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Unlikely General: "Mad" Anthony Wayne and the Battle for America
In December 1791, President George Washington chose General “Mad” Anthony Wayne to defend America from a potentially devastating threat. Native forces had decimated the standing army and Washington needed a champion to open the country stretching from the Ohio River westward to the headwaters of the Mississippi for settlement.
A spendthrift, womanizer, and heavy drinker who had just been ejected from Congress for voter fraud, Wayne was an unlikely savior. Yet this disreputable general raised a new army and, in 1794, scored a decisive victory at the Battle of Fallen Timbers, successfully preserving his country and President Washington’s legacy. Drawing from Wayne’s insightful and eloquently written letters, historian Mary Stockwell sheds light on this fascinating and underappreciated figure. Her compelling work pays long-overdue tribute to a man—ravaged physically and emotionally by his years of military service—who fought to defend the nascent American experiment at a critical moment in history.
A spendthrift, womanizer, and heavy drinker who had just been ejected from Congress for voter fraud, Wayne was an unlikely savior. Yet this disreputable general raised a new army and, in 1794, scored a decisive victory at the Battle of Fallen Timbers, successfully preserving his country and President Washington’s legacy. Drawing from Wayne’s insightful and eloquently written letters, historian Mary Stockwell sheds light on this fascinating and underappreciated figure. Her compelling work pays long-overdue tribute to a man—ravaged physically and emotionally by his years of military service—who fought to defend the nascent American experiment at a critical moment in history.
376 pages, Hardcover
First published April 24, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
November 24, 2022
Loved this. An excellent and highly readable biography of Wayne. A forgotten figure that deserves far more recognition for his contributions to early America. I enjoyed how the use of flashbacks to Wayne’s earlier years were used to frame his actions in the Fallen Timbers campaign. Most works on this conflict simply paint him as the strict disciplinarian in the background leading the army, but Mary Stockwell paints a much more vulnerable and self doubting Wayne. For a man only approaching fifty, I was shocked at just how tired, weak, and sickly he was during this time. Again, most other books only vaguely mention his gout, but it’s clear that all the years of service in the early
American army had exacted a huge toll. I also appreciated the looks at his life before the 1790’s. How he became a revolutionary and his relationship with his family were particularly interesting. Aspects of his life that aren’t mentioned in most books about Wayne and his 1790’s campaigns.
American army had exacted a huge toll. I also appreciated the looks at his life before the 1790’s. How he became a revolutionary and his relationship with his family were particularly interesting. Aspects of his life that aren’t mentioned in most books about Wayne and his 1790’s campaigns.
February 22, 2019
I devoured this book in preparation for seeing the author do a presentation on her subject, General "Mad" Anthony Wayne. The book was a good read. Rather than tell his tale chronologically, she instead starts at the precipice of his final assignment: securing the Northwest Territory for the fledgling United States. Easy task? Certainly not, especially coming hot off the heels of St. Clair's Defeat, wherein most of the entire US troops were obliterated. From there, Stockwell periodically goes back in time, making comparisons between Wayne's past and present to tie his story together. The drawback is certainly less fluidity. It also makes it more challenging as a character study to not readily see his growth and progression in life. The benefit is it becomes quite engaging.
The biggest critique I had while reading, especially in the initial chapters, were the references to forts and place names without any points of reference. Unless you have boned up on your late-18th century Midwest place names, this was a struggle. Talk of the Miami Villages and Fort Washington is great, but it means a little more if you understand they refer to Fort Wayne and Cincinnati. Inconveniently, the map with many of these is buried deep at page 257. Similarly, there are a lot of names dropped, too. I spent hours googling names and places (you should see my pages of notes! #truestory). A set of maps in the front of the book would have been spectacular, as would an appendix of some kind with brief bios of some of the "characters," IMO.
Stockwell's presentation was fantastic, and sadly, it was cut short. I could have easily listened to her for hours. Incidentally, her supplemental materials shared via PowerPoint are exactly the things I'd have loved to have seen in the book! (see paragraph above)
All-in-all, I've spent a week with Wayne, Little Turtle, Blue Jacket, Washington, Caty Greene, and the like. It's been a blast, and it has rekindled some historical interest in the period, one I haven't visited much in the past 6 years or so. Most of my issues were editorial, so I won't fault the book or the author. Overall, I'd say this is probably a 4.5 (maybe even a 4, but the lecture and all will make this always hold a special place for me), which I will round up to a GR 5.
This would make a WONDERFUL multi-part movie on Netflix!!!
(Also, the author has written a book on U.S. Grant - OMG! *swoon*)
The biggest critique I had while reading, especially in the initial chapters, were the references to forts and place names without any points of reference. Unless you have boned up on your late-18th century Midwest place names, this was a struggle. Talk of the Miami Villages and Fort Washington is great, but it means a little more if you understand they refer to Fort Wayne and Cincinnati. Inconveniently, the map with many of these is buried deep at page 257. Similarly, there are a lot of names dropped, too. I spent hours googling names and places (you should see my pages of notes! #truestory). A set of maps in the front of the book would have been spectacular, as would an appendix of some kind with brief bios of some of the "characters," IMO.
Stockwell's presentation was fantastic, and sadly, it was cut short. I could have easily listened to her for hours. Incidentally, her supplemental materials shared via PowerPoint are exactly the things I'd have loved to have seen in the book! (see paragraph above)
All-in-all, I've spent a week with Wayne, Little Turtle, Blue Jacket, Washington, Caty Greene, and the like. It's been a blast, and it has rekindled some historical interest in the period, one I haven't visited much in the past 6 years or so. Most of my issues were editorial, so I won't fault the book or the author. Overall, I'd say this is probably a 4.5 (maybe even a 4, but the lecture and all will make this always hold a special place for me), which I will round up to a GR 5.
This would make a WONDERFUL multi-part movie on Netflix!!!
(Also, the author has written a book on U.S. Grant - OMG! *swoon*)
January 2, 2025
Summary: A biography of “Mad” Anthony Wayne centered on his successful campaign to defeat Native tribes in the Northwest Territory.
For three years I lived one block from the Anthony Wayne Trail (part of US 24) in Toledo, Ohio. I knew little more than that it was the fastest way to downtown Toledo from our apartment, and that Anthony Wayne had fought against Native tribes in that part of northwest Ohio, and that Fort Wayne, southwest on US 24, was named after him.
Mary Stockwell’s biography of Wayne renders a far more complicated portrait of this man and explains why he succeeded where others before him failed on what was then the northwest frontier of the young country. Wayne had been one of Washington’s “warhorses” during the War for Independence. He led successful campaigns at Ticonderoga, Germantown, Stony Point (a signature victory against a British strong point), and after Yorktown, in Georgia, leading to the disbanding of British forces in the South.
Yet Washington was ambivalent about him. He reminds me of Grant. He was an aggressive fighter in contrast to the more cautious Washington, sometimes exposing himself to risks. Stockwell describes this ambivalence. Wayne did all asked of him by Washington and would do more. Yet others advanced past him. Stockwell interleaves Wayne’s Revolutionary War career with the account of Wayne’s campaign in the Ohio country of the Northwest Territory. By doing so, we meet a general at once an aggressive fighter and disciplinarian, yet one who struggled with self doubts.
Like Grant, Wayne struggled with what to do when he was not fighting. He endangered his estate in Pennsylvania with bad land acquisitions in the South. He briefly served in Congress. He at least flirted with an affair. He drank, suffered from old war injuries, and gout.
Yet American affairs were going badly. The British refused to settle a string of forts in Ohio and what is now Michigan. They enlisted a confederacy of tribes to fight for them in an effort to prevent settlement north of the Ohio River despite an agreement in 1785 by some tribes to allow settlers to settle in the southern half of what is now Ohio. In 1791, General Arthur St. Clair who was also governor of the Northwest Territory, was routed in a battle against Little Turtle near Fort Recovery in western Ohio near the present Indiana border. General Harmar, who had preceded him also was defeated in 1790.
Stockwell recounts how now-President Washington, after rejecting other candidates called Wayne out of retirement in the spring of 1792. She narrates the formation of a new, larger force, the Legion of the United States and Wayne’s move to Pittsburgh, at the head of the Ohio River, to recruit the army.
Both in his initial training camp in Legionville, near Pittsburgh, and later in Greenville, in western Ohio, Wayne built a fighting force for a different kind of warfare, marked by vigilance, discipline, and drills. Other troops had fled under fire. He wanted his to hold or advance and to know what to do. He became known by native scouts as “the General that does not sleep.”
Stockwell recounts the adversity he endured, from delayed supplies to desertions of Kentucky volunteers. Worse was the covert betrayal of General James Wilkinson, his second in command, who was secretly feeding negative reports to congressmen about Wayne and undercutting supply efforts. It later came out that he was collaborating with a foreign power, Spain.
By the summer of 1794, Wayne was ready to advance north. Natives fled ahead of him as he marched north to the Maumee River, building Fort Defiance at the junction of the Auglaize and Maumee Rivers. He then marched downstream toward the British Fort Miami. The Native tribes of the Confederacy sought refuge but the British, not wanting open war with the United States, shut them out, betraying their alliance. This led to the decisive Battle of Fallen Timbers, where Wayne defeated the Confederacy on the battlefield. He subsequently seized a center of the Confederacy, Kekionga, which he transformed into Fort Wayne.
Stockwell shows how Wayne transitioned from winning on the battlefield to wooing tribal leaders who had been abandoned by the British. He offered a settlement with minor adjustments of the 1785 agreement, allowing tribes to remain in northern Ohio while Americans could settle in the south. The Treaty of Greenville was agreed to in 1795. The location of my home in central Ohio is on land ceded by this treaty. Following the treaty, Wayne supplied food and farming supplies to the Native people.
Sadly, Wayne’s wife, from whom he was estranged, died during this campaign. His daughter and son were as well, although he re-established a relationship with the latter. A year later, Wayne was dead, from his old war wounds. Stockwell portrays a man good at one thing, winning battles and securing territory for his country.
While Stockwell offers an illuminating portrayal of Wayne, and one that portrays him magnanimous in peace with tribal leaders, she treads lightly on the larger issues at stake in America’s advance on tribal lands. She mostly focuses on the British exploitation of the tribes. There is little about their displacement from eastern lands. Nor does she discuss how quickly settlers moved north of the treaty line, displacing the tribes further west after the defeat of Tecumseh. By 1803, Ohio as it is presently configured, achieved statehood.
She observes Wayne’s apprehension of the threat the British and their tribal allies posed on the American frontier. Part of it was that the British had not honored their agreements from the Treaty of Paris in 1783 and were using the tribes for both trade benefits and to hold onto what was no longer theirs. But there seems to be no questioning of the fact that all of the conflict was over who would control these tribal lands, assuming the eventual displacement of Native tribes, first in southern Ohio, then all of the state, after Wayne’s death.
What Stockwell does do is establish Wayne as one of our outstanding early military leaders, despite Washington’s uncertainties. We also see a man whose love of country left little room for family. Like Grant, he was really good at one thing–fighting.
For three years I lived one block from the Anthony Wayne Trail (part of US 24) in Toledo, Ohio. I knew little more than that it was the fastest way to downtown Toledo from our apartment, and that Anthony Wayne had fought against Native tribes in that part of northwest Ohio, and that Fort Wayne, southwest on US 24, was named after him.
Mary Stockwell’s biography of Wayne renders a far more complicated portrait of this man and explains why he succeeded where others before him failed on what was then the northwest frontier of the young country. Wayne had been one of Washington’s “warhorses” during the War for Independence. He led successful campaigns at Ticonderoga, Germantown, Stony Point (a signature victory against a British strong point), and after Yorktown, in Georgia, leading to the disbanding of British forces in the South.
Yet Washington was ambivalent about him. He reminds me of Grant. He was an aggressive fighter in contrast to the more cautious Washington, sometimes exposing himself to risks. Stockwell describes this ambivalence. Wayne did all asked of him by Washington and would do more. Yet others advanced past him. Stockwell interleaves Wayne’s Revolutionary War career with the account of Wayne’s campaign in the Ohio country of the Northwest Territory. By doing so, we meet a general at once an aggressive fighter and disciplinarian, yet one who struggled with self doubts.
Like Grant, Wayne struggled with what to do when he was not fighting. He endangered his estate in Pennsylvania with bad land acquisitions in the South. He briefly served in Congress. He at least flirted with an affair. He drank, suffered from old war injuries, and gout.
Yet American affairs were going badly. The British refused to settle a string of forts in Ohio and what is now Michigan. They enlisted a confederacy of tribes to fight for them in an effort to prevent settlement north of the Ohio River despite an agreement in 1785 by some tribes to allow settlers to settle in the southern half of what is now Ohio. In 1791, General Arthur St. Clair who was also governor of the Northwest Territory, was routed in a battle against Little Turtle near Fort Recovery in western Ohio near the present Indiana border. General Harmar, who had preceded him also was defeated in 1790.
Stockwell recounts how now-President Washington, after rejecting other candidates called Wayne out of retirement in the spring of 1792. She narrates the formation of a new, larger force, the Legion of the United States and Wayne’s move to Pittsburgh, at the head of the Ohio River, to recruit the army.
Both in his initial training camp in Legionville, near Pittsburgh, and later in Greenville, in western Ohio, Wayne built a fighting force for a different kind of warfare, marked by vigilance, discipline, and drills. Other troops had fled under fire. He wanted his to hold or advance and to know what to do. He became known by native scouts as “the General that does not sleep.”
Stockwell recounts the adversity he endured, from delayed supplies to desertions of Kentucky volunteers. Worse was the covert betrayal of General James Wilkinson, his second in command, who was secretly feeding negative reports to congressmen about Wayne and undercutting supply efforts. It later came out that he was collaborating with a foreign power, Spain.
By the summer of 1794, Wayne was ready to advance north. Natives fled ahead of him as he marched north to the Maumee River, building Fort Defiance at the junction of the Auglaize and Maumee Rivers. He then marched downstream toward the British Fort Miami. The Native tribes of the Confederacy sought refuge but the British, not wanting open war with the United States, shut them out, betraying their alliance. This led to the decisive Battle of Fallen Timbers, where Wayne defeated the Confederacy on the battlefield. He subsequently seized a center of the Confederacy, Kekionga, which he transformed into Fort Wayne.
Stockwell shows how Wayne transitioned from winning on the battlefield to wooing tribal leaders who had been abandoned by the British. He offered a settlement with minor adjustments of the 1785 agreement, allowing tribes to remain in northern Ohio while Americans could settle in the south. The Treaty of Greenville was agreed to in 1795. The location of my home in central Ohio is on land ceded by this treaty. Following the treaty, Wayne supplied food and farming supplies to the Native people.
Sadly, Wayne’s wife, from whom he was estranged, died during this campaign. His daughter and son were as well, although he re-established a relationship with the latter. A year later, Wayne was dead, from his old war wounds. Stockwell portrays a man good at one thing, winning battles and securing territory for his country.
While Stockwell offers an illuminating portrayal of Wayne, and one that portrays him magnanimous in peace with tribal leaders, she treads lightly on the larger issues at stake in America’s advance on tribal lands. She mostly focuses on the British exploitation of the tribes. There is little about their displacement from eastern lands. Nor does she discuss how quickly settlers moved north of the treaty line, displacing the tribes further west after the defeat of Tecumseh. By 1803, Ohio as it is presently configured, achieved statehood.
She observes Wayne’s apprehension of the threat the British and their tribal allies posed on the American frontier. Part of it was that the British had not honored their agreements from the Treaty of Paris in 1783 and were using the tribes for both trade benefits and to hold onto what was no longer theirs. But there seems to be no questioning of the fact that all of the conflict was over who would control these tribal lands, assuming the eventual displacement of Native tribes, first in southern Ohio, then all of the state, after Wayne’s death.
What Stockwell does do is establish Wayne as one of our outstanding early military leaders, despite Washington’s uncertainties. We also see a man whose love of country left little room for family. Like Grant, he was really good at one thing–fighting.
June 8, 2018
Why are historians so wordy?
December 21, 2018
2018-11 - Unlikely General: "Mad" Anthony Wayne and the Battle for America. Mary Stockwell (Author) 2018. 376 Pages.
Someone mentioned to me that there was a new (2018) biography of local hero Anthony Wayne. As a tour guide and director of education at his house there I thought I should give it a read. I am glad I did. There are about four or five older standard biographies of Anthony Wayne. Those older biographies all sort of read the same … they seem like hagiographic literary clones. This new biography covers much of the same ground but in a different manor and has additional material from new research. To that end it is refreshing. The Anthony Wayne in this book is shown as more human than earlier books. A man with a temper, with doubts, fears, and proclivities. Yet each of these departures from past books is well documented and provides a better fuller picture of the man. The book uses his final campaign into the wilderness culminating in The Battle of Fallen Timbers and The Treaty of Greenville. This latter part of his life typically gets shorter shrift in past biographies which focused more heavily on the eight years of the American Revolution. It is these later accomplishments that actually had far greater impact on the nation then his many exploits during the American Revolution. I am glad the author focused on this. His whole life story is told during periods of reflection during the final campaign. It was a very effective method. This book is well researched, well written, and a most welcome book about an important American figure … of the 67 different names for counties in the US, Wayne is ranked 12th ... though almost all are east of the Mississippi River. This will become the standard overview reference text on Anthony Wayne for at least a generation.
Someone mentioned to me that there was a new (2018) biography of local hero Anthony Wayne. As a tour guide and director of education at his house there I thought I should give it a read. I am glad I did. There are about four or five older standard biographies of Anthony Wayne. Those older biographies all sort of read the same … they seem like hagiographic literary clones. This new biography covers much of the same ground but in a different manor and has additional material from new research. To that end it is refreshing. The Anthony Wayne in this book is shown as more human than earlier books. A man with a temper, with doubts, fears, and proclivities. Yet each of these departures from past books is well documented and provides a better fuller picture of the man. The book uses his final campaign into the wilderness culminating in The Battle of Fallen Timbers and The Treaty of Greenville. This latter part of his life typically gets shorter shrift in past biographies which focused more heavily on the eight years of the American Revolution. It is these later accomplishments that actually had far greater impact on the nation then his many exploits during the American Revolution. I am glad the author focused on this. His whole life story is told during periods of reflection during the final campaign. It was a very effective method. This book is well researched, well written, and a most welcome book about an important American figure … of the 67 different names for counties in the US, Wayne is ranked 12th ... though almost all are east of the Mississippi River. This will become the standard overview reference text on Anthony Wayne for at least a generation.
October 3, 2024
A Great History that Could’ve been shorter!
Anthony Wayne deserves to be up there with the other fathers of our country. The culmination of this story is his famous but also unknown victory over the Native American Indian’s at a time when they were as strong as us, supported with modern weapons, powder and lead by the British who had not given up on controlling much of North America by reaching down from Canada.
Any unhappiness with this book stems from the huge amount of history to read about Wayne. This man left tons of documents, letters and posts! I couldn’t take it all in and started skipping ahead to finally reach the battle that was the culmination of the story. Perhaps, his life could have been divided into two or more books!
The prewar and Revolutionary War Anthony Wayne and the Post war Major General Anthony Wayne, Leader of the entire American Army and Indian Fighter.
Anthony Wayne deserves to be up there with the other fathers of our country. The culmination of this story is his famous but also unknown victory over the Native American Indian’s at a time when they were as strong as us, supported with modern weapons, powder and lead by the British who had not given up on controlling much of North America by reaching down from Canada.
Any unhappiness with this book stems from the huge amount of history to read about Wayne. This man left tons of documents, letters and posts! I couldn’t take it all in and started skipping ahead to finally reach the battle that was the culmination of the story. Perhaps, his life could have been divided into two or more books!
The prewar and Revolutionary War Anthony Wayne and the Post war Major General Anthony Wayne, Leader of the entire American Army and Indian Fighter.
October 21, 2020
Interesting book about a Revolutionary War hero who was requested by President Washington to take charge from the disastrous Arthur St Claire loss to the Indians. BTW-when Congress wanted an investigation of the St Clair mess, that was the first time "Executive Privilege" was asserted by a President (I learned that during the Trump impeachment and when they mentioned "St Clair" I said to myself-"hey, I'm reading about him").
Good book about the Revolutionary War battles in New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. Plus-how the British aligned the Indians against the United States after the Revolutionary War
Good book about the Revolutionary War battles in New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. Plus-how the British aligned the Indians against the United States after the Revolutionary War
October 30, 2018
A good book about one of our forgotten heroes of the American Revolution. The Ohio campaign after the revolution was mostly unknown to the average American. The secret interference and audacity of the British in the Ohio Valley was a very touchy political worry to Washington and his cabinet. It put Wayne in a touchy spot, begin a war with the British again or ignore them and sign a treaty with the Indians, what a tough spot to put a man in. It was good fortune that an intelligent man such as Wayne realized the spot he was in.
A good book for any American history student to read.
A good book for any American history student to read.
July 10, 2020
A persistent patriot who dedicated his life for the USA.
I liked the detail of his struggles in the many battles of the revolution and the Ohio territory. At times the excessive personal details got in the way of the story. All high school age students should be exposed to similar stories of our founding fathers and realize the extreme difficulties they faced not only from the British and the Indians but also from traitors who were most interested in advancing their own personal wealth and power. We still have people like that today!
I liked the detail of his struggles in the many battles of the revolution and the Ohio territory. At times the excessive personal details got in the way of the story. All high school age students should be exposed to similar stories of our founding fathers and realize the extreme difficulties they faced not only from the British and the Indians but also from traitors who were most interested in advancing their own personal wealth and power. We still have people like that today!
May 27, 2024
I much preferred William Hogeland's "Autunm of the Black Snake" when it comes to the Battle of Fallen Timbers and Wayne's preparations for that pivotal battle against the Northwest Indian tribes. This book however "fleshed out" Wayne in a different way. He was a true Revolutionary American, putting his country first over all things, much to his and his family's detriment. He really loved and admired Washington who at times ignored Wayne. Wayne never wavered and did whatever Washington asked of him. I wished he would've lived to see to Wilkinson's downfall, that guy was a snake.
December 7, 2024
Comprehensive look at the history of one of the United States important military leaders throughout the revolution and the adding the Ohio territory to the U.S.
This is an excellent look at the cost of military service in the early days of the United States being formed and then growing as a nation.
This is an excellent look at the cost of military service in the early days of the United States being formed and then growing as a nation.
June 3, 2018
Great book
Loved this book about Anthony Wayne. Anthony Wayne is much more than the caricature "Mad Anthony Wayne " I learned about in high school. It is amazing to me that Anthony Wayne was able to accomplish what he did, giving his physical conditions.
Loved this book about Anthony Wayne. Anthony Wayne is much more than the caricature "Mad Anthony Wayne " I learned about in high school. It is amazing to me that Anthony Wayne was able to accomplish what he did, giving his physical conditions.
October 12, 2019
Took a while to read, but oh so interesting!
I learned SO MUCH about this little-known hero. Brilliant leader, both Revolutionary War and then in the Indian Wars to spread America West. Fascinating! I gave it 4 stars because it took SO LONG to read it!!
I learned SO MUCH about this little-known hero. Brilliant leader, both Revolutionary War and then in the Indian Wars to spread America West. Fascinating! I gave it 4 stars because it took SO LONG to read it!!
August 29, 2023
A very stirring for one of America's most little known and largely forgotten heroes. Despite his failures and shortcomings, he gave his all and fought all obstacles to defend the nation he loved. General Wayne deserves to be more largely recognized than he is now.
November 9, 2023
A touch of crazy is always needed when engaging in the horrors of war.
July 31, 2024
Didn't know much about General Wayne that's why I read this book.
If you want to learn more about General Wayne this book is a good start.
If you want to learn more about General Wayne this book is a good start.
September 27, 2024
Generally well written with strong emphasis on the personal "demons" that had to be overcome in his success as a leader in revolutionary US.
August 13, 2025
A stunning biography, a must read for anyone interested in the time period. Genuinely one of the best written short biographies I have read.
June 14, 2024
One of the hardest tasks a biographer can do is to take a one-time national hero turned to marble and turn that image back into a man; the author having done a very fine job of that mission. Stockwell's Anthony Wayne started out his military career with a hankering for liberty, and a desire for glory and adventure, only for the hard years of the Revolution to break his health, his family life and, sometimes, his mental health. This story is intertwined with Wayne's travails in creating the Legion of the United States; the U.S. government's instrument to try and secure the Ohio lands. That this force won a battle that absolutely had to be won at Fallen Timbers almost amazed Wayne himself; you can call August 20th the real birthday of the United States Army.
Besides that Stockwell does a fine job of intertwining her military life of Wayne with the political situation of the time, as real party politics became a factor in American governance, and as the course of the French Revolution led the American leadership to second-guess what their values really were. For someone interested in the early days of the American Republic I really can't recommend this book enough.
Originally written: March 7, 2020.
Besides that Stockwell does a fine job of intertwining her military life of Wayne with the political situation of the time, as real party politics became a factor in American governance, and as the course of the French Revolution led the American leadership to second-guess what their values really were. For someone interested in the early days of the American Republic I really can't recommend this book enough.
Originally written: March 7, 2020.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews