As much autobiography as it is biography, this book on George Washington is the only one based solely on original sources. Assembled from the wealth of autobiographical materials which Washington left behind, this definitive chronicle of our first president's early years is part of a two-volume set.

Volume Two takes the nation's first president from the end of his career as a great general, through his final days at Mount Vernon, to the often tumultuous years of his presidency.

In this book, Colonial America is defined as the years from 1607 when Jamestown was founded to 1776 when the American Revolution began, following the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The focus of the book is on the English settlements that fought for independence from England and became the United States of America.

The early days of 1781 cast a cold shadow over the downtrodden American Continental army. Mutiny, the recent disastrous losses in South Carolina at Camden and Charleston, and Benedict Arnold's betrayal called General George Washington's leadership into question. Faced with the possibility of either a crushing defeat or a brilliant victory, Washington's loyalty to the fledgling United States compelled him to make a bold, offensive stroke in the late summer of 1781. In less than a month, he marched the combined American and French armies to Yorktown, Virginia-nearly 450 miles south of their encampment at New York-to face the might of the British army. Through a riveting mixture of fact and dialogue, noted author Donald T. Phillips chronicles the remarkable events of the Siege of Yorktown. From dramatic artillery assaults to the celebrated American and French attacks and, finally, to the incredible British surrender, "On the Wing of Speed" delivers a thrilling tale of courage, strength, and devotion. "Extraordinary. Brilliant. Don Phillips does more than take the reader to the scene; he renders us participants in the experience. "On the Wing of Speed" is a compelling read for all Americans who want to understand how the United States was born." -Admiral James M. Loy, Deputy Secretary, Homeland Security (Ret.), Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard (Ret.)

"A marvelous introduction to the American Revolution..told with wit, compassion, and insight. Brian Kelly not only understands the history, he appreciates the people who made it." - Thomas Fleming, author of The Intimate Lives of the Founding Fathers The Revolution You Never Knew ... Beyond the deadly skirmishes, determined generals, and carefully penned words of a powerful declaration lie countless forgotten stories that tell the tale of our nation'~ birth. Read intimate accounts of the fight for independence as colonial families recall their tense encounters with brutal British soldiers, women participate in military initiatives and become powerful social advocates, and leaders reveal the intricacies of their motivations and personal lives. Join the ranks of America's first Patriots as they unite to declare their independence: **** Old Man Wyman of Woburn, nothing more than a mysterious and deadly figure atop a white horse, mounted a solitary pursuit against the British as they retreated from Concord back to Boston, effectively striking fear deep into the hearts of the redcoats as he diminished their numbers one-by-one. **** Inventor David Bushnell, desperate to aid the outnumbered American naval forces, both befuddled and alarmed British forces when he devised a working prototype for the world's first underwater torpedo and-most impressively - a submersible boat dubbed the "Turtle," America's first submarine. **** South Carolina sisters-in-law Grace and Rachel Martin, carrying rifles and dressed in their husbands' clothing, intercepted important dispatches bound for a nearby British fort when they ambushed the courier and two armed escorts by brandishing their weapons and speaking with deep voices.

The leaders of the American Revolution, unlike the leaders of the French revolution, did not set out to erase religion. Indeed, the very first act of the Continental Congress was to pray to Divine Providence in the face of the British bombardment of Boston. In establishing a new model of self-government, the Founders believed that they were not only acting according to reason and common sense, but also obeying a religious duty. Benjamin Franklin proposed as their motto: “Rebellion against tyrants is obedience to God.” In telling the story of the forgotten—if not deliberately ignored—role of faith in America’s beginnings, Michael Novak probes the innermost religious conviction of Washington, Jefferson, Madison and other of our Founders. He shows that while the American eagle could not have taken flight without the empirical turn of mind embodied in John Locke’s teaching on the ends of government and the consent of the governed, the men who made America also believed that liberty depends as much on faith as on reason. In the course of his illustrious career, Michael Novak has written several prize-winning books on theology and philosophy. In On Two Wings he has created a profound mediation on American history, and on human nature and destiny as well.

The Miracle of Independence is a general survey of American History from a Christian perspective. It covers the events beginning with the Age of Exploration to the Second Great Awakening. This manuscript reveals that America would have never existed nor survived without divine intervention. The hand of God is seen in the formation of this country from the time Columbus set sail with three caravels across a large uncharted ocean. God's presence is revealed with the founding of the original thirteen colonies and in the zeal of the God fearing people who inhabited these colonies. God's miraculous power manifested itself when the forces of darkness seemed overwhelming. This was true in the early years of settlement, during the War of Independence, and in the post war era. Against great odds America survived, grew, and developed into the greatest of all nations that ever existed, due to the miraculous power of an ever present and loving God. Robert M. Riffle was born in 1941 in McClellandtown, Pennsylvania. He attended the public schools of German Township, Fayette County, and he graduated from German Township High School in 1959. He received a Bachelor of Arts in History from Waynesburg College, nowWaynesburg University in 1963. He later took graduate courses in history, political science, and English at West Virginia University. He taught history for seven years in the Albert Gallatin Area School District in Fayette County, Pennsylvania prior to moving to southern California. He taught history and social studies in San Diego County for twenty-four years and retired from the San Diego Unified School District. He is presently employed by Palomar College in San Marcos, California as a tutor in history, political science, and economics.