Book Description

Though mostly forgotten, for nearly nine months in 1777 and 1778, British forces held the city of Philadelphia. With 266 Days: Eye-Witness Accounts of the British Occupation of Philadelphia, author Michael W. Tracy, Ph.D., hopes to fill this gap in the story of the war which shaped the American nation. Tracy combines accounts from the Pennsylvania Evening Post with excerpts from journal entries and personal letters from well-known figures (such as George Washington and Thomas Paine), citizens living in and around Philadelphia, and soldiers on the front lines, to give readers a "diary-like" account of the occupation. Tracy brings to life voices from the past to present a vivid story of life--on both sides of the conflict--during the occupation. As we read accounts not only of war, but also of everyday life, the story of the occupation becomes more than just another war story--it becomes a historical treasure.