Washington is full of doubt on the night of December 25, 1776. His army's morale is dangerously low. Each morning muster shows that hundreds have deserted during the night. The revolutionary spirit that burned so bright during the summer seems to be flickering out in the face of a harsh winter and repeated defeats. As a fierce winter storm blows down the river, the capture of General Charles Lee, the flight of the continental Congress from Philadelphia...

Here ... are the most important works of Tom Paine, edited and interpreted by Howard Fast. The running commentaries by Howard Fast throw new light on the life and work of the man who first gave voice to the ideals of the Republic. To complete the picture, this volume contains Howard Fast's magnificent historical novel, Citizen Tom Paine. --Dust jacket flap.