Among the writings included are some two dozen letters written during the French and Indian War that record Washington's early encounters with the harsh realities of military command. An extensive selection of letters, orders, and addresses show his determined leadership of the Continental Army through periods of defeat and deprivation and his vital role in upholding the supremacy of civil power in the new republic by peaceably disbanding the army at the end of the Revolutionary War. The writings from his two terms as president show how Washington strove to establish enduring republican institutions, to build public trust in the new government, and to avoid the divisions of party and faction. Also included in the volume are letters revealing his careful management of Mount Vernon, his lifelong interest in the western frontier, and his evolving attitudes toward slavery.

Washington's writings demonstrate the keen, practical intelligence that distinguished his leadership in war and peace, as well as the patriotism, dignity, and devotion to the cause of republican government that won the admiration and trust of his contemporaries and his heirs.