Lincoln's Autocrat - (Civil War America) by William Marvel (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Edwin M. Stanton (1814-1869), one of the nineteenth century's most impressive legal and political minds, wielded enormous influence and power as Lincoln's secretary of war during most of the Civil War and under Johnson during the early years of Reconstruction. In the first full biography of Stanton in more than fifty years, William Marvel offers a detailed reexamination of Stanton's life, career, and legacy. Marvel argues that while Stanton was a formidable advocate and politician, his character was hardly benign. Climbing from a difficult youth to the pinnacle of power, Stanton used his authority -- and the public coffers -- to pursue political vendettas, and he exercised sweeping wartime powers with a cavalier disregard for civil liberties.

Though Lincoln's ability to harness a cabinet with sharp divisions and strong personalities is widely celebrated, Marvel suggests that Stanton's tenure raises important questions about Lincoln's actual control over the executive branch. This insightful biography also reveals why men like Ulysses S. Grant considered Stanton a coward and a bully, who was unashamed to use political power for partisan enforcement and personal preservation.

Review Quotes

"[A] meticulously researched biography." -- Civil War Book Review

"[A] remarkable biography." -- Journal of Army History

"[A] riveting book [that] offers a highly detailed and scathing indictment of an unprincipled and repellent individual." -- On Point: The Journal of Army History

"A complex work that will appeal to Civil War scholars and general readers who want a deeper treatment of Stanton." -- Library Journal, starred review

"Marvel effectively describes Edwin Stanton in one of the more important works to appear on the Union war effort in years." -- America's Civil War Magazine

"Marvel's extraordinarily detailed and meticulously researched work is eye-opening." -- Journal of Southern History

"Massively detailed and gracefully written. . . . A significant study of this prominent Civil War leader." -- Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography

"The tremendous research, clarity, and Marvel's narrative style make [this book] a joy to read. . . . Should enjoy a unique longevity unparalleled by its predecessors." -- The Journal of America's Military Past

"This should be considered the definitive biography on Stanton and should stand as a classic of academia not only in the Civil War genre but the biographical style as well. Incredibly researched, amazingly written and packed to the seams with information, Lincoln's Autocrat should be on the shelf of every Civil War historian." -- Gettysburg Chronicle

"Well-written." -- Wall Street Journal