Sons of the Father: George Washington and His Protégés

by Robert M. S. McDonald (Editor)

Overview

Whether acting as a military officer or civilian officeholder, George Washington did not possess a reputation for glad handing, easy confidences, or even much warmth. His greatest attributes as a commander might well have been his firm command over his own emotions and the way in which he held himself above if not apart from the men he led. Understanding the full range of Washington's leadership, which embraced all shades of persuasion and coercion as well as multiple modes of command and solicitude, requires the examination of his influence on the lives, careers, and characters of the members of a diverse fraternity of younger men.

In Sons of the Father, leading scholars analyze Washington's relationships with men such as Daniel Morgan, Anthony Wayne, Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe, Henry Knox, Nathanael Greene, Gouverneur Morris, Alexander Hamilton, and the Marquis de Lafayette. The men on whom this volume focuses were not all his closest associates. Yet all are important figures in that their interactions with Washington provide glimpses into various aspects of his capacities for management, motivation, control, and the cultivation of talent. The essays in this volume demonstrate Washington's consistency in treating all these men differently, for different reasons, at different times. It was perhaps part of his genius to recognize the individuality of the men with whom he interacted as well as the shifting requirements of changing circumstances.

Contributors: Fred Anderson (University of Colorado, Boulder) * Theodore J. Crackel (University of Virginia) * William M. Ferraro (University of Virginia) * Jack P. Greene (Johns Hopkins University) * John W. Hall (University of Wisconsin–Madison) * Peter R. Henriques (George Mason University) * Mary-Jo Kline (University of Virginia) * Stuart Leibiger (La Salle University) * L. Scott Philyaw (Western Carolina University) * Thomas Rider (United States Military Academy) * Brian Steele (University of Alabama at Birmingham) * Mary Stockwell (Louisiana State University Shreveport) * Mark Thompson (University of North Carolina at Pembroke)

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780813936505
Publisher:	University of Virginia Press
Publication date:	02/02/2015
Series:	Jeffersonian America
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	320
Product dimensions:	8.90(w) x 5.70(h) x 0.70(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Robert M. S. McDonald, Professor of History at the United States Military Academy, is the editor of Light and Liberty: Thomas Jefferson and the Power of Knowledge (Virginia).

Table of Contents

Preface xi

List of Abbreviations xxvii

Introduction Theodore J. Crackel 1

George Washington's Mentors Fred Anderson 21

"The Spirit and Ardor of a Veteran Soldier": George Washington, Daniel Morgan, and the Ideal of Service L. Scott Philyaw 31

Most Loyal but Forgotten Son: Anthony Wayne's Relationship with George Washington Mary Stockwell 52

"General Washington Did Not Harbor One Principle of Federalism": Thomas Jefferson Remembers George Washington Brian Steele 72

George Washington and James Monroe: Military Compatriots, Political Adversaries, and Nationalist Visionaries William M. Ferraro 99

Guns of the Revolution: Henry Knox, George Washington, and the War of American Independence Mark Thompson 121

"My Favorite Officer": George Washington's Apprentice, Nathanael Greene John W. Hall 149

Gouverneur Morris and George Washington: Prodigal Son and Patient Father Mary-Jo Kline 169

The Great Collaboration: The Increasingly Close Relationship between George Washington and Alexander Hamilton Peter R. Henriques 189

George Washington and Lafayette: Father and Son of the Revolution Stuart Leibiger 210

Son of the Army: Captain Robert Kirkwood of the Delaware Regiment Thomas Rider 232

Afterword: Unanticipated Challenges and Unexpected Talents-Leadership and the Colonial Matrix Jack P. Greene 257

Notes on Contributors 269

Index 275

Editorial Reviews

[A] stimulating collection... especially for what it tells us about Washington's understanding of the traits he sought in his subordinates

Wall Street Journal

All the essays in this book were excellent and this reviewer was surprised at their depth and quality, given their relative brevity.... The reader gets a broad perspective on the man through the eyes of those he influenced.

whatwouldthefoundersthink.com

" Sons of the Father is a genuine scholarly contribution to the body of knowledge on Washington as America’s preeminent leader, for it helps us understand why and how he assembled talent around him so successfully. It is a worthy subject."

Joseph J. Ellis

[A] stimulating collection... especially for what it tells us about Washington's understanding of the traits he sought in his subordinates

Wall Street Journal

" Sons of the Father is a genuine scholarly contribution to the body of knowledge on Washington as America’s preeminent leader, for it helps us understand why and how he assembled talent around him so successfully. It is a worthy subject." "—Joseph J. Ellis, Mount Holyoke College, author of His Excellency: George Washington

"All the essays in this book were excellent and this reviewer was surprised at their depth and quality, given their relative brevity.... The reader gets a broad perspective on the man through the eyes of those he influenced. "—author of whatwouldthefoundersthink.com

"[A] stimulating collection... especially for what it tells us about Washington's understanding of the traits he sought in his subordinates "—author of Wall Street Journal

From the Publisher