The first Patton ancestors, including several notable women, were pioneers involved in the Indian wars of early America. One man fought with the Scottish rebel, Bonnie Prince Charlie, before fleeing to the colonies, where he later became a general in the Revolutionary War. Since then, virtually all the Patton men have been military officers - until Robert Patton, the author of this illuminating, profound, and wonderfully anecdotal book, broke the pattern.

The star of the family (and of this book) was George S. Patton, Jr. And while there have been biographies of him before (and the movie, Patton, starring George C. Scott), none rivals The Pattons in revealing the inner man that only his family knew: the insecurity behind the bravado; his complex relationships with his wife and children, with his soldiers, and with the romance and horror of war.

Drawing on private letters and diaries to which he has sole access, Robert Patton brings both his own story and his family's to life like the best historical novelist. The Pattons is at once an intimate reflection on tradition, fame, and personal discovery and a solid contribution to American military and social history.