The definitive story of how George Washington lead the revolution and created the vision for a new nation - now in paperback. Based on 1,500 primary sources, Chadwick presents a fresh new biography of George Washington (1732-99), first president of the USA. The forging of a revolutionary leader and the American presidency. Chadwick contends that Washington became the great leader he was, not through the military campaigns of the American Revolution - there were nine major battles, and the Americans lost six of them - but through the winter months when he and his army were ensconced in Morristown, and later Valley Forge. Here he simultaneously created a military force, dealt with Congress and the emerging states, held the British at bay, and in effect, created a nation. He served the role of President during the four years of the Revolution before he was in fact elected to that office.