Chief Justice John Marshall’s five-volume biography of George Washington is a cornerstone of early American historical writing. Volume 1 covers Washington’s early life, his service in the French and Indian War, and the colonial political context that shaped his views and ambitions in the decades before the Revolution. Marshall, who served under Washington and knew him personally, brings an unmatched insider perspective to this foundational account.
Though written with the reverence typical of early national biography, Marshall’s work is grounded in documentary sources and remains essential reading for Washington scholars. Download this free EPUB for the first volume of a monumental life of America’s founding commander.