Paul Lockhart is a professor of history at Wright State University. In this book, he provides a modern biography of Baron de Steuben, the Prussian immigrant who arrived in America as a midlife failure and reinvented himself as a master of war. The book details how Steuben applied the rigid traditions of Frederick the Great's army to transform Washington's demoralized Continental troops into a disciplined fighting force. Beyond the battlefield, Lockhart explores Steuben’s lasting legacy in the creation of West Point and the "Blue Book," the first official regulations of the American military. Ultimately, the work serves as an "immigrant story" of a man who redeemed his embellished past through essential service to his adopted home.

New York: Smithsonian Books, 2008. 1st edition. 337 pages. Hardcover book with dust jacket. The book is in NEAR FINE condition, the only thing noticeable, although very subtle, is a small, black ink or marker spot on the bottom page edges. The dustjacket is in NEAR FINE condition as well, with the only blemish being a minute crease on the edge of the top spinal section along with a very small fold.