| Lincoln's Autocrat: The Life of Edwin Stanton Contributor(s): Marvel, William (Author) |
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ISBN: 1469636158 ISBN-13: 9781469636153 Publisher: University of North Carolina Press OUR PRICE: $25.20 Product Type: Paperback - Other Formats Published: August 2017 |
| Additional Information |
| BISAC Categories: - Biography & Autobiography | Historical - History | United States - Civil War Period (1850-1877) |
| Dewey: B |
| LCCN: 2014032690 |
| Series: Civil War America |
| Physical Information: 1.57" H x 6.21" W x 9.02" (1.87 lbs) 632 pages |
| Themes: - Chronological Period - 1851-1899 - Chronological Period - 19th Century - Topical - Civil War |
| Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
| Publisher Description: 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. |
Contributor Bio(s): Marvel, William: - William Marvel's many books include A Place Called Appomattox, Andersonville: The Last Depot, Lincoln's Darkest Year, and Tarnished Victory. |