The American Revolution did not just begin in battle and end in the signing of a declaration; it was conceived in the hearts and minds of people being strangled at the hands of the English Parliament. Their stirrings toward freedom, passive at first, grew violent when their petitions, addresses, and appeals were repeatedly disregarded. Finally, when Britain could no longer ignore the flames of insurrection burning in her overseas colony, there came war.

Throughout colonial America, people abandoned their homes and jobs to take up arms and fight for their ideals. However, their hopes soon began to fade in the face of the formidable, well disciplined British forces and the privation and near starvation that plagued them at every turn. By the winter of 1777–78, the cause seemed lost; yet it was at this very point, during the hour of deepest despair, that the American spirit prevailed. Inspired by the words and actions of their leaders, the American troops courageously endured the hardships and emerged a toughened, more effective fighting force. Finally, through nothing short of heroic effort, independence was won.

Who Was Who During the American Revolution is a biographical volume about the people who played a part, large or small, in the War for Independence. The nearly fifteen hundred individuals portrayed in this book include not only the great leaders of the Revolutionary era—George Washington, John Adams, James Madison—but also men and women of lesser fame, such as:

* John Jouett, whose daring forty-mile ride to warn Virginia Governor Thomas Jefferson of the approaching British saved Jefferson from certain arrest and execution.

* Margaret Corbin, who, during the Battle of Fort Washington, took her husband's place at a vital cannon position after he was mortally wounded, and fought off the British until she herself was wounded.

* Haym Salomon, a merchant and banker whose financial contributions to the war effort helped save the American government from bankruptcy and earned him the title "Financier of the Revolution."

Also portrayed in this book are a number of infamous individuals without whom a cast of characters of the American Revolution would not be complete. These include such figures as:

* Joseph Brant, the pro-British Mohawk chief who directed the Cherry Valley massacre of 1778, in which fifty colonists, including women and children, were killed and seventy taken prisoner.

* Simon Girty, the cruel "Great Renegade" of the western frontier who led scores of raids on American settlements and took sadistic delight in directing and attending tortures and burnings at the stake.

Compiled by the editors of Who's Who in America, this book presents a unique and fascinating view of a momentous period in history. More than a reference guide, Who Was Who During the American Revolution is a salute to the people who made our nation.