"When I read that the British army had landed thirty-two thousand troops - and I had realized, not very long before, that Philadelphia only had thirty thousand people in it - it practically lifted me out of my chair"
About this Quote
The intent is almost pedagogical, but it’s also theatrical. “It practically lifted me out of my chair” is an admission that even a seasoned historian needs to be surprised into understanding. McCullough is modeling historical empathy through shock: if the numbers can startle him, they should unsettle the reader, too. He’s pushing back against the museum-version of the Revolution where battles feel preordained and bloodless, fought by neatly labeled “sides.” This comparison restores vulnerability. If your city is smaller than the force arriving to take it, heroism is no longer abstract virtue; it’s a decision made under a looming, very physical imbalance.
Contextually, it’s a reminder that Britain’s imperial reach wasn’t metaphorical. The crown could project power across an ocean and land an army large enough to dominate the largest city in the colonies. McCullough’s subtext: the Revolution’s outcome wasn’t inevitable. The fact that it happened at all should still feel, in the gut, improbable.
Quote Details
| Topic | War |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
McCullough, David. (2026, January 17). When I read that the British army had landed thirty-two thousand troops - and I had realized, not very long before, that Philadelphia only had thirty thousand people in it - it practically lifted me out of my chair. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/when-i-read-that-the-british-army-had-landed-69578/
Chicago Style
McCullough, David. "When I read that the British army had landed thirty-two thousand troops - and I had realized, not very long before, that Philadelphia only had thirty thousand people in it - it practically lifted me out of my chair." FixQuotes. January 17, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/when-i-read-that-the-british-army-had-landed-69578/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"When I read that the British army had landed thirty-two thousand troops - and I had realized, not very long before, that Philadelphia only had thirty thousand people in it - it practically lifted me out of my chair." FixQuotes, 17 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/when-i-read-that-the-british-army-had-landed-69578/. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.
