Washington's Partisan War, 1775-1783
The issue of Washington's use of the militia during the Revolutionary War is indeed a complex question. At the beginning of the war, Washington considered the militia unreliable, and most officers viewed it with contempt. Yet, as the war drew to a close, Washington stated that "the militia of this Country must be considered as the Palladium of our security." Kwasny's (history, Ohio State Univ.) in-depth analysis provides the reader with the necessary evidence to follow the changing role of the militia through the war. The reader also can follow the transformation of Washington and how he developed his ultimately successful use of the militia. The work is very well written and thoroughly researched; there are over 60 pages of notes. Although of greatest interest to period historians, it does explain some ambiguities that have persisted about Washington as a general. Recommended for subject specialists and historians.?Mark E. Ellis, Albany State Univ., Leesburg, Ga.Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.