Review by Tam_R0se -- “I Am a Soldier, First and Alway...

[Tam_R0se]

[Following is a volunteer review of "“I Am a Soldier, First and Always”: The Distinguished Career of Winfield Scott Hancock" by James Harold Kelly.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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I am a Soldier, First and Always; The Distinguished Career of Winfield Scott Hancock, Vol. II, Turning Point by James Harold Kelly follows the major events in General Hancock’s career from the battles at Gettysburg to his final promotion to Lieutenant General on his deathbed. Hancock oversaw the execution of Mary Stuart and other conspirators after President Lincoln’s assassination. He was placed in command of the Department of Missouri for a time and later sent to New Orleans to govern the Reconstruction. He served in the Department of Dakota where he contributed to the creation of Yellowstone National Park. He ran for President against Garfield. His career ended in New York on Governors Island. He lost his grandson, daughter, son, and faithful aide, William Mackenzie, to the fever along the way and succumbed to complications of diabetes in 1886.

I give this book a 4 out of 4 stars though I found several errors near the end. They are minor; a missing word here, a wrong letter there. Some transitions between place and time were abrupt, though I understood when and where we had moved. I don’t think they are worth removing a whole star. Kelly did an extensive amount of research and presented it in an engaging format. I expected a list of dates and accomplishments. What I found was an understanding of how warriors and soldiers thought, of how strategies were planned on the run, and how the toll of endless battles shaped the men involved. He made the people come alive through their manners, actions, and their failings.

Hancock commanded his men from the front, riding among and ahead of them, sometimes too far ahead. My favorite passage in the book was ‘Sir, with respect, you have the Army at your disposal. You need not take on the enemy alone. Be defiant from a safer distance.’ spoken by Hancock’s aide, Mackenzie, after being wounded rescuing Hancock from inadvertently riding into the enemy line. Mackenzie’s faithful service to Hancock was inspiring. I hated to read of his death many years later. I understand how Hancock earned his nickname, Hancock, the Superb. I was proud of the men who shook hands and resumed interrupted friendships after the war. I was disappointed by those who refused to acknowledge their common ground afterward.

I am not a history student. I had trouble remembering which names were on which side of the battle and where the battles took place. Kelly includes a list of resources in the back matter for those interested in more information. History students and re-enactment enthusiasts will understand and enjoy the book more than a layman. That being said, I enjoyed the book and gained a deeper understanding of the problems faced by the opponents.

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“I Am a Soldier, First and Always”: The Distinguished Career of Winfield Scott Hancock
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