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True to the old flag; a tale of the American War of Independence, By G. A. Henty: George Alfred Henty Paperback – August 2, 2016

by G. A. Henty (Author)
3.9 3.9 out of 5 stars 180 ratings
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True to the Old Flag: A Tale of the American War of Independence; by G.A. Henty tells the story of the The American Revolution form the perspective of a young British loyalist, Harold Wilson. George Alfred Henty (8 December 1832 – 16 November 1902) was a prolific English novelist and war correspondent.He is best known for his historical adventure stories that were popular in the late 19th century. His works include The Dragon & The Raven (1886), For The Temple (1888), Under Drake's Flag (1883) and In Freedom's Cause (1885).G. A. Henty was born in Trumpington, near Cambridge. He was a sickly child who had to spend long periods in bed. During his frequent illnesses he became an avid reader and developed a wide range of interests which he carried into adulthood. He attended Westminster School, London, and later Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge,where he was a keen sportsman. He left the university early without completing his degree to volunteer for the Army Hospital Commissariat when the Crimean War began. He was sent to the Crimea and while there he witnessed the appalling conditions under which the British soldier had to fight. His letters home were filled with vivid descriptions of what he saw. His father was impressed by his letters and sent them to The Morning Advertiser newspaper which printed them. This initial writing success was a factor in Henty's later decision to accept the offer to become a special correspondent, the early name for journalists now better known as war correspondents. Shortly before resigning from the army as a captain in 1859 he married Elizabeth Finucane. The couple had four children. Elizabeth died in 1865 after a long illness and shortly after her death Henty began writing articles for the Standard newspaper. In 1866 the newspaper sent him as their special correspondent to report on the Austro-Italian War where he met Giuseppe Garibaldi. He went on to cover the 1868 British punitive expedition to Abyssinia, the Franco-Prussian War, the Ashanti War, the Carlist Rebellion in Spain and the Turco-Serbian War.He also witnessed the opening of the Suez Canal and travelled to Palestine, Russia and India. Henty was a strong supporter of the British Empire all his life; according to literary critic Kathryn Castle: "Henty...exemplified the ethos of the new imperialism, and glorified in its successes". Henty's ideas about politics were influenced by writers such as Sir Charles Dilke and Thomas Carlyle.Henty once related in an interview how his storytelling skills grew out of tales told after dinner to his children. He wrote his first children's book, Out on the Pampas in 1868, naming the book's main characters after his children. The book was published by Griffith and Farran in November 1870 with a title page date of 1871. While most of the 122 books he wrote were for children, he also wrote adult novels, non-fiction such as The March to Magdala and Those Other Animals, short stories for the likes of The Boy's Own Paper and edited the Union Jack, a weekly boy's magazine. His children's novels typically revolved around a boy or young man living in troubled times. These ranged from the Punic War to more recent conflicts such as the Napoleonic Wars or the American Civil War. Henty's heroes – which occasionally included young ladies – are uniformly intelligent, courageous, honest and resourceful with plenty of 'pluck' yet are also modest.These virtues have made Henty's novels popular today among many Christians and homeschoolers.Henty usually researched his novels by ordering several books on the subject he was writing on from libraries, and consulting them before beginning writing.Some of his books were written about events (such as the Crimean War) that he witnessed himself.....
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  1. Print length
    174 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publication date
    August 2, 2016
  4. Dimensions
    8 x 0.4 x 10 inches
  5. ISBN-10
    1536847771
  6. ISBN-13
    978-1536847772
  7. See all details
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Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (August 2, 2016)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 174 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1536847771
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1536847772
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 12.6 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 8 x 0.4 x 10 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.9 3.9 out of 5 stars 180 ratings

Customer reviews

3.9 out of 5 stars
3.9 out of 5
180 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Greg Brown
5.0 out of 5 stars A twist on the view of the American story of Independence
Reviewed in the United States on April 29, 2014
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This is the second story I've read about the American war for Independence from a British author and I find it very interesting to read about the fighting from a different perspective. This one is much like the rest of Henty's stories. They can be somewhat predictable but they are still interesting and fun to read. I've read almost all of his stories now and I enjoyed this one as much or probably more than the others. This and the two about the Dutch war for independence have been my favorites.
4 people found this helpful
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Columbo_SL
4.0 out of 5 stars Thin on story, but interesting characters and even handed history
Reviewed in the United States on January 16, 2014
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It's amazing that this author is a considered a "Children's" writer. In Henty's day, this might have been true, but most adults I know over thirty would have trouble reading at his level.

That said, the book presents an excellent history of the American Revolution from the British perspective. It doesn't go out of its way to slime the Americans, and Henty often gives them credit for heroism and charity. Nor does he overly romanticize the British. He often excoriates the British generals for incompetence. Still, he makes the British argument for the loyalist cause, and he does a creditable job.

One word of warning to the ever-so-sensitive: Henty was writing in the 19th century, so if you get upset about less than flattering portrayals of American Indians and Blacks, do us all a favor: pass this book up and move on to the Da Vinci Code or George R.R. Martin's lastest excretion. But, if you're a big boy, then give Henty's work a try. You'll enjoy it.
15 people found this helpful
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Walter Stanley
3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting Historical Perspective, Cardboard Characters
Reviewed in the United States on January 8, 2015
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When I was a boy, nearly sixty years ago, I used to love reading the WE WERE THERE series, stories of young people that happened to be present when great historical events were taking place. I had heard to G. A. Henty, as a late nineteenth century author who wrote historical stories for young people, and hoped they would of a similar vein. I chose this book because I thought it would be interesting to read a book written from the opposing side. Henty wrote this book in 1885 when the British empire was still going strong. Henty was very much an imperialist. One complain the made against the colonial Americans was that they benefited from the protection of the mother country without expecting to help pay for that protection. I think that might be a legitimate complaint, though I suspect that the British had motives for fighting the French and Indian War other than protecting the colonists. Since many of the colonists were not of English descent, and those that were had been in America for generations, it is hard to see what reason they would have had to want to be governed by foreigners other than some archaic attachment to the English monarch. Henty admits that the Americans weren’t permitted to trade with any country except England, but that was also true of the colonists of all other countries. Having a captive market meant that British merchants could sell shoddy goods at high prices, so why the Americans should subject themselves to that just because others did is not clear. But all of that is irrelevant to the quality of the writing. My complaint there is that the characters are quite one-dimensional. He describes many of the major battles of the war, making it clear that the Americans only won because of the incredible incompetence of the English generals. But his main characters are mere background to these events. The best parts of the book is when the Tories are fighting the “savage redskins” -- not surprisingly, Henty is not at all sympathetic to the American Indians -- as his characters become the main participants then. Even then the reader never becomes well acquainted with them. I think if I had Henty as a ten-year-old I would be more impressed an want to read more of his books. I often enjoy reading books written for young people, but I wasn’t impressed enough by Henty to want to read him again.
3 people found this helpful
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Juli Vrotney
5.0 out of 5 stars excellent review of the revolutionary war time period in America
Reviewed in the United States on September 15, 2015
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I really liked that the author uses real history in his novels. He does not dumb things down, but puts the facts straightforward and yet makes his characters come alive. I learned a lot and can't wait for my children to be old enough to read it for themselves. Great read.
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chipster
5.0 out of 5 stars (un)Civil War
Reviewed in the United States on February 18, 2013
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A narrative of the conflict that is light and flowing, good read, not too far from the facts of the War of British aggression. Although not his biggest supporter, Henty does a good story.
2 people found this helpful
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Ashley Mart
1.0 out of 5 stars Bad publishing work
Reviewed in the United States on October 26, 2016
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This review is not about the content but the printing of the book I received. No other reviews seem to mention this problem, but there are misspellings so bad I can't even read the first page. It seems almost as if someone was practicing their typing as well as had on autocorrect. An example from the very first line of the book:
"Mr DEAR COUSIN: lam leaving next week with mj husband for England, where we intend to pass some tiino visiting his frauds."
It is worse in places where I can't even decide what the author intended to say. I'm disappointed and hoping I can return this book for one I can actually read.
One person found this helpful
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Caleb Schieler
2.0 out of 5 stars Ok
Reviewed in the United States on January 24, 2015
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Henty is too down on the Americans, and tries to make them out as cowards in nearly every conflict. He gives the reasons for American victories as incompetence on the part of British generals or
numbers without acknowledging the ability of the American commanders.
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Mary of Laf.
4.0 out of 5 stars The Revolution from the loyalists side. Exciting and very informative.
Reviewed in the United States on May 21, 2015
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Exciting tale of a family of colonists loyal to the Crown. . G. Henty knew so much about so many things and writes very informative and exciting novels. As an avid reader of his tales I have yet to read anything whether it takes place in Africa, the Yukon, or the Old West that doesn't ring true.
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Top reviews from other countries

D. Dinnie
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 16, 2023
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An enjoyable read about the American War of Independence at a personal level of the conflict rather than that of the large scale battles.
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Katja H. Labonté
4.0 out of 5 stars Exciting, Enjoyable, & Humorous
Reviewed in Canada on August 31, 2019
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3.5 stars. An exciting read full of information on tracking/scouting, surviving, and woodlore in general (which I love!!). Peter was so much fun to read sometimes (those Henty scouts always have a dry, witty sort of humor which can be so amusing!). There are very few mentions of drinking & smoking, as well as some lying. However, Henty had a strong racial problem—.5 stars removed for pretty strong disparaging titles for and attitude to Amerindians and blacks.

A Favourite Quote: “‘Well, John, since it seems so hopeless, cannot you give it up? Is it too late?’
“‘Altogether too late, Mary, and if I were free tomorrow I would volunteer my services again next day. It is not any the less my duty to fight in my country's cause because I believe the cause to be a losing one. You must see that yourself, dear. If England had been sure to win without my aid, I might have stood aloof. It is because everyone's help is needed that such services as I can render are due to her. A country would be in a bad way whose sons were only ready to fight when their success was a certainty.’”
A Favourite Humorous Quote: “‘There's the troops,’ Peter said. ‘Soldiers are never content unless they're making fires big enough to warn every redskin within fifty miles that they're coming.’
“[T]he challenge from the English sentinel came over the water: ‘Who comes there?’
“‘Friends,’ Peter replied.
“‘Give the password.’
“‘How on arth am I to give the password,’ Peter shouted back, ‘when we've been three days away from the camp?’”
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Happy days
3.0 out of 5 stars Nice book...
Reviewed in India on December 13, 2017
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In thiss book Henty has put a tory view of the american revulotion.Some of the facts in this book are wrong, example:
the americans did not suffer any casualties at trenton, but in this book it is said that the americans had few casualties campared to the hessians.
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Mole
4.0 out of 5 stars Very good historical adventure story
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 11, 2011
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G.A. Henty was a prolific author, and this is another of his historical novels. Set at the time of the American war of independance, it throws a slightly different view on the conflict.

Many Americans would disagree, but much information on the actual causes and lead up to the conflict is generally a bit one sided; the heroic colonists throwing off the shackles of an imperialist master. Henty tries to show a bit more balance at the beginnning of the novel and indicates the view from the British side; all that was really wanted was for the colonists to pay towards the army that was protecting them from attacks by Native American Indians, or by the French and Spanish that occupied much of the land to the south and west of the 13 colonies.

As well as the fighting between the two main combatant armies, there are a number of descriptions of fighting with the native American Indians. Several of these sections are quite lengthy with some very specific imagery of the processes the individuals followed, and it would be interesting to know if he was talking from some experience.

The book is quite fast paced, and there are some really good descriptive passages of the wilderness as it then existed. Of course it was written at a time when different prejudices were current, so there is some language that might cause some offence to some readers. But overall, a really good adventure story set against the backdrop of a major turning point in world history.

Suitable for adolescents and above.
15 people found this helpful
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Zulu Warrior
3.0 out of 5 stars True To The Old Flag
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 4, 2015
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Harold 15yrs had been sent to live with his cousins the Welch's, it was 1774 and he was walking on the banks of lake Huron with William Welch, his uncle, there was a large clearing with fields of corn, across the field a house with a stockade built around it, the farm was far from any other but since the Indians were at peace there were no worries, sometimes there would be attacks in small parties but they were easy to defend against, he employed four men around the farm, one day Harold was fishing when a canoe approached, it was a hunter he knew, Pearson, he said the Iroquios were on the warpath again, they had massacred families nearby

Pearson went to warn the settlements, a couple of Indians were shot around the farm, Pearson returned, Gloucester a local settlement had been wiped out, weeks passed and nothing happened Harold was fishing with his younger cousin Nelly, on coming to shore he saw over a hundred Indians attacking the house, Harold knew they would not get to the house and paddled out into the river, he decided to paddle down river and come back to the house by land, six people were defending the house, wet straw was on the roof in case of fire, there were some furious attacks on the house but each time fought off by the defenders, eventually the Indians gave up and left, Harold and Nelly returned to the house

Harold returned to Boston and his parents, Harolds father was asked to sign papers against England but he refused, some Americans were unhappy about the taxes being charged by England, England needed the money to pay its army for driving the French from America, the English did not want a fight with America and only decided to tax tea, the colonists were storing arms but the English destroyed them, Harolds father offered his service to the English, Harold asked to go and Captain Wilson said he could, nobody knows who fired the first shot in this war but as the English retreated they were fired at all the way, Captain Wilson was given a company of fifty men and Harold and his servant Jake a negro joined him, the famous battle of Bunker Hill ensued soon after, many battles and victories for the English followed

Harold with Pearson, Jake and others became scouts and fought many battles with many close calls, the scouts came across a scotchman whose daughter had been taken by the Indians, Harold had already visited his cousins place and found all dead with Nelly being captured, it was decided that both girls were captured by the same Chief, War Eagle and they set out to rescue them, after many weeks and battles they find the girls and rescue them, at some stage later Harold is taken prisoner and rescued by Jake

The book goes into a very detailed account of battles, Generals and dates, right up to the surrender of Cornwallis, its interesting to note that according to the author who seems in some way biased the Americans only won one battle in the entire war, a free book but very long, sometimes gets tedious with dates and battles but then we return to Harolds story and it becomes interesting again, my verdict worth a read but can be hard going
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