Jolinston : Storming of Stony Point 1 45 interest a student of such an operation, are touched upon, if not speci- fied. The author has made a diligent search for truth at first hand. About half the book is an appendix formed of letters, reports and other original documents, collected from various sources in Europe and the United States, a number of which have never been published before. The narrative is illustrated with a colored map of the Highlands showing the strategic positions of the opposing forces and Wayne's line of march to the rear of Stony Point ; plans of Stony Point and Verplank's Point ; photographic views of these and other places in the Highlands ; and likenesses of Wayne and other prominent American officers. The map of the Highlands is compiled from surveys by Washington's geographer, the originals of which are in the possession of the New York Historical Society. Yet with all this documentary evidence and the author's lucid nar- rative before him, the reader may find himself in want of light on certain points. The plan of campaign ascribed to Sir Henry Clinton is based, as the author candidly states (p. 43), upon a letter from Clinton dated September 9, more than three months after the opening of the campaign, or Clinton's capture of Stony Point ; and nearly two months after its close, or his re-occupation of that point upon its capture and abandon- ment by the Americans. A perusal of Clinton's dispatches (pp. 31, 109, 121, 123, 141, 142) will leave a critical mind in doubt as to how much of the plan referred to was "hind-sight" and how much foresight. There can be little doubt that, if warned ten minutes in advance, the British, as Washington said, could have repelled Wayne's assault. Only by providing in the most minute detail for every possible contingency, was success to be anticipated. In these preparations the military student will find the main lesson of the operation under consideration, a lesson which too many of our commanders in subsequent campaigns have shown themselves ignorant of or incapable of applying. The author (p. 92) discredits the " story of the neighborhood that the British pickets were surprised and gagged by men in disguise . . . The tale," he says, "is hardly worth considering a poor tradition" ; but he does not refer to AVashington's instructions to Wayne (p. 155) for a vanguard to " . . . secure the sentries," nor to Wayne's order of battle (p. 159) for "an officer and twenty men a little in front, whose business will be to secure the sentries." This monograph is a distinct and interesting contribution to the his- tory of our Revolutionary War, and a useful work of reference for stu- dents of a subject in military science which seems to be gaining in im- portance, the night attack. The book is tastefully bound, printed in open moderate-sized type, and provided with an index. John Bigelow, Jr.
