Lincoln's Generals' Wives: Four Women Who Influenced the Civil War--for Better and for Worse

Civil War in the North

by Candice Shy Hooper

The story of the American Civil War is not complete without examining the extraordinary and influential lives of Jessie Frémont, Nelly McClellan, Ellen Sherman, and Julia Grant, the wives of Abraham Lincoln’s top generals. They were their husbands’ closest confidantes and had a profound impact on the generals’ ambitions and actions. Most important, the women’s own attitudes toward and relation- ships with Lincoln had major historical significance. Candice Shy Hooper’s lively account covers the early lives of her subjects, as well as their families, their education, their political attitudes, and their personal beliefs. Once shots were fired on Fort Sumter, the women were launched out of their private spheres into a wholly different universe, where their relationships with their husbands and their personal opinions of the president of the United States had national and historical consequences. The approaches and styles of Frémont and McClellan contrast with those of Sherman and Grant, and there is equal symmetry in their wives’ stories. Jessie Frémont and Nelly McClellan both encouraged their husbands to persist in their arrogance and delusion and to reject the advice and friendship of their commander in chief. In the end, Jessie and Nelly contributed most to the Union war effort by accelerating their husbands’ removal from active command. Conversely, while Ellen Sherman’s and Julia Grant’s belief in their husbands’ character and potential was ardent, it was not unbounded. Ellen and Julia did not hesitate to take issue with their spouses when they believed their actions were wrong or their judgments ill-advised. They intelligently supported their husbands’ best instincts―including trust in and admiration for Lincoln―and re-buffed their worst. They were the source of strength that Sherman and Grant used to win the Civil War. Relying on a close reading of letters, memoirs, and other primary sources―and, for the first time, mapping the women’s wartime travels―Hooper explores the very different ways in which these remarkable women responded to the unique challenges of being Lincoln’s generals’ wives.

Genres: Civil War, Nonfiction, Biography, History

432 pages, Hardcover

Published May 31, 2016

Reviews

[Jeni]

I really liked this one. It was a glimpse into the women's lives during the Civil War, which I enjoyed reading about. Her choice of the women made sense (though I knew little about Fremont) and I learned some things I didn't know. There were times it talked more about the husbands, but that's probably due to there being less information about the women. My favorite section was probably Ellen Sherman, which was due to me just thinking Sherman a fascinating character, as well as her letters through the war surviving, so we have more information to draw from.

[Nancy]

What a meticulously researched work. This is not a book I would normally read , but the author is speaking locally in a few weeks and I always read the works of authors speaking in this particular summer author series. I’m so glad I did. In an era when women were allowed public roles as hostesses, these women went beyond that and clearly influenced their husbands. If you have any interest in the Civil War, you must add this work to your list.

[Jim Swike]

Returned by Library. Great read as the title suggests. Great resource for Women's History, research and / or term paper. Enjoy!

[Roberta Havel]

Reading nonfiction books in subject areas I only have peripheral interest tends to bore me, but Lincoln’s s Wives was captivating. Candace Hooper artfully wrote a book that was packed full of meticulously researched material about the Civil War and the lives of 4 generals and there wives.

[Caroline Ailanthus]

First, this book is misnamed: it should be called Lincoln's Generals' Marriages. It's not about these four women themselves, for themselves, but rather their influence upon their husbands' performance in the Civil War--a legitimate topic, but a different one.

But I'm glad to have read this book. The author successfully makes her case that these men can't be fully understood without also looking at their wives. All four of the men profiled (Fremont, McClellan, Sherman, and Grant) had affectionate, loving marriages to women who wanted to be supportive. The women varied in their ability to be supportive, though, and that may well be part of the reason why two of these men succeeded as generals and the other two did not. But what I really enjoyed was not so much the histories as the stories--I liked learning more about these people.

William Tecumpseh Sherman ("Cump" to his family) is a particular revelation. I had previously known of him only as a notably vicious warrior, and he was that, though it's worth noting he was not motivated by hatred of the enemy--he simply had a job to do. Having done it, he got in serious trouble politically for trying to arrange extremely lenient surrender terms for the South. Still, I make no excuse for what he did in both the Civil War and the Indian Wars, I just...like him. As a person, a human being, he is likeable, even lovable. I find myself wishing I could be his friend.

So hurrah for the book that does that!

But I've docked the book an extra star because its final quarter, the one on Julia Grant, is simply not up to the standard of the rest--to the point that I wonder if the editor quit? Some passages indeed look inadequately edited, being wordy and repetitious in a way the rest of the book was not. And perhaps there just isn't much surviving information on Mrs. Grant, that is the most charitable explanation for the author relying very heavily on speculative extrapolation from the fact that Mrs. Grant was cross-eyed, using this fact to explain everything from the extreme coddling she received from her parents and brothers to her fondness for horseback riding. Worse, the author refers to Mrs. Grant's eye problems as "her deformity" and wonders why Mr. Grant fell in love with her, given that he obviously could not have been physically attracted to her--a comment that manages to simultaneously insult both Mr. and Mrs. Grant AND cross-eyed people everywhere. It's true that in photos Mrs. Grant looks somewhat plain (her crossed eyes are not apparent), but only in the way that most people are plain. You don't have to look like a supermodel for your husband to think you're hot.

[Elaine]

This is well worth reading if you are interested in the Civil War era (and as current politicians have shown, we need to know more). Speaks to the role of strong women when they weren't "allowed" to have an official public role -- and how they used their wits to influence public policy. Draws on lots of primary sources, but very readable.

[Sherry]

Fascinating look about four generals wives who influenced the civil war. Carefully researched with great detail you really get to know these women and their husbands. A different look at what I thought was familiar history.

[Annm]

A nice comparison of the four women. There were times, thought that I think the author still talked too much about the men, I; part because for one of the wives in particular, there just wasn’t that much information.

[Kris Hill]

Learned a lot

[Roberta]

I enjoyed it a lot. Not for those who don't have a decent knowledge of the Civil War.

[Joann Glasser]

very interesting reading. learned an alot. surprised how these wives were able to be with their husbands during the civil war. loyal wives and enduring some rough times.