About This Book

A Journal of the American Revolution Book: The Story of the Legendary Clergyman-Turned-Soldier for the American Cause

Standing at the pulpit in his church in the Shenandoah Valley, the preacher borrowed from Ecclesiastes, declaring in a firm voice that “To every thing there is a season . . . .” He then announced, “that there is a time to fight, and that time had now come,” and abruptly removed his clerical robe to reveal his colonel’s uniform. There is little doubt that this clergyman-turned-soldier uttered words to this effect, but whether he threw off his robe to reveal a gleaming uniform may be embellishment. In General Peter Muhlenberg: A Virginia Officer of the Continental Line, historian Michael Cecere cuts away the romanticism surrounding this fascinating character to present him as a highly capable and dedicated officer who served for seven long years in America’s War for Independence; a man of faith who held the high ideals of that office in his conduct with fellow officers and regular soldiers alike.

First appointed to lead the 8th Virginia Regiment of the Continental Army, Muhlenberg and his troops served under General Charles Lee in the defense of Charleston in 1776. Sent north and promoted to brigadier-general, Muhlenberg participated in the ensuing battles of Brandywine, Germantown, the winter at Valley Forge, and the major clash at Monmouth Courthouse. In 1780, he returned to Virginia and stood at the forefront of Virginia’s defense when the British invaded in 1781. At Yorktown, Muhlenberg commanded the continental light infantry troops that stormed Redoubt No. 10, sealing Cornwallis’s fate. Focusing on the military career of Muhlenberg, and relying on a judicious amount of primary source material, the author follows Muhlenberg and his troops as they battled some of the most storied adversaries of the war, including John Graves Simcoe’s Queen’s Rangers, Captain Johann Ewald’s German Jaegers, and Banastre Tarleton’s British Legion.

Admired by George Washington and his fellow officers and men, Muhlenberg was an American patriot who sacrificed much for his country’s cause, and truly “lived respected and died regretted by all good men.”

Michael Cecere received an MA in history and an MA in political science from the University of Akron. He teaches history at Gloucester High School, Virginia. He is the author of a number of books, including The Invasion of Virginia, 1781 (Westholme 2017).

Designed to highlight new research and lesser-known aspects of Revolutionary and Founding Era history, the Journal of the American Revolution Book series features authors published by the journal as a forum to extend their expertise to book-length projects.

Praise for General Peter Muhlenberg:

“Cecere’s narrative is engaging. He has disclosed the contributions of a little-known officer who served faithfully and well for eight years. Readers with a particular interest in the American Revolution will enjoy this work.”—Journal of America’s Military Past

“General Peter Muhlenberg is one of the many “hidden figures” who seemed to have a long, honorable service in the Revolutionary War and the American founding. Cecere brings the story of his military career to life in his book while leaving room to more thoroughly explore his upbringing and postwar life as a statesman. The battles discussed may be familiar territory to a professional Revolutionary War historian, but any other laymen would find it an excellent introduction to the Revolutionary War and General Peter Muhlenberg.”—Journal of Military History

“This work is a seminal volume restoring General Muhlenberg to a place of importance in the pantheon of Revolutionary War heroes. Using first-hand accounts, Cecere traces the military career of Muhlenberg and reveals him to be more than just a preacher who traded his bible for a sword. Readers will discover a committed officer who led hundreds of brave soldiers across the country, leaving behind a legacy of devotion and honor.”—Mark Maloy, author of Victory or Death: The Battles of Trenton and Princeton

“Well researched and well written, Mike Cecere has produced another excellent work; this time about a truly unsung hero of the American Revolution, Frederick Muhlenberg. It will make a fine, outstanding addition to anyone’s library of biographies of our Founding Fathers.”—Randolph G. Flood, American Revolution Consortium of Civic Education

“An informative, well researched narrative of the Revolutionary War career of one of the lesser known officers of the Continental Army, General Peter Muhlenberg is a pleasure to read. A ‘must’ for anyone interested in the struggle to establish this country as an independent nation and the people who made it possible.”—Norman Fuss, guide, Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation and voluntary consultant for the American History Museum at Yorktown