Dunmore's New World tells the stranger-than-fiction story of Lord Dunmore; the last royal governor of Virginia; whose long-neglected life boasts a measure of scandal and intrigue rare in the annals of the colonial world. Dunmore not only issued the first formal proclamation of emancipation in American history; he also undertook an unauthorized Indian war in the Ohio Valley; now known as Dunmore’s War; that was instrumental in opening the Kentucky country to white settlement. In this entertaining biography; James Corbett David brings together a rich cast of characters as he follows Dunmore on his perilous path through the Atlantic world from 1745 to 1809.Dunmore was a Scots aristocrat who; even with a family history of treason; managed to obtain a commission in the British army; a seat in the House of Lords; and three executive appointments in the American colonies. He was an unusual figure; deeply invested in the imperial system but quick to break with convention. Despite his 1775 proclamation promising freedom to slaves of Virginia rebels; Dunmore was himself a slaveholder at a time when the African slave trade was facing tremendous popular opposition in Great Britain. He also supported his daughter throughout the scandal that followed her secret; illegal marriage to the youngest son of George III―a relationship that produced two illegitimate children; both first cousins of Queen Victoria. Within this single narrative; Dunmore interacts with Jacobites; slaves; land speculators; frontiersmen; Scots merchants; poor white fishermen; the French; the Spanish; Shawnees; Creeks; patriots; loyalists; princes; kings; and a host of others. This history captures the vibrant diversity of the political universe that Dunmore inhabited alongside the likes of George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. A transgressive imperialist; Dunmore had an astounding career that charts the boundaries of what was possible in the Atlantic world in the Age of Revolution.
#1809226 in Books University of Virginia Press 1993-04-29Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.02 x 1.11 x 5.98l; 1.70 #File Name: 0813914639500 pages
Review
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful. Excellent Collection of essaysBy Dave BakerWhen it comes to Jefferson; there is already a vast array of biography available. This wonderful volume brings insight from brilliant historians; who explain; interpret; and enrich the subjects of his life. It is an easy and most enjoyable read!12 of 15 people found the following review helpful. A Stellar Collection of Jefferson articles.By A CustomerI'm in editor Peter Onuf's Jefferson class at the Univeristy of Virginia and this book is on the required reading list for the class. This book is an outstanding collection of essays on Jefferson the man; the forces that motivated him; and the development of the American nation during his lifetime as affected by the man. The scholarship involved approaches the subject matter from many different perspectives giving a very diverse representation. If you want to learn a wide range of points of view on Jefferson's life; this is the ideal book.5 of 7 people found the following review helpful. ElegantBy Professor BobPeter is perhaps the most authorative living historian on Thomas Jefferson and; in the opinion of some; has been for several decades. We live in a world where most learned people love to quote Jefferson; usually without the least bit of genuine understanding of the real context of those quotes. I have lived sufficiently long to even see and hear Arab leaders quoting Jefferson. But; to quote Jefferson is one thing and to understand Jefferson is another. It is; as Mark Twain once remarked; "The difference between a lightning bug and a bolt of lightning!"
