The story of Alexander Hamilton is a tale of high adventure in the most exciting as as one of the most critical periods of American history.

Arriving in New York, poor, friendless, this young immigrant from the West Indies made good his reputation as a child prodigy and won a place for himself—with sword and pen—among the Founding Fathers of our country, which was second only to that of George Washington. Indeed, even President John Adams, jealous of Hamilton's power and position complained that Hamilton was really "the commander-in-chief of the House of Representatives, of the Senate, of the heads of Department, of General Washington, and last and least, if you will, of the President of the United States." And the people nick-named him "King of the Feds."

In this book, Johan J. Smertenko, author of a well known and authoritative adult biography of Alexander Hamilton, presents this biography for young readers. He reconstructs the early years of poverty and great ambitions. He narrates, through the reports of eye-witnesses, the adventures of the dashing Captain of Light Artillery who twice saved Washington's Army from disaster. He describes the activities of Washington's chief aide, including the momentous mission to General Gates. He explains Hamilton's work as a constructive statesmen in the creation of our Constitution and in the formation of a sound, strong Government. And he portrays with a wealth of detail the later years of Hamilton's life as a public leader, author and family man, which culminated in the fatal duel with Aaron Burr.

The book furnishes a compact history of Revolutionary times and of those difficult first years of our country when the young Republic teetered on the brink of ruin and anarchy. In addition to Hamilton, the outstanding figures of that period appear in these pages as living personalities whose characters, mannerisms and achievements are sharply etched against the background of great events. It is especially timely now that the human rights and civil liberties which Hamilton sought to safeguard by establishing a stable, democratic Government, are threatened in the world by the kind of despotism which he had foreseen and against which he had warned mankind.

From the dust jacket