Henry Knox overcame boyhood poverty to become a prosperous bookseller at twenty, a fighting general at thirty, the first U.S. Secretary of War and a founder of the state of Maine. Knox's military knowledge had come from books, but he was so skillful and dedicated that George Washington chose him as commander of artillery in the ragged army that rose to challenge the armed might of the British Empire. His courage, energy, idealism and indomitable optimism enabled him to perform near-miracles on the battlefield. After the final triumph at Yorktown, he applied his skills to unite the thirteen colonies into a strong nation, and to protect it from rebellion at home, Indians on the frontier and foreign powers abroad. This is the inspiring story of a man who embodied the ideals of the nation he did so much to create and preserve.

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