This book started out with tremendous promise: thorough, yet readable and even, at times, entertaining.

This is a detailed biography of the great Civil War General and 1880 Democratic candidate for President. I wanted a battlefield atlas in my other hand while reading some of the battle descriptions (though three simple maps were included in the book itself.) At some points, the narrative seemed almost too detailed -- especially in the accounts of the various political mechanizations going on during the years Hancock was in play for the nomination as candidate for President. At that point, my reading of the book slowed down a bit.

The book returned to its original more engaging quality in the closing chapters, especially the final chapter, "Pure Gold," which functioned as an epilogue.

The author did a good job conveying the qualities of Hancock as a soldier and a human being, and demonstrating how so many of those who knew or served with him greatly admired him. I do feel that the biographer was, perhaps, a bit too partisan in his admiration of his subject, though certainly there was much to admire about Gen. Hancock.

The books contains fairly extensive notes and an index.

Recommended to those with an interest in Gen. Hancock, and especially to those with an interest in details of both the Civil War and post-Civil-War 19th-century politics. ( )

A well-written although somewhat dry in style, detailed look at Major General Winfield Scott Hancock's life. Jordan does an excellent job of recounting Hancock's service during the Civil War, which he makes into an exciting read.
While well-known for his Civil War contributions, where he earned the nickname Hancock the Superb, he spent a brief and somewhat disastrous period of time as an Indian fighter in Kansas under Sherman's command, a far less well-known aspect of his career. Afterward, as military commander of the 5th District, stataioned at New Orleans, his leniency in administration earned him the gratitude not only of Louisiana but of the entire South.
This stood him well in his adventure into political life. Although pushed as a candidate for the Democratic nomination during two Presidential elections, he was not chosen until the 1880 campaign. Jordan does an excellent job of describing the political forces of that time. Hancock lost, narrowly, to James Garfield, thanks to a controversial mayoral candidate choice on the part of Tammany Hall in New York City. Again, Jordan makes the campaign come alive. Hancock did not survive long after the 1880 campaign, dying in 1886 soon after Grant and McClellan.
Jordan does a good job of portraying Hancock the human being as well as Hancock the military man, particularly in the latter part of his life. Hancock seemed to be deservedly well-respected and well-loved by those who knew him, making few enemies (although one was Grant) and many friends.
This is a better-than-average biography that is for the most part fairly lively and at times exciting. Hancock's important and even crucial service in the Civil War is fairly well known even to those with only a casual interest in that conflict. This biography does an excellent job of illuminating his post-war life as well. Highly recommended. ( )