Washington's Secret War

Acclaimed author Thomas Fleming tells the extraordinary story of how Valley Forge became the crucial turning point of the American Revolution.

"Congress does not trust me. I cannot continue thus," George Washington confided to Congressman Francis Dana of Massachusetts on his first visit to Valley Forge. Indeed, the profound disparity between the needs of Washington's weakened army and the wants of the politically powerful could have forced even the strongest leaders to the breaking point. As renowned historian Thomas Fleming shows in this startling book, Washington waged two wars that winter: one for the lives of his troops, the other for the integrity of his character.

Using diaries and letters, Fleming creates an unforgettable portrait of an embattled general. Far from the long-suffering stoic of historical myth, Washington responds to attacks from his enemies in Congress and the American army with the dexterity of a master politician. Written with Fleming's customary flair and eye for human drama, this gripping narrative develops with the authority of a major historian and the skills of a master storyteller.