Sailing to Victory

Family and friends of Bob Davies celebrated his 60th birthday by sailing along the York River. Bob and his wife Jennie are Brits who return to England frequently. He brought up an interesting dichotomy about history tourism. “At Jamestown, they love the British. At Williamsburg, they fear us. At Yorktown, they hate us.” After I outlined the Allied victory at the Capes and at Yorktown in 1781 that ended the Revolutionary War and propelled many of the players to political fame, Bob’s friend Mike Sloan turned to him. “What’s your take on the events?” he asked. Bob deadpanned, “A minor skirmish in the larger war with France.”