Book Reviewed: Founding Martyr: The Life and Death of Dr. Joseph Warren, the American Revolution's Lost Hero, By: Christian Di Spigna

Joseph Warren, the forgotten American revolutionary

During American bicentennial celebration, patriotic zeal and nostalgia swept the country and President Ronald Reagan delivered his first inaugural address calling Joseph Warren as “the greatest among the founding fathers.” The Broadway musical Hamilton in 2015 captured the thoughts of American revolutionaries. Warren is remembered on the Bunker Hill Day but for most Americans he remains in the shadow of his revolutionary brothers. His work prior to 1776 laid a foundation for the declaration of independence. The role he played in the decade prior to Bunker Hill battle illuminates a human story in a political and military landscape. Warren’s life was an inspiration for American revolutionaries and he had chosen his life to the virtues of honor and liberty. Although Warren’s fate was sealed in 1775, the values and principles he championed has endured

In this book the author has chronicled the life and times of a true American champion. The book reads effortlessly and the chapters leading to number 13 that describes the brutalities of English army against brave freedom fighters. Even after the fighting ended, horrific acts of violence were committed upon Warren’s body. It was desecrated and butchered by the British colonial army under General Gage before his remains was handed over to his family. Chapter 10-12 sets the tone for American revolutionaries against the corrupt British colony. On June 17, 1775, early in the Revolutionary War, the Battle of Bunker Hill in Massachusetts was lost, but their loss was minimal since the inexperienced colonial forces inflicted significant casualties against the enemy, and the battle provided them with an important confidence boost. Subsequently, the battle discouraged the British from any further frontal attacks against well defended front lines. American casualties were comparatively much fewer, although their losses included General Joseph Warren and Major Andrew McClary.

This detailed biography of Warren rescues the figure from obscurity and reveals a remarkable revolutionary who dispatched Paul Revere on his famous ride and was the hero of the battle of Bunker Hill. Warren comes to life in this comprehensive biography meticulously grounded in original scholarship. Warren's insistence on the strict separation of representative government from a subordinate military is an enduring contribution to the American experience. He advocated for a military accountable only to elected government.