Henry Hulton and the American Revolution : an outsider's inside view /

The story of the struggle for American independence has been heavily documented from the perspective of the American freedom fighters, making for a one-sided view. This book provides a window into the other side, showing how those who supported the British government viewed the turmoil that swirled around them for 20 years. Although there are other works that provide first-person accounts, such as Peter Oliver's Origin and Progress of the American Rebellion (1781) and Thomas Hutchinson's The History of the Colony of Massachusetts-Bay (1764), this work is different in that the material within, written by an agent of the Crown in Boston, was not for publication. "Account of the Proceedings ...," which covers 100 pages, is devoted to Hulton's interpretation of events in Massachusetts between 1767 and 1775 and was written for his five sons. The next 195 pages include Hulton's letters and other writings, including poetry. A strong point of the work is editor York's introduction, which is well written and informative. The Colonial Society of Massachusetts deserves recognition for publishing this work. A required acquisition for all four-year academic libraries. Summing Up: Essential. Upper-division undergraduates and above. J. J. Fox Jr. emeritus, Salem State College