Search - American Revolution: Battle of Monmouth on DVD

Sloppy Look At the Battle

Roger Kennedy | 02/02/2010

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Those seeking a serious look at the famous battle of Monmouth fought in Central NJ in the Summer of 1778 will not find it here. This is a History Detective Production which is more concerned with battlefield archaoelogy than with serious examination of the events. What you get are a lot simplistic statements and use of techy gimmicks to locate various detritis on the field today. With these odds and ends simplistic conclusions are drawn.

The battle is portrayed as a major defeat for the British which it was not. Numerous important background details are left out including the whole Charles Lee controversy, the strategic situation that the British found themselves in 1778 which prompted their withdrawal from Philadelphia in the first place. A major portion of this brief 47 min program concerns itself with some desultry fighting that took place toward the end of the battle involving the 42nd Highlanders (Black Watch) and some Continenetal troops. Here we are lead to believe that the Highlandes were devastated by American artilley fire and then routed by the American infantry attack. In reality the 42nd had sought some cover in a wooded revine and were in the act of retiring when the Americans attacked. Both sides fired several vollies and each sustained less than 20 killed and wounded. Hardly the kind of devastation that is implied here.

Losses of both sides are also grossly inflated in favor of the American side. In short this is a fast-food version of the battle intended for popular audience viewing on the History Channel. It is not a serious modern evaluation of the battle. A good, non-biased work is desperately needed to dispel the many myths of Monmouth. Sadly this DVD does not even begin to do so. Not recommended!"