Christian M. McBurney's Books

Machine Guns in Narragansett Bay

The Coast Guard’s War on Rumrunners

By: Christian M. McBurney

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Machine Guns in Narragansett Bay

The Coast Guard’s War on Rumrunners

By: Christian M. McBurney

During World War I and World War II, Rhode Island was dotted with coastal forts filled with large caliber guns. Yet they were never fired in anger. By contrast, from 1929 to 1933, during Prohibition, U.S. Coast Guard vessels frequently fired machine guns at rumrunners in Narragansett Bay. Machine gun fire killed three rumrunners and wounded another on the notorious Black Duck. Despite the incident drawing national protests, the carnage continued. The Coast Guard fired machine guns at dozens more rumrunners in Rhode Island waters, killing another man, severely wounding two others, and causing several boats to explode or sink. Join author and historian Christian McBurney as he explores the use of excessive force in Narragansett Bay and other Rhode Island waters.

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Page Count

199

Publisher

Arcadia Publishing

Published Date

ISBN 10

1439678391

ISBN 13

9781439678398

Spies in Revolutionary Rhode Island

By: Christian M McBurney

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Spies in Revolutionary Rhode Island

By: Christian M McBurney

A history of espionage in Rhode Island during the Revolutionary War. Espionage played a vital role during the American Revolution in Rhode Island. The British and Americans each employed spies to discover the secrets, plans and positions of their enemy. Continental navy lieutenant John Trevett dressed as an ordinary sailor, grew out his beard and went from tavern to tavern in Newport gathering intelligence. Metcalf Bowler became a traitor on the order of Benedict Arnold, as he spied for the British while serving as a Patriot leader in Providence. Disguised as a peddler, Ann Bates spied for the British during the Rhode Island Campaign. When caught, one spy paid with his life, while others suffered in jail. Author Christian M. McBurney, for the first time, unravels the world of spies and covert operations in Rhode Island during the Revolutionary War. “McBurney tells a series of fascinating stories about the spies and their families, many of them prominent Newporters, in his book.” —The Newport Daily News “According to . . . McBurney, New York and Pennsylvania may have witnessed more spy activity in the Revolutionary War, but Rhode Island was not that far behind...”no theater of war produced such rich stories of spies and spying as Rhode Island.” That’s a pretty big brag for a state as small as ours, but McBurney does make his case very well. The fact that Newport was a major North American port at the time had a lot to do with that, but there are a few towns around the edges that turned up some surprising tales of intrigue and treason.” —Cranston Herald

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182

Publisher

Arcadia Publishing

Published Date

ISBN 10

162585255X

ISBN 13

9781625852557

Abductions in the American Revolution

Attempts to Kidnap George Washington, Benedict Arnold and Other Military and Civilian Leaders

By: Christian McBurney

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Abductions in the American Revolution

Attempts to Kidnap George Washington, Benedict Arnold and Other Military and Civilian Leaders

By: Christian McBurney

The tactic of kidnapping enemy leaders, used in the recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, dates to the American Revolution. George Washington called such efforts "honorable" and supported attempts to kidnap the British commander-in-chief (twice), Benedict Arnold (after he turned traitor) and Prince William Henry (a future king of Great Britain). Washington in turn was targeted at his Morristown winter headquarters by British dragoons who crossed the frozen Hudson River. New Jersey Governor William Livingston performed a patriotic service by going to considerable lengths to avoid being abducted by the Loyalist raider James Moody. Sometimes these operations succeeded, as with the spectacular captures of Major General Charles Lee, Major General Richard Prescott, Brigadier General Gold Selleck Silliman, and North Carolina's governor Thomas Burke. Sometimes they barely failed, as with the violent attempt by British secret service operatives against Major General Philip Schuyler and the mission by British dragoons against Thomas Jefferson. Some of the abducted, such as signer of the Declaration of Independence Richard Stockton and Delaware's governor John McKinly, suffered damage to their reputations. The kidnapper risked all--if caught, he could be hanged. This book covers more than thirty major attempted and successful abductions of military and civilian leaders from 1775 to 1783, from Maine to Georgia, and including two in Great Britain.

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Page Count

230

Publisher

McFarland

Published Date

ISBN 10

1476624291

ISBN 13

9781476624297

George Washington's Nemesis

The Outrageous Treason and Unfair Court-Martial of Major General Charles Lee during the Revolutionary War

By: Christian McBurney

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George Washington's Nemesis

The Outrageous Treason and Unfair Court-Martial of Major General Charles Lee during the Revolutionary War

By: Christian McBurney

This biography attempts to set the record straight for a misunderstood military figure from the American Revolution. Historians and biographers of Charles Lee have treated him as either an enemy of George Washington or a defender of American liberty. Neither approach is accurate; objectivity is required to fully understand the war’s most complicated general. In George Washington’s Nemesis, author Christian McBurney uses original documents (some newly discovered) to combine two dramatic stories to create one balanced view of one of the Revolutionary War’s most fascinating personalities. General Lee, second in command in the Continental Army led by George Washington, was captured by the British in December, 1776. While imprisoned, he gave his captors a plan on how to defeat Washington’s army as quickly as possible. This extraordinary act of treason was not discovered during his lifetime. Less well known is that throughout his sixteen months of captivity and even after his release, Lee continued communicating with the enemy, offering to help negotiate an end to the rebellion. After Lee rejoined the Continental Army, he was given command of many of its best troops together with orders from Washington to attack British general Henry Clinton’s column near Monmouth, New Jersey. But things did not go as planned for Lee, leading to his court-martial for not attacking and for retreating in the face of the enemy. McBruney argues the evidence clearly shows Lee was unfairly convicted and had, in fact, done something beneficial. But Lee had insulted Washington, which made the matter a political contest between the army’s two top generals—only one of whom could prevail.

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Page Count

389

Publisher

Casemate Publishers

Published Date

ISBN 10

1611214661

ISBN 13

9781611214666

Spies in Revolutionary Rhode Island

By: Christian M McBurney

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Spies in Revolutionary Rhode Island

By: Christian M McBurney

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182

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Arcadia Publishing

Published Date

ISBN 10

162585255X

ISBN 13

9781625852557

The Rhode Island Campaign

The First French and American Operation in the Revolutionary War

By: Christian M. McBurney

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The Rhode Island Campaign

The First French and American Operation in the Revolutionary War

By: Christian M. McBurney

Chronicles the battle fought by the joint American and French forces against the British during the Revolutionary War, describing the complex, multi-faceted sea strategies and the controversial decisions made on both sides by the prominent patriots involved.

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Page Count

427

Publisher

Westholme Pub Llc

Published Date

ISBN 10

1594161348

ISBN 13

9781594161346

Kidnapping the Enemy

The Special Operations to Capture Generals Charles Lee & Richard Prescott

By: Christian M. McBurney

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Kidnapping the Enemy

The Special Operations to Capture Generals Charles Lee & Richard Prescott

By: Christian M. McBurney

The Daring Raid to Kidnap a British General in Order to Gain Freedom for the Highest Ranking Continental Officer Captured During the American RevolutionOn the night of December 12, 1776, while on a reconnaissance mission in New Jersey, Lieutenant Colonel William Harcourt and Cornet Banastre Tarleton of the British dragoons learned from Loyalist informers that Major General Charles Lee, the second-in-command in the Continental army behind only George Washington, was staying at a tavern at nearby Basking Ridge. Harcourt and Tarleton, surrounded the tavern, and after a short but violent struggle, captured him. Stung by Lee's kidnapping, the Americans decided to respond with their own special operation. On July 10, 1777, Lieutenant Colonel William Barton led a handpicked party to a farmhouse in Newport, Rhode Island, where British General Richard Prescott had taken to spending nights. Surrounding the house, they seized the sleeping Prescott. Not only had Barton kidnapped an officer who could be exchanged for Lee, he had removed from action a man who had gained a reputation for his harsh treatment of American Patriots. In Kidnapping the Enemy: The Special Operations to Capture Generals Charles Lee and Richard Prescott, Christian M. McBurney relates the full story of each of these remarkable raids, the subsequent exchange of the two generals, and the impact of these kidnappings on the Revolutionary War. He then follows the subsequent careers of the major players, including Lee, Barton, Prescott, and Tarleton. The author completes his narrative with descriptions of other attempts to kidnap high-ranking military officers and government officials during the war, including ones organized by and against George Washington. The low success rate of these operations makes the raids that captured Lee and Prescott even more impressive.

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Page Count

334

Publisher

Westholme Pub Llc

Published Date

ISBN 10

1594161836

ISBN 13

9781594161834

Book's by Christian M. McBurney

Machine Guns in Narragansett Bay

Machine Guns in Narragansett Bay

Spies in Revolutionary Rhode Island

Spies in Revolutionary Rhode Island

Abductions in the American Revolution

Abductions in the American Revolution

George Washington's Nemesis

George Washington's Nemesis

Spies in Revolutionary Rhode Island

Spies in Revolutionary Rhode Island

The Rhode Island Campaign

The Rhode Island Campaign

Kidnapping the Enemy

Kidnapping the Enemy

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