Winfield Scott: The Quest for Military Glory (Modern War Studies) - Hardcover

Johnson, Timothy D.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0700609148 ISBN 13: 9780700609147

Publisher: University Press of Kansas, 1998

Synopsis

This critical biography of the 19th century American commander, Winfield Scott, tells not only of the key features of his military career, but also of his aristocratic pretensions, political aspirations, and the more unsavoury facets of his personality.

About this title

Review:

"A fascinating study of a nineteenth-century Douglas MacArthur. I'm extremely impressed by Johnson's writing style, ability to bring Scott's personality alive, clear explanations of the Army's command structure, and deft analyses of military strategy. His treatment of Scott's role in the War of 1812 and the Mexican War, the most significant phases of Scott's extended career, is especially astute."--Robert E. May, author of The Southern Dream of a Caribbean Empire, 1854-1861"A fresh and engaging biography of 'Old Fuss and Feathers, ' who helped shape American history in the antebellum republic, only to be eclipsed by the generation of Civil War officers who learned the art of war from him. Will appeal to scholars and general readers alike."--Richard Bruce Winders, author of Mr. Polk's Army: The American Military Experience in the Mexican War "Johnson has taken the biographical genre to its full extent, reaching beyond the life of his subject to offer a deeper understanding of the world around him."--H-Net Reviews"A welcome biography."--Journal of the Early Republic "Johnson has done a superb job of presenting Winfield Scott as a human being, replete with human failures.'--Journal of American History "This is a well-researched, thoughtful, and readable biography that will now be the starting place for any serious student of Winfield Scott."--Journal of Southern History "Johnson has brought to life both the imposing military commander and the flawed individual whose inflated ego matched his giant and increasingly corpulent frame."--American Nineteenth Century History "Well-written and meticulously researched. This is a masterful biography that will appeal to laymen and scholars alike."--Journal of Military History "The definitive study. Johnson's distinguished work gives a long-deserved but neglected credit to 'Old Fuss and Feathers.'"--Kirkus Reviews

From the Author:

This biography treats the whole man, good and bad.
Winfield Scott was one of the great Americans of the nineteenth century, and he remains one of the preeminent generals in all of U.S. history. Yet despite a fifty-three year career that included service in the War of 1812, Seminole War, Mexican War, and Civil War, Scott has not been the subject of many historical studies. This year marks the 150th anniversary of the publication of the first Scott biography. Since that first one, only four more appeared prior to the release of this book. All save one were published over six decades ago. My purpose in writing about Scott was to provide a biography that is at once the most laudatory and the most critical ever written. I have attempted to accentuate Scott's often neglected contributions to the military during the national period, like his push to make the U.S. Army a professional institution, his bequeath to the army of an aggressive, offensive mind set, and his development into a brilliant strategist and field commander. Meanwhile, I do not hesitate to emphasize the many problems that plagued him due to personality defects such as ambition, arrogance, greed, selfishness, and recklessness. This approach is necessary if one is to appreciate Scott's multi-dimensional makeup. This biography also underscores Scott's aristocratic leanings that ran counter to the forces of equality in Jacksonian America. The product of ten years of research, this study is heavily documented with both published and unpublished sources. My goal was to produce a scholarly account of Winfield Scott's life that would provide new knowledge, while writing it in such a way as to appeal to a broader audience.

About this edition

• Publisher: University Press of Kansas
• Publication date: 1998
• ISBN 10: 0700609148
• ISBN 13: 9780700609147
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 304