George Washington's Final Battle: The Epic Struggle to Build a Capital City and a Nation Hardcover - 2021

[Front flap]

George Washington is remembered for leading the Continental Army to victory, presiding over the Constitution, and forging a new nation, but few know the story of his involvement in the establishment of a capital city and how it nearly tore the United States apart.

In George Washington's Final Battle, Robert P. Watson brings this tale to life, telling how the country's first president tirelessly advocated for a capital on the shores of the Potomac. Washington envisioned and had a direct role in planning many aspects of the city that would house the young republic. In doing so, he created a landmark that gave the fledgling democracy credibility, united a fractious country, and created a sense of American identity.

Although Washington died just months before the federal government's official relocation, his vision and influence live on in the city that bears his name.

This little-known story of founding intrigue throws George Washington's political acumen into sharp relief and provides a historical lesson in leadership and consensus-building that remains relevant today. This book will fascinate anyone interested in the founding period, the American presidency, and the history of Washington, DC.

[Back flap]

Robert P. Watson is 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.

[Back cover]

"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, Pulitzer Prize-winning author, National Humanities Medal recipient, and Alva O. Way University Professor, Brown University

"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'."--David Haberstich, curator and archivist, Smithsonian National Museum of American History

"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. "--Alan S. Frumin, former parliamentarian of the United States Senate

"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, United States Military Academy at West Point

"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, assistant director of the David M. Rubenstein National Center for White House History at the White House Historical Association