BOOK AUTUMN OF THE BLACK SNAKE (CREATION OF ARMY) (BOX49)

 COURTESY OF GIBSONS TACTICAL TAVERN                                                                       MILITARY SURPLUS LISTING INDIVIDUALLY PICTURED

 AUTUMN OF THE BLACK SNAKE: THE CREATION OF THE U.S. ARMY AND THE INVASION THAT OPENED THE WEST

AUTHOR: WILLIAM HOGELAND

PUBLISHER: FARRAR, STRAUS, AND GIROUS        NEW YORK

COPYRIGHT: 2017 BY WILLIAM HOGELAND

 ISBN 9780374107345 (HARDBACK)                                                                                         ISBN: 9780374711580 ( E-BOOK)

AUTUMN OF THE BLACK SNAKE TELLS THE OVERLOOKED STORY OF HOW WASHINGTON ACHIEVED HIS AIM.  IN EVOCATIVE AND ABSORBING PROSE, WILLIAM HOGELAND CONJURES UP THE WOODLAND BATTLES AND THE HARDBALL POLITICS THAT FORMED THE LEGION OF THE UNITED STATES, OUR FIRST TRUE STANDING ARMY. HIS MEMORABLE PORTRAITS OF LEADERS OF BOTH SIDES--FROM THE DARING WAR CHIEFS, BLUE JACKET AND LITTLE TURTLE TO THE DOOMED COMMANDER RICHARD BUTLER AND A STEELY, EVEN RUTHLESS WASHINGTON---DRIVE A TALE OF HORRIFIC VIOLENCE, BRILLIANT STRATEGIZING, STUPENDOUS BLUNDERS, AND VALOROUS DEEDS.  THIS SWEEPING ACCOUNT, AT ONCE EXCITING AND DARK BUILDS TO A CRESCENDO AS WASHINGTON AND ALEXANDER HAMILTON, AT ENORMOUS RISK, OUT MANEUVER THOMAS JEFFERSON, JAMES MADISON, AND OTHER SKEPTICS OF STANDING ARMIES---AND WASHINGTON APPOINTS THE SEEMINGLY DISREPUTABLE ANTHONY WAYNE, KNOWN AS MAD ANTHONY TO LEAD THE LEGION. WAYNE MARCHES INTO THE FOREST OF THE OLD NORTHWEST, WHERE THE VERY INDIANS HE IS CHARGED WITH DEFEATING WILL BESTOW ON HIM, WITH GRUDGING ADMIRATION A NEW NAME, THE BLACK SNAKE.                                                                                       AUTUMN OF THE BLACK SNAKE IS A DRAMATIC WORK OF MILITARY AND POLITICAL HISTORY, TOLD AS A COLORFUL, SOMETIMES STARTLING BLOW BY BLOW NARRATIVE. IT IS ALSO AN ORIGINAL INTERPRETATION OF HOW GREED, HONOR, POLITICAL BELIEFS, AND VIVID PERSONALITIES CONVERGED ON THE KILLING FIELDS OF THE OHIO VALLEY, WHERE THE UNITED STATES ARMY WOULD WIN ITS FIRST VICTORY, AND IN SO DOING DESTROY THE COALITION OF INDIANS WHO CAME CLOSER THAN ANY, BEFORE OR SINCE, TO HALTING THE NATION'S WESTWARD EXPANSION.