General Washington and the Calculus of Victory

GENERAL WASHINGTON

AND THE

CALCULUS OF VICTORY

The Command Decisions and Other Factors That Won America's War for Independence

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"A must read for anyone interested in how America secured its independence on the battlefield."

—MARK EDWARD LENDER, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus of History, Kean University, and coauthor with James Kirby Martin of War Without Mercy: Liberty or Death in the American Revolution 

—  COMING FALL 2027  —

(Brookline Books, an imprint of Casemate Publishers) Through a series of critical decisions made between 1775 and 1781, George Washington , as commander in chief of the Continental Army, shaped the course of the American Revolutionary War. This book examines twelve pivotal moments—from the audacious transport of artillery from Fort Ticonderoga to the deception campaign that culminated with the climactic victory at Yorktown—to assess how General Washington’s judgment, restraint, and adaptability preserved the Continental Army and enabled the ultimate success of a new nation's quest for independence from Great Britain.

The narrative focuses on decisions whose outcomes were uncertain at the time: the nighttime evacuation of troops from Brooklyn Heights; the risky winter campaigns at Trenton and Princeton; the controversial choice to inoculate the army against smallpox; and Washington’s willingness to avoid fighting when engagement threatened catastrophe, such as at Brandywine Creek. It also explores his talent for delegation, highlighted by appointments like Henry Knox as commander of the army's artillery wing, Nathanael Greene as head of the Continental Army in the South, and Baron de Steuben as the army's inspector general, as well as his strategic deployment of elite forces such as Colonel Daniel Morgan’s riflemen, who played a critical role in the Saratoga campaign. Placing these decisions within a broader framework, the book evaluates why the rebellion succeeded—or why Britain failed. It weighs Washington’s leadership against structural factors that influenced the war’s outcome: British logistical and administrative weaknesses; the challenges of distance and terrain; growing American military competence; civilian resistance; and the decisive impact of foreign intervention, which triggered a global conflict that adversely impacted Britain's war effort in America.

Reviewer Comments

“How good a commander was George Washington? The question has engaged generations of historians, often leading to heated literary fireworks. David Price is the latest to tackle the question, and he’s not afraid to go out on a limb as he zeroes in on the key reasons behind the commander-in-chief’s critical decisions in battle, in utilizing talented subordinates, in inoculating his army against smallpox, and in capitalizing on British mistakes. His choices may discomfit some readers, but Price makes his case boldly and with a narrative flair. General Washington and the Calculus of Victory is a must read for anyone interested in how America secured its independence on the battlefield.”
—MARK EDWARD LENDER, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus of History, Kean University, and coauthor with James Kirby Martin of War Without Mercy: Life or Death in the American Revolution

“In General Washington and the Calculus of Victory, David Price gives us an insightful rebuttal to the notion that Washington was not a general of great note. He reminds us that greatness is not limited to just battlefield performance—which Washington at times well exemplified—but also to the sundry considerations that must concern an army’s commander in chief. Even in retreat, Washington was successful at the highest order. The great Prussian general von Moltke the Elder—when likened in praise to Napoleon, Frederick the Great, and Turenne—replied, ‘No, for I have never conducted a retreat.’”
—RICHARD J. KANE, Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army (Ret.), and Chairman, Swan Historical Foundation, Inc., whose mission is to encourage knowledge and appreciation of the American Revolution for the benefit of present and future generations

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