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Featuring
James Kirby Martin on Benedict Arnold
Mark Edward Lender on Charles Lee
Christopher Magra on William Blount
Shira Lurie on Matthew Lyon
Craig Bruce Smith on Jason Fairbanks
Samuel Watson on James Wilkinson
Jackson Pearson on Philip Nolan
Christian Pinnen on Thomas Green
Jane H. Plumer on the Kemper Brothers
David Narrett on William Augustus Bowles
Tyson Reeder on Diego de Gardoqui
Timothy C. Hemmis on Aaron Burr
A Republic of Scoundrels:
The Schemers, Intriguers, and Adventurers who Created a New American Nation
David Head and Timothy C. Hemmis, editors
“A Republic of Scoundrels captures the moral confusion of the era, when the rules of democratic politics were still unwritten and everything seemed up for grabs. The essays show how changeable the line between heroism and opportunism could be.” — The Wall Street Journal
"A fascinating look at the darker side of early American history. Vividly written, well-researched contributions by first-class scholars make the story of the early U.S. more complete, interesting, and revealing." — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"Head and Hemmis demonstrate in this wide-ranging and entertaining collection how Revolutionary-era America was 'a time of fluid national identity.' Revolutionary War buffs will be engrossed.” — Publishers Weekly
"A Republic of Scoundrels is a feisty romp through early American history, full of corruption, greed, and misunderstood antiheroes. The book provides an innovative approach to the clashing imperial interests feuding on the borders of the new and emerging United States." — Lindsay Chervinsky, author of The Cabinet: George Washington and the Creation of an American Institution
"It took all kinds to make up the early republic. Unsurprisingly, not a few of them were better suited to Hell than halos. Welcome to a fascinating convocation of the misfits, miscreants, and chancers, who sometimes purposely—and often inadvertently—helped to build America." — William C. Davis, author of The Greatest Fury: The Battle of New Orleans and the Rebirth of America
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David Head received his Ph.D. in history from the University at Buffalo. An expert in maritime history, pirates, and privateers as well as the American Revolution and the Founding Fathers, he teaches at the University of Central Florida in Orlando. In 2023, David was named Distinguished Faculty Fellow in History by Kentucky Wesleyan College. Read more about David here. And follow him on Twitter:
