Montcalm and Wolfe: French and Indian War [Paperback]

This is simply a wonderful work of history! Francis Parkman is considered by many scholars to be the greatest American historian ever. "Montcalm and Wolfe" is his masterpiece, written in 1884 as the final volume of his multi-volume work "France and England in North America." It tells the story of the French and Indian War, which is probably the most historically decisive war ever fought on the North American continent. Parkman writes with precision, eloquence, and objectivity. With his vivid and fast paced narrative, he demonstrates a wonderful flair dramatizing history. At the same time, his tremendous knowledge about this vast and complex subject is evident on every page. For me, the most fascinating parts of this book were the chapters which described the conflict for Acadia, and the ultimate forced evacuation of the Acadians by the British; Braddock's defeat; and the battles of Louisbourg and Quebec. Parkman's descriptions of these key events, and the personalities behind them, make them seem to come alive.

Parkman writes in the romantic style popular in the late nineteenth century; yet, his prose is of such high quality that it never seems dated. In fact, as I was reading, I found it difficult to remember that "Montcalm and Wolfe" was written 116 years ago! I highly recommend this book, which is already a timeless classic, as essential reading for those interested in learning more about the French and Indian War.

Francis Parkman (1823-1893) was the first great American historian and today the most prestigious award in the field bears his name. "Montcalm and Wolfe" represents volumes six and seven of his celebrated study on the Anglo-French conflict in North America. This book is more than an excellent history of a seminal but largely forgotten conflict; it is nothing less than a work of literary art and very much a piece of American history itself.

Even if you have little interest in the Seven Years' War or the colonial-era in general, Parkman's writing alone is reason enough to put "Montcalm and Wolfe" on your reading list. Here is one notable, but by no means unusual, example of Parkman's narrative abilities, which describes the journey of colonial troops through the marshes around Lake Oneida in upstate New York in 1755:

"Thither the bateaux were dragged on sledges and launched on the dark and tortuous stream, which, fed by a decoction of forest leaves that oozed from the marshy shores, crept in shadow through depths of foliage, with only a belt of illumined sky gleaming between the jagged tree-tops. Tall and lean with straining towards the light, their rough, gaunt stems trickling with perpetual damps, stood on either hand the silent hosts of the forest. The skeletons of their dead, barkless, blanched and shattered, strewed the mudbanks and shallows; others lay submerged, like bones of drowned mammoths, thrusting lank, white limbs above the sullen water; and great trees, entire as yet, were flung by age or storms athwart the current - a bristling barricade of matted boughs."

Parkman's descriptions of Braddock's defeat on the Monongahela, the eviction of the Acadians, the siege of Louisbourg and the Battle of Quebec, to name just a few, are so vivid and intense that the images are seared into the reader's mind. I had read about these events several times before, often by skilled historians, but reading Parkman is like being there.

Parkman's work is built on exhaustive primary research and his extensive quotes from the personal letters of the leading figures on both sides of the conflict are fascinating and illuminating. That said, his history is hardly objective. To begin with, he is unabashedly Anti-Catholic. With the exception of the nurse-nuns at Quebec, everyone associated with the Church in Canada is described as completely venal and manipulative. In fact, he attributes much of the war - especially the barbarity of the French-Indian allies - to the actions of local priests, who in turn received tacit support from Versailles. He also wears his anglophilia on his sleeve. He spends much time and effort defending the British actions in displacing the entire Catholic population of Acadia in 1755: it was the priests that fostered opposition to allegiance to King George II; the British actions in Acadia went above-and-beyond to ensure the protection of religious freedom among the Acadians; all the British asked was neutrality; the Acadians themselves are described as simpletons easily manipulated by the French and priests; English settlers didn't appear in Acadia for five years "proving" that the British weren't motivated by a land grab; etc.

One of the more interesting aspects of this non-PC approach is the portrayal of the Native-Americans on both sides. Nearly all contemporary histories go out of their way, it seems, to take the rough edges off of Indian warfare and the result of raids on the frontier. Parkman describes the tribes and their acts in graphic detail: scalping, torture, cannibalism, slavery, etc. The reader gets a palpable sense of the fear an Indian war whoop must have instilled in colonists who no doubt had heard the stories of what happened to those sorry souls that fell into Indian hands.

Finally, there are two basic types of characters in Parkman's writing: good guys and bad guys. The former includes, above all, Montcalm and Wolfe, but also Lord Howe, Roger and his "Rangers," and one other French general, Levi. The latter group is led by the French Governor-General Vaudreiul and the knaves that supplied New France (especially Bigot and Pean) and represented by General Abercromby on the British side (he actually defends Braddock).

In short, "Montcalm and Wolfe" is like reading history written by Saul Bellow. It is one of the most important history books ever written in the English language and easily a classic of American military history.

Parkman's Montcalm and Wolfe is more than history, it's American Literature. His prose flows elegantly and distinguishly across each page. The reader can definitely tell that Parkman was most passionate about this work, he spent most of his life researching and writing it. The care and attention he gave to the work shows. Granted this is probably not the best book for a high school student on the French and Indian war, but for someone who has read and enjoys to read history this is definitely worth a go.