Radical Sacrifice - (Civil War America) by William Marvel (Paperback)

About the Book

"Radical Sacrifice chronicles the life and military career of Union general Fitz John Porter, commander of the Army of the Potomac's Fifth Corps under George McClellan. A highly ranked graduate of the United States Military Academy, Porter rose steadily through the ranks during the Mexican-American War and subsequent military action in the West. With the outbreak of the Civil War, Porter became a favorite of McClellan, distinguishing himself in several key battles during 1862. But when fellow Union generals John Pope and Irvin McDowell accused him of costing the Union the battle of Second Bull Run (August 1862), Porter was court-martialed and dismissed for disobedience and misconduct before the enemy. To this day, it is generally accepted that a self-serving cabal of officers and government officials (including Judge Advocate Joseph Holt and Secretary of War Stanton) wrongly convicted Porter because he was a Democrat rather than a committed supporter of Lincoln. As such, he found himself on the wrong side of debates regarding the purpose of the Union's struggle, making him the perfect scapegoat. Not until 1879 was Porter able to clear his name and have the court martial reversed. Even still, his reputation remains tarnished to the present day"--

Book Synopsis

Born into a distinguished military family, Fitz John Porter (1822-1901) was educated at West Point and breveted for bravery in the war with Mexico. Already a well-respected officer at the outset of the Civil War, as a general in the Union army he became a favorite of George B. McClellan, who chose him to command the Fifth Corps of the Army of the Potomac. Porter and his troops fought heroically and well at Gaines's Mill and Malvern Hill. His devotion to the Union cause seemed unquestionable until fellow Union generals John Pope and Irvin McDowell blamed him for their own battlefield failures at Second Bull Run. As a confidant of the Democrat and limited-war proponent McClellan, Porter found himself targeted by Radical Republicans intent on turning the conflict to the cause of emancipation. He made the perfect scapegoat, and a court-martial packed with compliant officers dismissed him for disobedience of orders and misconduct before the enemy. Porter tenaciously pursued vindication after the war, and in 1879 an army commission finally reviewed his case, completely exonerating him. Obstinately partisan resistance from old Republican enemies still denied him even nominal reinstatement for six more years.

This revealing new biography by William Marvel cuts through received wisdom to show Fitz John Porter as he was: a respected commander whose distinguished career was ruined by political machinations within Lincoln's administration. Marvel lifts the cloud that shadowed Porter over the last four decades of his life, exposing the spiteful Radical Republicans who refused to restore his rank long after his exoneration and never restored his benefits. Reexamining the relevant primary evidence from the full arc of Porter's life and career, Marvel offers significant insights into the intersections of politics, war, and memory.

Review Quotes

"Radical Sacrifice is an eloquently written defense of one of the most controversial figures in Civil War history. . . . [T]he book is to be commended for telling a lively story and doing so in a way that will inspire worthwhile debates on the meaning of political loyalty, civil-military relations, and wartime justice itself."--The Journal of the Civil War Era

"[Marvel's] handling of Porter's Civil War career reminds us of just how interwoven political considerations, military operations, and matters of personalities and interpersonal friction were during the conflict."--North Carolina Historical Review

"From the opening of William Marvel's book, the reader is drawn to Marvel's collection of fascinating photographs. . . . These photos draw the reader into the narrative of the biography."--The Southeastern Librarian

"Marvel's well-researched biography . . . serves as a sobering reminder of the political and personal rivalries that often marred the Union war effort from 1861 to 1865. "--New Mexico Historical Review

"No reader who picks up this book will want to put it down without finishing it. Although other authors have written about the case in the past, William Marvel has finally done justice for Fitz John Porter."--Journal of America's Military Past

"This work is an excellent example of the conflict between truth and public perception of events." --North Carolina Libraries

"Thorough but eminently readable. . . . [A] great read for anyone who is a student of clear, well researched history."--Civil War Book Review