George Washington's Final Battle: The Epic Struggle to Build a Capital City and a Nation

by Robert P. Watson

Overview

George Washington’s Final Battle tells the little-known story of how the country's first president tirelessly advocated for a capital on the shores of the Potomac. Although Washington died just months before the federal government's relocation, his vision and influence live on in the city that bears his name.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781626167841
Publisher:	Georgetown University Press
Publication date:	02/15/2021
Pages:	400
Sales rank:	1,068,654
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.50(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Robert P. Watson is a Distinguished Professor of American History at Lynn University and the author or editor of more than forty books, including The Ghost Ship of Brooklyn: An Untold Story of the American Revolution, The Nazi Titanic: The Incredible Untold Story of a Doomed Ship in World War II, and America’s First Crisis: The War of 1812. He is a frequent media commentator and activist who has founded three nonprofit think tanks dedicated to civic education, political reform, and fact-checking political campaigns.

Table of Contents

Preface

Acknowledgments

Chronology

Introduction: The “Other” Founding Debates

PART I. GEORGE WASHINGTON’S EARLY LIFE AND AMERICAN VISION

1. Surveying a Future

2. Western Adventures

3. The Dispensations of Providence

4. Potomac Fever

5. Cincinnatus

PART II. THE QUESTION OF A CAPITAL

6. Swords in their Hands

7. Mutiny!

8. The Day the War Ended

9. A Singular Destiny

10. Fixing the Seat of Government

11. Political Architecture

PART III. THE GREAT DEBATE

12. Convention

13. Ten Miles Square

14. An Inauguration

15. New York City

16. The Great Debate

17. The (Second) Most Famous Dinner in History

PART IV. CONFLICT AND COMPROMISE

18. The Grand Compromise

19. Philadelphia

20. The Residence Act of 1790

21. The City of Washington

22. Financing the Capital

PART V. BUILDING THE CAPITAL

23. The Architect

24. Intrigues and Injuries

25. A Design Contest

26. Building the President’s House

27. A House Divided

PART VI. LEGACY

28. Washington (Never) Slept Here

29. A Pedestal Waiting for a Monument

30. Temple of Liberty

31. The Father of His Country

32. 'Tis Well

Epilogue: The Building Is in a State to Be Habitable

Appendix A. Chronological List of Temporary Capitals Appendix B. List of Possible Locations for the Capital

What People are Saying About This

Alan S. Frumin

Watson brings to life the very human father of our country. He takes George Washington down from his pedestal and invites us to judge his triumphs and setbacks from the earthen battlefields of the American frontier to the political salons of our nascent republic. Washington combines his lifetime love for the Potomac with his determination to build a glorious capital along its shores against the determined opposition of many of his contemporaries. This astute politician gives a little here and takes a little more there to earn the victory that many of us now take for granted, but was far from inevitable.

David Haberstich

In clear prose, both accessible and insightful, Watson portrays George Washington as a great yet flawed hero, the leader whose character and vision helped to win the Revolutionary War and initiate the building of a new city from which the new nation could be governed. Washington understood that this country needed a national identity, and that a new capital city was an essential building block for such an identity. Watson considers this phase of Washington's career his 'final battle' and amply demonstrates his characterization of it as an 'epic struggle'.

Matthew Costello

In 1791, the commissioners of the Federal District named the nascent capital city in honor of President George Washington, but as historian Robert Watson demonstrates, he went on to earn that honor during the course of his presidency. Washington's vision for a national capital was central to its planning, design, and location, but it was his administrative skills, political gravitas, and attention to detail that brought this vision to life. Watson masterfully weaves together how Washington's many life experiences shaped his ideas on self-government, nationhood, and the power of perception; truly, Washington's trials and tribulations prepared him for one of his most overlooked accomplishments—the building of the nation's capital.

Alan S. Furmin

Professor Watson brings to life the very human Father of Our Country. He takes George Washington down from his pedestal and invites us to judge his triumphs and setbacks from the earthen battlefields of the American frontier to the political salons of our nascent republic. Washington combines his lifetime love for the Potomac with his determination to build a glorious capital along its shores against the determined opposition of many of his contemporaries. This astute politician gives a little here and takes a little more there to earn the victory that many of us now take for granted, but was far from inevitable.

Richard M. Yon

Unbeknownst to the millions of tourists who visit our nation's capital is the story of the contentious struggle to build a permanent seat of government, which Robert Watson so eloquently depicts in George Washington's Final Battle. Watson regales readers with an extraordinarily detailed account of the debates that overshadowed all the other issues the fledgling nation faced as it came to realize Washington's passion for creating a 'great city,' one which would unify the country and inspire all Americans. This is a must read for those interested in the founding era!

Gordon S. Wood

A fine and full account of the much-contested founding of Washington, DC. Watson demonstrates clearly and convincingly why the first president deserved to have the nation's capital bear his name.

Editorial Reviews

Expertly written, organized and presented, "George Washington's Final Battle: The Epic Struggle to Build a Capital City and a Nation" is an invaluable contribution to our growing understanding of the formative impact George Washington has had upon the American nation - an impact that still continues to this present day and into the foreseeable future.

Midwest Book Review

In 1791, the commissioners of the Federal District named the nascent capital city in honor of President George Washington, but as historian Robert Watson demonstrates, he went on to earn that honor during the course of his presidency. Washington's vision for a national capital was central to its planning, design, and location, but it was his administrative skills, political gravitas, and attention to detail that brought this vision to life. Watson masterfully weaves together how Washington's many life experiences shaped his ideas on self-government, nationhood, and the power of perception; truly, Washington's trials and tribulations prepared him for one of his most overlooked accomplishments—the building of the nation's capital.

Matthew Costello

In clear prose, both accessible and insightful, Professor Robert Watson portrays George Washington as a great, yet flawed, hero, the leader whose character and vision helped to win the Revolutionary War and initiate the building of a new city from which the new nation could be governed. Washington understood that this country needed a national identity, and that a new capital city was an essential building block for such an identity. Watson considers this phase of Washington's career his 'final battle' and amply demonstrates his characterization of it as an 'epic struggle'.

David Haberstich

A fine and full account of the much-contested founding of Washington, DC. Watson demonstrates clearly and convincingly why the first president deserved to have the nation's capital bear his name.

Gordon S. Wood

Professor Watson brings to life the very human Father of Our Country. He takes George Washington down from his pedestal and invites us to judge his triumphs and setbacks from the earthen battlefields of the American frontier to the political salons of our nascent republic. Washington combines his lifetime love for the Potomac with his determination to build a glorious capital along its shores against the determined opposition of many of his contemporaries. This astute politician gives a little here and takes a little more there to earn the victory that many of us now take for granted, but was far from inevitable.

Alan S. Furmin

Unbeknownst to the millions of tourists who visit our nation's capital is the story of the contentious struggle to build a permanent seat of government, which Robert Watson so eloquently depicts in George Washington's Final Battle. Watson regales readers with an extraordinarily detailed account of the debates that overshadowed all the other issues the fledgling nation faced as it came to realize Washington's passion for creating a 'great city,' one which would unify the country and inspire all Americans. This is a must read for those interested in the Founding era!

Richard M. Yon

12/18/2020

After the United States gained its independence, locating a permanent capital became a defining issue. It highlighted the core question of what would be the essence of America's nationhood: the power of the executive branch, the nation's future expansion, sectional rivalries, small versus large states, federalist versus anti-federalist, and slavery. Until 1800, when the government moved to Washington, United States governments met temporarily in eight different cities, mostly Philadelphia and New York. Deciding on a permanent seat was such a vexing problem that Congress constantly postponed resolving it. Watson (history, Lynn Univ.; The Ghost Ship of Brooklyn) shows that George Washington was the driving force in founding the capital named for him, as he believed that it would bind the nascent union. He envisioned a grand "metropolis" composed of cultural institutions, public accommodations, and a national university, as well as a meeting place for Congress and a home for the president. Watson shows how Washington oversaw every aspect of the project: site selection, planning, building designs, and political influence. VERDICT Aside from the idealization of Washington and some prominent historians, this is an informative narrative of the contested founding of the nation's capital for both general readers and academics.—Glen Edward Taul, formerly with Campbellsville Univ., KY

Library Journal