Our First Civil War

Patriots and Loyalists in the American Revolution

By: H. W. Brands

Narrated by: Steve Hendrickson

"A fast-paced, often riveting account of the military and political events leading up to the Declaration of Independence and those that followed during the war ... Brands does his readers a service by reminding them that division, as much as unity, is central to the founding of our nation."—The Washington Post

From best-selling historian and Pulitzer Prize finalist H. W. Brands comes a gripping, page-turning narrative of the American Revolution that shows it to be more than a fight against the British: it was also a violent battle among neighbors forced to choose sides, Loyalist or Patriot.

What causes people to forsake their country and take arms against it? What prompts their neighbors, hardly distinguishable in station or success, to defend that country against the rebels?  That is the question H. W. Brands answers in his powerful new history of the American Revolution.

George Washington and Benjamin Franklin were the unlikeliest of rebels. Washington in the 1770s stood at the apex of Virginia society. Franklin was more successful still, having risen from humble origins to world fame. John Adams might have seemed a more obvious candidate for rebellion, being of cantankerous temperament. Even so, he revered the law. Yet all three men became rebels against the British Empire that fostered their success.

Others in the same circle of family and friends chose differently. William Franklin might have been expected to join his father, Benjamin, in rebellion but remained loyal to the British. So did Thomas Hutchinson, a royal governor and friend of the Franklins, and Joseph Galloway, an early challenger to the Crown. They soon heard themselves denounced as traitors--for not having betrayed the country where they grew up. Native Americans and the enslaved were also forced to choose sides as civil war broke out around them.

After the Revolution, the Patriots were cast as heroes and founding fathers while the Loyalists were relegated to bit parts best forgotten. Our First Civil War reminds us that before America could win its revolution against Britain, the Patriots had to win a bitter civil war against family, neighbors, and friends.

An American history where the people and places come alive.

Although I’ve read and listened to many historical accounts of the American revolution, Brands writing style captivates the imagination and brings the characters to life. He brings the saga to new heights by including the heroic founding fathers, and the British but more importantly the Native Americans and the Slaves. I highly recommended this book who wants a more balanced understanding of our first civil war.

Good Overview from French/Indian War thru Revolutionary

I found this book well done and kept my interest throughout.

I was expecting it to be a bit more of an assessment of loyalist v patriot culture of the period, but instead it was only telling the common narratives & stories of the era in chronological order focusing largely on Washington & Franklin’s contributions. Having previously read Washington & Franklin biographies much of this was a more shallow overview.

That being said, I would still recommend as I enjoyed the authors style and he did a great job of entertaining the reader through the historical account

Not as specific as the title implies

As someone who can’t get enough American revolutionary history, this book was very enjoyable, It turns out that trying to focus on the divide between patriots and loyalists becomes not too much more than a general history of the political and military events of ~1770 to 1787. There is some special attention paid to the plight of loyalists like William Franklin and the infamous turncoat Benedict Arnold, which is what justifies the title. Other than that, a good general overview drawing on many letters of personal correspondence between the important people of the day, complimenting well other more narrowly focused books on the era.

A must read for anyone interested in American history!

This was by far the most thorough, comprehensive, and authentic account of events leading up to, during, and after the American revolution. I would say that this book is a must for anyone interested in American history in general and history of the American Revolution in particular. Bravo to the author!

Excellent early American stories

I thought this was an excellent set of stories about our early American history. It was well written and narrated, and it was hard to put down. Highly recommended.