Essential Agony

“Johnston's meticulous account of the campaign reflects his intimate knowledge of the countryside and its roads. It gives the reader a vivid sense of just how seventeenth-century armies moved and provisioned themselves on campaign. The granular description of Leslie's failure at the Battle of Dunbar is most welcome, because his—and his army's—performance had to that point been commendable. The author also explains the role of government representatives who questioned and interfered with Leslie's decisions and even his command structure. "Essential Agony" should now be mandatory reading for anyone interested in seventeenth-century warfare and the careers of Oliver Cromwell and David Leslie.” ~Michigan War Studies Review

‘'Wargamers wishing to recreate the campaign and battle of Dunbar will benefit greatly from reading this carefully researched and detailed account. '' ~Miniature Wargames