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by John Bicknell.
Hardback (6.3×9.3 inches). 371 pages. 2025.
Subtitle: John C. Fremont, Abraham Lincoln, and the Battle for Emancipation
As you might tell from the title, this book is more about the politics of the era and not the military battles. The initial biography of Fremont showcases his advance into California. That brought him fame and eventually the position as commander of the Western (later Mountain) territory during the American Civil War. His main area was Missouri.
In his first big decision, he opted to reinforce Cairo on the Mississippi River instead of pursuing a Confederate force — generating complaints. The force that did pursue was ill-trained and suffered a rebuff, generating even more calls for his ouster. His performance suffered yet again as another force proved tardy in reinforcing the Union’s Shenandoah Valley offensive.
His big play was emancipating the slaves of Missouri at the outset of the war, a position Lincoln opposed. Fremont believed it a betrayal and relations were never the same. Fremont was eventually relieved and later resigned. He mounted political opposition against Lincoln, which is amply described within the text.
The book contains 15 black and white photos and two black and white maps.
As you can glean from the subtitle, this book is mostly about politics of the era, with Fremont at its center. For wargamers, very little is in this book, but for those wishing to understand infighting and political posturing over a backwater part of the Union ACW effort, superb.
Enjoyed it.
— Reviewed by Russ Lockwood
