The Road to Valley Forge: How Washington Built the Army that Won the Revolution

"The fact is that their army is broken all to pieces, and the spirits of their leaders and their abettors is also broken . . . one may venture to pronounce that it is well nigh over with them." -Lord Rawdon In the late fall of 1776, few people on either side would have disagreed with this young British officer's assessment of the Continental Army-least of all, the commander of that army, George Washington. After four months of disastrous defeats, narrow escapes, and punishing marches, Washington knew only too well that his rag-tag assemblage of inexperienced officers, poorly trained regulars, and hastily gathered militiamen was no match for a professional army of more than thirty thousand seasoned, well-equipped British and Hessian troops. Yet General William Howe had missed three golden opportunities to crush Washington's army and thus end the rebellion. With each reprieve, Washington became a wiser, craftier, more prudent commander, one capable of turning an undisciplined rabble into a capable fighting force...