The official web site of A.H. Lloyd

While visiting Fort Fright, I picked up a copy of At the Crossroads: Michilimackinac During the American Revolution by David A. Armour and Keith R. Widder.

This is one of many books Armour wrote during his lengthy career with the Mackinac Island State Park Commission.  He was one of those scholars who found a topic that completely consumed him, and spent his life researching and writing about it.

As the introduction makes clear, Armour and Widder were motivated to write this book because most histories of the American Revolution leave out the Upper Great Lakes entirely, which is unfortunate because one of the main drivers of British imperial policy was the fur trade.

At the Crossroads remedies this deficiency, and it's actually several books in one.  Yes, it does discuss how the war impacted the British outposts on the Great Lakes, but in order for that to make sense, it goes into deeper context on the history of European settlement, the seasonal nature of society (which placed limits on military operations) and the personal stories of the people there.

To do this, the authors have to also cover the logistics of the fur trade, and the annual departure of the trader canoe fleet, the amount of trade goods on offer, the amount of furs obtained, the impact of tribal clashes and even weather events.  For someone with a background in military logistics, I found this absolutely fascinating. 

The book makes clear that one reason why the military forces involved were so small was that supporting them was incredibly difficult.  This resulted in "armies" that numbered only a couple hundred men deciding the fate of the entire Mississippi basin. 

There are parts where the narrative drags, but overall it was a quick read and perfect for this time of year.