For the first time, the full story of a critical but long-forgotten episode in American history

Covering the span of a single year, George Washington's Secret Navy tells the tale of how Washington, famous for his solicitousness, modesty, and respect for civilian command, took it upon himself to build a navy without informing Congress or seeking its permission.

James L. Nelson takes the reader from the halls of Congress, where in the summer of 1775 delegates debated how or even whether to fight England, to the front lines, where Washington dealt with the immediate concerns of war. The general knew that victory in the siege of Boston lay in the ability to find weapons, ammunition, food, and clothing for his undersupplied mean, while disrupting the British supply lines. A navy with which to attack British merchant vessels was the only answer--and he couldn't wait for Congress, one member of which commented that building an American navy was "the maddest idea in the world." George Washington's Secret Navy is a fascinating story, all the more so for what it reveals of the character and methods of our nation's founding father.

"[Nelson is] a master of his period and of the English language."
--Patrick O'Brian