Great Book missing 30 pages or so
Superb biography of the Raven. Well worth your reading time. This was an unusual man! As old General Nicks said, "God made him two drinks scant."
Unfortunately, my first copy arrived missing 30 pages. Amazon graciously sent a replacement copy and allowed me to keep the defective copy with all my notes, underlinings, etc.
A Flippant Remarkfrom One Who Deserted the Governorship.
Today's historical books use poetic licence, meaning it is not the facts, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. I've been meaning to get around to this book for a long time, but it took the movie, 'The Great Raid' to cause me to put this as priority.
I previously reviewed GHOST SOLDIERS on which the movie was made, and done well. It was so realistic that I had to cry (and I don't cry easily) because of the ferocity and lact of humanity the enemy showed. It was the same in WWI only our soldiers were not equipped to fight anyone that animalistic. I see now why Tennessean Alvin York went berserk and killed so many of the approaching enemy in this war, as he was cornered and was fighting for his life.
It's not always war where you have to defend you right to live in freedom. I had to use my elbows to get out of a difficult situation which I found myself in this past month. As in WWII, the enemy set out to engage and reduce the other side. This war engulfed Europe in 1914 and we came to their aid; now, in 2005, more than ninety years later, Europe has surpassed U.S.A. as the superpower of the world calling themselves the United State of Europe. Copycats! We should not jump the gun so quickly when the ally you fight for strives to surpass you in everyway. We thought we were helping England against Germany. Well, at least the Confederates who 'lost' the American Civil War took the cause of Britain and France, while the American Yankees took the side of Germany. It was another Civil War only on foreign ground this time. My favorite historian wrote that Lincoln didn't ask for or accept a surrender from the Rebels as that would be acknowledging that the Confederacy had been a sovereing nation and not "just a feverish mob," as Sam Houston is credited as saying. I have trouble believing a Tennessee governor would stoop to such stupidity.
The machine gun, poison gas, trench warfare and the airplane were used first in this war to beat all wars. "As President Teddy Roosevelt rallied the diverse ethnic groups of the nothern state (where he originated from) -- Italians, Mormons, Jews, and Irish -- Confederate President Woodrow Wilson struggled to hold together a nation still beset by ignorance, prejudice, and class divisions." The United States still has all of the listed attributes, especially two professors from other states who tore down one of the Southern Civil War heros with a book full of lies and no truth. That shows ignorance and prejudice is alive and well as the Northerners are still considering Tennessee a hillbilly state and everyone in it "white trash."
As in WWII, the aim was "don't surrender," and "never give up whatever the situation." The Americans were bound to give no information to the enemy when captured except name, rank, and serial number. when captured except name, rank, and serial number. There is a government employee here named Whitt who is proud he went through "Ranger" school and, now sixty, is still using the war tactics he learned there to bully anyone who has a difference of opinion. Sometimes, in severe times of conflict, the soldiers and their leaders had to crawl like a snake to survive. Planes had a pivotal role in rescuing the POWs in the Phillippines and their flying low over the camp was the signal for the troops to move into position for the night maneuvers. It's true that war is hell; and nothing is really accomplished. When you defeat one dictator or generalisimo, there is another to take his place to start another war.
Houston went on to the Alamo after fighting at San Joquinto to meet his fate. He was shot in the ankle by his men there and had a festering groin wound from his early days in Tennessee which caused the dissolution of his marriage. He went to live with the Cherokee Indians leaving the Governor's chair empty. If he called the Confederacy a feverish mob, he is not one to talk as his life was just one fever after another.
An Intimate Biography
In 1929 Marquis James published his autobiography of Sam Houston which he titled "The Raven". It reflects, favorably for me, the style of scholarly writing of the times. Mr. James, who has written of other men and events of Houston's era, writes in a manor that suggests an almost intimate knowledge of his subject. He often shares Houston's feelings and reactions which he probably picked up on through his research into his subject's personal papers. As a result, the reader is more apt to become more emotionally involved with General Houston as he or she reads "The Raven". This became somewhat of a problem for me because Sam Houston is a somewhat exasperating individual.
The Sam Houston that emerged, for me, in "The Raven" was a man of strong leadership abilities, solid loyalties, and minimal political thought. I say this last part reluctantly because Marquis James provides information that suggests that he was a very capable governor. However, there seem to be few issues that come up during Houston's various tenures in the US House and Senate. There were the issues of Texas, the Union, and his close friends; the Chreokees. There is little, if anything, on Houston's opinions concerning the National Bank, trade issues, interstate commerce or other important subjects of the day. Indeed, we get images of a bored Senator Houston whittling away (literally) his time in the US Senate. There is, however, plenty about Houston the leader whether it be on the field of battle or the state house. He was and remains a most impressive figure in the history of the United States of America. Much of what I had heard about the man was fleshed out in "The Raven" in a satisfactory manner.
The major events are dealt with appropriately. For example, we don't get half of the book devoted to the Battle of San Jacinto. In fact, we get only a brief message of the Alamo but enough of San Jacinto to know what happened and how it affected both Houstan and Texas. Indeed, the greatest attention seems to have been given to Houston's failed first marriage. It ended with neither party talking about the cause of the split. The author seemed intent on uncovering the real cause and had us revisiting his first wife periodically through her life after Houston.
Marquis James did have an interesting mystery that he introduced to us early in the book. It had to do with a gift from Houston's mother to him when he was young. I had forgotten all about it until it showed up again at the end of the book; an appropriate message at an appropriate place.
I learned a lot about Sam Houston from reading this book and I am glad I did. There is plenty of Texas in here as there should be. There is also plenty of Tennessee, Washington DC, Andrew Jackson, Santa Ana, Cherokee Indians, and, as I alluded to early, the first Mrs. Houston (the second Mrs. Houston seemed to exist solely for producing offspring and writing letters). If Sam Houston is your hero, this is your book. If not then this is still an excellent biography.
A Fine Texas History Lesson
A interesting Texas history lesson, this book was recommended by a local Texas historian from the Haley Library and Museum. Very enjoyable if you want more than just a history about Sam Houston, this is a Texas/Mexico history mini-lesson as well. The book tells the story of Sam Houston's life including his: Tennessee Governorship, ties to President Andrew Jackson, role as General of Armies and Malitias, tenure as President of the Republic of Texas, role as United States Senator and Governorship of the State of Texas.
Excellent book on life of Sam Houston
Marquis James shows why he won more than one Nobel prize for historical writing. In this book he takes you through the entire life of Sam Houston, giving the reader an insight on the events of Houston's earlier life that shaped his actions in the founding of the Texas Republic. Until reading this book, I had no idea just how important Sam Houston was to the history of not just Texas, but the entire United States.
(7 reviews)
