Description:Sheds new light on America¿s ambitions and adventures during the great era of expansion. Cornelius Vanderbilt nearly lost his empire when William Walker, a young Nashville genius, set out to conquer Central America, in the process taking away Vanderbilt¿s most profitable business. To win back his empire, Vanderbilt had to instigate and conduct -- and win -- a bloody war involving seven countries. This book tells the incredible true story of an epic imperialist duel -- a violent battle of the capitalist versus the idealist, money versus ambition, and a monumental clash of egos that resulted in the deaths of thousands of Americans. ¿The book is packed with greed, intrigue, and some of the most hair-raising battle scenes ever written.¿ Illustrations.