Franklin B. Wickwire

1802 Cornwallis: The American Adventure, by Franklin and Mary Wickwire (read 19 Oct 1983) Cornwallis surrendered 202 years ago today, so it is fitting that I today read about that surrender and finished this first volume of the authors' two-volume biography of Cornwallis. He was born Dec 31, 1738, and died Oct 5, 1805. This volume takes him up to the surrender at Yorktown, and I hope to read Volume II shortly. Frankly, I was not too interested in this book, though it is scholarly and well-written. But I just couldn't get too excited about the topic.… (more)

1805 Cornwallis: The Imperial Years, by Franklin and Mary Wickwire (read 1 Nov 1983) This is the second of the authors' two-volume life of Cornwallis, famed in the U.S. for surrendering at Yorktown in 1781. He returned to England from the U.S. in 1782, and in 1786 went to India as governor-general. He fought Tipos successfully and then left India in 1793. He fought the French in Ireland in 1798. He was sent back to India and died there 5 Oct 1805, and is buried there. Some of this book was interesting and I am glad I read it.… (more)