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Wednesday, June 12, 2019

Book Review - American Hannibal by Jim Stempel

Book Review
American Hannibal
by Jim Stempel

Book Description
On January 17, 1781, a remarkable battle took place in the backwoods of South Carolina. British Lt. Colonel Banastre Tarleton, handpicked by General Charles Cornwallis for command due to his dash and record of accomplishment, was opposed by Brigadier General Daniel Morgan, a rough-and-tumble son of the American frontier. Morgan employed a scheme so brilliantly conceived and masterfully executed that within an hour, the British found themselves overwhelmed, enveloped, and routed from the field. In response to this stunning American victory, Cornwallis embarked on a reckless, desperate trek north in pursuit of Morgan—a strategy that ultimately led to his own defeat at Yorktown.

In his compelling account of the Battle of Cowpens, Jim Stempel makes the case that Morgan’s victory closely mirrors Hannibal’s extraordinary triumph at Cannae, regarded by many as one of the greatest military accomplishments of all time. With a narrative style that plunges readers into the center of the events, American Hannibal will enthrall students of American history and newcomers to the subject alike.
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Hubbie's Review
American Hannibal will enthrall all history students in the art of battle command. Jim Stempel's account of the Battle Of Cowpen is expertly researched and written.  In a time when there was no modern technology and orders/plans were drawn up on the spot and the pure instinct of  soldiers kept themselves alive. How a researcher can bring the events and thoughts of those involved to life is an remarkable feat.

The reader is taken on a fantastic trip through history and can envisage the sights, sound and smells of the soldiers and share in their life of hopes and dreams through the excellent descriptive writing of the author. In the height of battle heroes emerge and their feats and exploits recorded.

Comparisons are always made between battles and the commanders in charge to discuss the similarities in their thought process and bravery which the author does in this book between Hannibal and Daniel Morgan.

The sharp wit and quick thinking in the implementation of an excellent scheme that was masterly executed ensured a masterminded victory and catapulted Daniel Morgan who was a true American Revolutionary into the history books.

This is the second book I have read by Jim Stempel and his passion and enthusiasm for American battle History shines through, a must read for anyone who is interested in the topic.

Our Rating

About the author
Jim Stempel was born in Westfield, N.J.,in 1948,and graduated from the Citadel, Charleston, S.C., in 1970 with a degree in political science. He is married and the father of three. His first novel, American Rain was hailed by critics and labeled a "masterpiece" by the West Coast Review of Books.A student of the human condition, Stempel's works span a range including satire, spirituality, and military nonfiction. His most recent work is an examination of the psychological roots of human warfare (The Nature of War: Origins and Evolution of Violent Conflict) that Choice,the publication of the Association of College and Research Libraries, said "..offers ripe fruit by which to contemplate humanity's future." Stempel is considered an authority on the Eastern campaigns of the American Civil War, and his books on that topic have drawn an international audience. His novel Albemale was nominated for the James Fenimore Cooper Prize in Historical Fiction, and his newest novel, Windmill Point was released in March, 2016.

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