David L. Preston

About the Author

David L. Preston is a distinguished historian specializing in early American history, with a particular focus on the colonial frontier and the pivotal events that shaped the nation's path to independence. A professor of history at The Citadel, he draws on extensive archival research and interdisciplinary approaches to illuminate the complex interplay of military strategy, indigenous diplomacy, and cultural encounters in the eighteenth century. His acclaimed work, Braddock's Defeat: The Battle of the Monongahela and the Road to Revolution (Pivotal Moments in American History), offers a gripping narrative of the disastrous 1755 expedition that exposed British vulnerabilities and accelerated revolutionary fervor. Preston's scholarship not only reexamines forgotten battles but also underscores their enduring impact on American identity, making history accessible and compelling for both scholars and general readers.