Frémont: Pathmarker of the West

by Allan Nevins

One of the most controversial and romantic figures in American history, John C. Frémont experienced a dizzying succession of public triumphs and humiliations. He made his name exploring the West, surveying, mapping, and describing the Rockies, the Great Basin, and Oregon country. Allan Nevins gives Frémont full credit for his achievements as a topographer, soldier, and politician while noting how often his rashness attracted enemies and led to his downfall: to a court-martial for disobeying orders during the Bear Flag Rebellion, to a disastrous winter expedition in the San Juan Mountains, to his defeat as the first presidential candidate of the Republican party, to the loss of his Civil War command. Through sickness and health, poverty and wealth, his wife, the vivacious Jessie Benton Frémont, stood by him. Their enduring romance occupies much more than the background in this absorbing story of his life. The dean of American historians, Allan Nevins won the Pulitzer Prize for his biographies of Grover Cleveland and Hamilton Fish.

Genres: Biography, History

697 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1987

About the author

Allan Nevins was an American historian and journalist, renowned for his extensive work on the history of the Civil War and his biographies of such figures as President Grover Cleveland, Hamilton Fish, Henry Ford, and John D. Rockefeller.

Reviews

[Tammy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This comprehensive review of John C Fremont’s life is not for those who have a passing interest in his life. No. It’s for those who want to explore the vicissitudes of this legendary Western explorer’s many fortunes and many more misfortunes.

The author is obviously a well-respected historian and his work reflects a great deal of primary research. In many cases, he rather assumes the broad strokes of Fremont’s life are already known to the reader. He often makes such statements as, “It is not necessary for me to detail the well-known story of Fremont’s battle with the Mariposa bandits…”

My fascination with Fremont is his exploration of my corner of Colorado. For others who have connections with his exploits in northern California, Missouri, and Utah, his story undoubtedly holds greater appeal. What I also found of particular interest in this long biography was the role Jessie Benton Fremont played in her husband’s life and career. While the book is not a chronicle of her life, per se, the love story between the two is inextricably woven throughout Nevin’s biography. She was a memorable character in her own right.

For history buffs of the heady times surrounding the opening of the West, the events leading to the Civil War, and the struggle for California’s statehood, this book will hold wide appeal. It is not a book for the casual reader who wants a quick, broad summary of Fremont’s life.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really fascinating history. I had no idea of this aspect of time around the Civil War, let alone the history of Fremont. It's truly intriguing that he was able to do the mapping, and gather the information that he did with the limited education, and the primitive tools of the period. It was often heavy going, but absolutely fascinating. If you have the time and the patience, I would recomment it highly.

[Sull McCartney · Rating 4 out of 5]

One I had meant to read for decades. I found it interesting and thought it was an accurate presentation of an historically controversial figure.

[Robert Banghart · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best history book I have read in a decade.