. I mean, I'm reading this thick history book - surely I deserve respect for my intellectual chops. But the reality, of course, is that Mr. Atkinson is a super easy read. Some books I just can't read when I'm tired, for example. But Mr. Atkinson is always an easy read.

I did come away with some impressions from this book. For example, reading about the British outflanking Washington YET AGAIN (Brandywine) left me shaking my head. OK, the Chief has a serious blind spot: so isn't that the job of his staffers to recognize that and ensure the flanks are protected? Where is Hamilton, the man we are repeatedly told is a genius? Where is Lafayette, the boy wonder? If Washington's staffers are what they think they are (future generals), shouldn't they be checking on these things? Surely, by now, they know how to run a battle! It's complicated, but not rocket science. I'm beginning to wonder if the Indispensable Man had a very dispensable staff.

But you almost have to feel sorry for the British. The Howes made the fateful decision to approach Philadelphia via the Cheasepeake Bay, adding weeks to their voyage and killing most of their horses. The calvary, that might have finished the rebellion then and there, was sorely missed as the Americans fled Brandywine.

Mr. Atkinson shares that William Howe's biographer judged him competent in a war that required genius. I'd say that judgment could be applied to the British High command in general (at best). I'm coming to believe that for the British, the war could only be won by either a) destroying the Contintental Army or b) burning everything to the ground until the Americans begged for peace. The British tried both options, but never to the extent required to win.

Howe may have lacked the genius to recognize that he needed to destroy the Continental Army, so perhaps, by default, we can judge Washington a genius - he realized he could not risk annihilation, so danced forever just out of British reach. They needed to launch an attack on him, moving with speed, in hopes of catching him before the militia could assemble. Yes, it turns out the militia could, occasionally, bring the Americans a decisive victory - reference Burgoyne and Saratoga. But by and large, they wouldn't stand and fight. So that's my advice that's 250 years late!

Oh, the British were good at what they did. The conquest of Charleston was by the book and carried a feeling of inevitability.

And just where was that militia, anyway? That was the good news for the British. The militia just didn't turn out to fight them, particularly in the South. But neither did they turn out to fight FOR the British either. The challenge for both sides, I'm coming to believe, was that your average American just didn't care that much either way. Thus, the terrible suffering of Washington's Army, without food, clothing, etc. It's incredibly expensive to keep an army in the field, and no one wanted to pay for it. But, strangely, the suffering of the Continental Army was also their salvation, in the sense that your average American wasn't doing anything to help the British, either.

Well, except when they paid in cold, hard cash, as opposed to the worthless Continental script issued by Congress. THEN, your average American would step up and do his duty to the crown. How mercenary. I'm guessing it would have been a whole lot cheaper for the British to have come to a reasonable settlement instead of fighting an expensive, debt-financed war.

And apparently, that was Lord North's true skill - obtaining loans to finance the war. Administration and politics were apparently not his forte.

So read the book! You'll have a much clearer understanding of the war.

[Christopher · Rating 5 out of 5]

And now, Ladies and Gentlemen, the French.

In 2025’s The Fate of the Day, Rick Atkinson’s second volume in his Revolution Trilogy covers 1777-1780 with a more engaging style than his first impressive, but often rivet-counter focused first volume. Now, the narrative structure finally feels like it fits the scale of the conflict. We still get LOTS of minutiae re logistics (which is absolutely necessary), but the more episodic chronology of each chapter (roughly 3 to 5 months per theater per), allows Atkinson to dig deep into the granular rhythms of war without sacrificing the necessary human drama. This approach pays off. From Franklin to Washington to Howe, Burgoyne, or Arnold, Atkinson’s focus gives the reader a tactile sense of time and place, and a clearer understanding of how strategy evolved in real time.

The French alliance, often treated as a deus ex machina in other Revolutionary histories, gets its due here. Atkinson traces its emergence with an impressive level of detail as both sides tried to figure out exactly what needed to be compromised and whether it was worth it for either side for a monarchy to side with an anti-monarchical revolution to defeat a rival monarchy. It’s one of the book’s strongest threads, and it helps balance the otherwise martial tone with a dose of diplomatic drama (moreso than the first volume had).

That said, this is still Atkinson in full martial mode. This is as much a book about logistics and how many tons of food/materiel was needed to maintain even modest forces in the field (the numbers are staggering). You get glimpses of the ideological ferment, the Loyalist dilemmas, the enslaved seeking freedom, but they’re often background noise to the thunder of muskets and the shuffle of troop movements.

Stylistically, Atkinson continues to flirt with the novelistic. His prose is vivid, sometimes too much so and he occasionally takes liberties with describing what individuals were *feeling,* or “must have been thinking” at a given moment. These flourishes, while evocative, occasionally feel like historical fan fiction.

Still, The Fate of the Day is a more confident and coherent volume than its predecessor. The tighter scope, the improved pacing, and the richer treatment of the Franco-American alliance make it a more satisfying read. It’s still a military history first and foremost, but one that finally seems to understand that the fate of the day wasn’t decided by powder alone.

[Josh Liller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rick Atkinson continues to be one of the best and most consistent military historians - today or ever.

Fate of the Day does everything The British Are Coming: The War for America, Lexington to Princeton, 1775-1777 did, and better. In fact, looking at my review for the first volume, I could copy & paste most of it with only a few names changed.

Again, the lesser-known parts of the war get included here including the Penobscot Bay fiasco, the punitive campaign against the Iroquois, both Battles of Savannah, the British and French clashes in the Caribbean and English Channel, and disturbances in England. Arnold and Andre are set up nicely. The written accounts of German soldiers are included.

A theme in this volume is the Franco-American alliance: how it comes about and how it fails to deliver on the hopes everyone had for it, even while proving devastating for British strategy. The effects of leadership, logistics, and disease shine here.

The decision to end the book after the fall of Charleston rather than before is rather interesting, assuming it was a deliberate choice and not simply a need to balance page count between volumes. It fits with the aforementioned theme, and also serves as the zenith of Henry Clinton's service in the war and of the British Southern Strategy.

The empire has struck back and I hope we don't have to wait another five years to see The World Turned Upside Down.

This trilogy is going to be for the American Revolution everything Shelby Foote's The Civil War: A Narrative has been for the American Civil War, but with extensive citations.

Highest recommendation.