John Chuckman
COMMENT POSTED TO AN ARTICLE BY PAT BUCHANAN IN THE UNZ REVIEW
“Long Before Trump, We Were a Divided People”
Everyone is familiar with the terrible division of the Civil War and of slave-versus-free states, but America was characterized by serious division from the beginning.
It is estimated that the population of the colonies at the start of the Revolutionary War was in fact divided one-third Patriot, one-third Loyalist, and one-third indifferent.
It was a minority revolution or revolt.
If it hadn’t been for massive French assistance, the revolution would not have succeeded. The French were important at Saratoga with supplies and weapons but were absolutely decisive at Yorktown with ships, an army, supplies and money.
Even the general who selected the Yorktown Battle site was French. Washington wanted to fight elsewhere, which would have been a serious mistake.
Many young French noblemen who volunteered at the time noted the widespread indifference in the colonial population.
After the war, the Patriots treated the Loyalists horribly. Almost Pol Pot stuff. They burnt and stole homes. They tarred and feathered neighbors.They drove off thousands into exile.
