A thrilling account of a pivotal moment in American history. In June 1846, General Stephen Watts Kearny rode out of Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, with two thousand cavalrymen bound for California. James Polk had recently won the presidency by threatening England over the borders in Oregon, while Congress had just voted, in defiance of the Mexican government, to annex Texas. After Mexico declared war on the United States, Kearny#x19;s Army was sent out, carrying orders to occupy Mexican territory. When his expedition ended a year later, the nation had doubled in size and stretched from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific. Winston Groom recounts the amazing adventure and danger that Kearny and his troops encountered on the trail. Their story intertwines with those of Kit Carson, Brigham Young and his Mormon followers, and the infamous Donner Party. Together, they come across fierce Indians, political intrigue, gold rushes, and landgrabs. Some returned in glory, others in shackles. But they all saw America fulfill her destiny. Distilling a wealth of letters, journals, and military records, Groom gives us a powerful account that enlivens our understanding of the exciting, if unforgiving, business of country-making.