General William S. Harney

Between the War of 1812 and the civil War, Gen. William S. Harney became one of America's best known military leaders. Aided by Andrew Jackson and the concept of an expansible army, Harney saw duty in most of the key military episodes of his time. Removed from command amid false charges of disloyalty during the Missouri secession crisis, he returned to help lead the Indian Peace Commission of 1867-68. Harney was bold, ambitious, and innovative but also impulsive, vindictive, and violent. His career illustrates the nineteenth-century army's role in implementing federal policy, highlights its limited resources compared to responsibilities, and illuminates key aspects of organizational structure, officer behavior, and impact on personal lives.

George Rollie Adams is president and CEO emeritus of Strong Museum in Rochester, New York.

"In Adams's capable hands, Harney becomes a flawed hero, with many faults and as many virtues. An excellent book - expertly documented and nicely written." - Choice "George Rollie Adams renders a vivid portrayal of William S. Harney, a long-serving nineteenth-century U.S. Army officer... Well-chosen photographs and excellent maps enhance this worthwhile biography." - Journal of American History "A critical appraisal of one of the best-known army officers in America set in the context of a discerning overview of nineteenth-century American military history. It is engaging, informative, and well documented with primary sources. In this commendable work, Adams provides a finely drawn portrait of General Harney and his world." - Montana, The Magazine of Western History "Not only has [Adams] successfully presented the complexity of William Selby Harney's personality and leadership style, he has done so in prose that is uncluttered and direct. The book's fourteen chapters are models of clarity." - New Mexico Historical Review "A welcome addition to the study of American and western military history." - Annals of Wyoming "A long, detailed biography that reads like a novel. The author has done a commendable job of weaving together information contained in thousands of documents to produce a fascinating story of a general that was half hero and more than half rascal." - Denver Westerners "Adams's biography, which will not soon be surpassed, does a wonderful job of rescuing an important historical figure from relative obscurity." - Civil War Book Review "Anyone interested in military history, especially on the frontier, will enjoy and profit from reading this well-written biography." - Military History of the West "Adams proves that William S. Harney is a subject worthy of a definitive biography. His book is well researched and well written." - Randy Kane, Great Plains Quarterly