Brendan Morrissey describes how the sparks at Lexington and Concord ignited the smoldering resentment of the Colonists into the flame of a rebellion. Colonist militia were pitted against British Redcoats in a series of struggles which led the British to evacuate Boston and to George Washington taking command of the fledgling American army. The detailed text is backed up by a wide selection of contemporary illustrations and modern color images showing the main commanders, troop types and fighting-in-progress.