Citizenship, identity, and legitimacy are the cornerstones of
Ricardo A. Herrera's book,
For Liberty and the Republic: The American Citizen as Soldier, 1775-1861 (
New York University Press, 2015). Drawing from hundreds of letters, memoirs, editorials, and contemporary books, Herrera examines why America's first generations of soldiers--regulars, volunteers, and militia--were compelled to serve, and how they drew significant lessons about the Republic and their place in it.