The Road to Valley Forge: How Washington Built the Army That Won the Revolution - John Buchanan

\nAcclaim for The Road to Valley Forge \nBuchanan is a master of the historical narrative . . . a host of new insights into George Washington as a leader of men. \n-Thomas Fleming, author of Liberty!: The American Revolution \n \nThe Road to Valley Forge is an effective operational history, clearly written, judicious in its judgments and based on a careful look at the war from both sides. \n-Jeremy Black, author of War for America: The Fight for Independence, 1775--1783 \n \nJohn Buchanan skillfully guides us through 1776 and 1777, the two most critical years of the Revolutionary War for George Washington as commander in chief. With a gift for finding the apt quotation and the telling anecdote, the author traces the growth of Washington as a commanding general and the professional development of the Continental Army. \n-Don Higginbotham, Professor of History, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill \n \nThe Road to Valley Forge tells the whole story of Washington's growth from inexperienced backwoods general to true Commander in Chief of a professional fighting force. This warts-and-all portrait of America's greatest hero reveals a courageous and intelligent man struggling desperately to learn from his mistakes, forge a motley assortment of militiamen into a real army, and demonstrate to all of his fellow Americans that they could, indeed, become masters of their own destiny.\n