Acclaim for The Road to Valley Forge "Buchanan is a master of the historical narrative . . . a host of new insights into George Washington as a leader of men." -Thomas Fleming, author of Liberty!: The American Revolution "The 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." -Jeremy Black, author of War for America: The Fight for Independence, 1775--1783 "John 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." -Don Higginbotham, Professor of History, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill The 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. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.

In examining the renowned accomplishments of our first President, as well as the less dramatic, day-to-day aspects of his life, this engaging volume offers a learned and well-balanced portrait of George Washington as a general, politician, citizen, husband and thinker that ultimately supports Thomas Jefferson?s assessment: ?He was, indeed, in every sense of the words, a wise, a good, and a great man.? Buchanan traces the development of the Revolutionary Army from the disastrous New York campaigns of 1776 to its confident emergence from Valley Forge in 1778, evaluating the events of this critical two-year period from a number of perspectives. At every step of the way, Buchanan analyzes troop movements and battlefield operations in detail, presents ample and well-chosen citations from the writings of major and minor players in the Revolutionary War, evaluates received scholarly wisdom on the interpretation of events and tests time-worn cultural myths against the historical record. Although the book clearly identifies itself with academic studies of the Revolutionary War era and Buchanan possesses an obviously deep knowledge of the period and familiarity with the important scholarship on it, he never lets the reader forget the gripping story that is at the heart of all this history. The fearful suspense of battles, the hot blood of interpersonal rivalries and the nobility of revolutionary hopes are all here and make for engaging reading, even if the more academic portions of the book may leave the reader cold. (Oct.) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information. From: Reed Elsevier Inc. Copyright Reed Business Information

Buchanan focuses on the most critical period of the Revolutionary War: August 1776 through the winter of 1777-78. During this time, Great Britain had its best chance to destroy the Continental Army and crush the rebellion. But it was also during this period that Washington evolved from a mistake-prone backwoods soldier to a wiser commander-in-chief of a regular army that in turn developed from rabble into the makings of a professional force. Buchanan asserts that Washington was an inspired commander, and once the shooting started, character and instinct took over; that he was a gifted administrator whose attention to the duties of his office was awesome; and that he was a revolutionary leader of the first rank, a skillful politician, and a charismatic figure. Buchanan has drawn on a number of sources, including important papers from the University of Virginia Library, and the result is an absorbing biography of the man and his mission. --George Cohen Copyright 2004 Booklist From: Syndetics Solutions, Inc. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.

The Continental Army began as a half-disciplined mob, but by the time Washington began pursuing the British evacuating Philadelphia in 1778, he was leading well-drilled men and skillful officers. This overview is well written, flows easily, and is punctuated with vignettes aiding comprehension and making the leaders come alive. Former Cornell University archivist Buchanan does not mince words when describing failures; praise for the struggling American leadership comes slowly. Tempering endured during 1776 and 1777 produced better judgments as the northern campaigns wore on. Even though Washington opted for overly complicated maneuvering, regimental commanders were generally adept in executing plans because company, and most regimental, officers were competent and experienced; breakdowns came higher up. Valley Forge was the final reorganization, producing a professional army, but Buchanan seems to emphasize Von Steuben's impact on the men more than on brigade and division commanders who benefited most from constant drill. After Valley Forge, the Continentals maneuvered as an army, engaging the British with linear warfare and holding their own. This thought-provoking overview of the early Continental Army will prove useful to the general public as well as to military historians. ^BSumming Up: Recommended. All levels/libraries. L. E. Babits East Carolina University From: Syndetics Solutions, Inc. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.

John Buchanan, a former archivist at Cornell University and former chief registrar of the Metropolitan Museum of Art Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.

List of Illustrations and Maps	p. ix
Preface	p. xi
Acknowledgments	p. xv
1 Invasion! 1776	p. 1
2 "I scarcely know which way to turn"	p. 23
3 "It was hard work to Die"	p. 43
4 The Night of the Fox	p. 63
5 Manhattan Transfer	p. 77
6 "This is a most unfortunate affair"	p. 91
7 "Constant perplexities and mortifications"	p. 120
8 "I conclude the troops will be in perfect security"	p. 145
9 "Success of an Enterprize"	p. 159
10 "Harrass their troops to death"	p. 181
11 "The American Fabius"?	p. 200
12 "Come boys, we shall do better another time"	p. 225
13 "Perplexing Maneuvres"	p. 251
14 "Our army is in higher spirits than ever"	p. 266
15 "We ... took post near the Valley Forge"	p. 285
Epilogue	p. 311
Notes	p. 323
Suggestions for Further Reading	p. 353
Index	p. 357

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