War History Network members may wonder, are there any new rays of insight into the Civil War that have not passed through the prisms of countless historians?  Author Chris DeRose has found one.   America began the War with an unprecedented, and until recent decades unique, cadre of five living former presidents to whom the dividing nation could look for experienced statesmanship.  “The Presidents’ War” is the account of the roles they played.

Democrat Martin Van Buren of New York and served as president from 1837-1841 and remained a potential candidate and player in politics up to and including the 1860 election.  Democrat/Whig/No One Would Claim Him John Tyler of Virginia had succeeded to the presidency on the death of William Henry Harrison in 1841 and served until 1845.  Though held in low esteem by his fellow Virginians, they turned to him to him for leadership during the secession crisis.  New York Whig Millard Fillmore succeeded Zachary Taylor in 1850 and completed his term until 1853.  Though proclaiming himself retired from politics, Fillmore remained a focal point for those who saw in him a figure around whom Americans could rally.  Democrat and Mexican War hero Franklin Pierce of New Hampshire had, at his wife’s request, abstained from politics off and on over his life but could not hide from the call to the White House from 1853-1857 or from the whirlwind swirling in the early 1860s.  Veteran Pennsylvania Democrat James Buchanan had his reputation molded by his service from 1857-1861 and spent his retirement trying to justify his tenure.

The first third of the narrative covers the nullification crisis of the Jackson Era, through the Mexican War and series of compromises which held the Union together during which the former presidents served and matured, concluding with the election of 1860.

Lincoln having been elected, the text delves into the details of the War as background for the continuing actions and statements by the former presidents.  Amazingly, to me at least, Van Buren, Fillmore, Pierce and Tyler were all suggested as potential presidents in 1860.  The Presidents’ Club was as fractured as the country.  All opposed Lincoln’s election in 1860 as did the survivors in 1864.  In general terms, Van Buren and Fillmore supported the Union but urged more compromise than did Lincoln.  Pierce was sympathetic toward the South and generally opposed the Administration’s policies and Buchanan defended his legacy by claiming that Lincoln largely carried out policies that Buchanan had begun and would have done had he been in office.  Being a leading Virginian, Tyler was involved in early peace initiatives and, when they failed, an active participant in Virginia’s secession.

War History Network members may, depending on their interest in the Civil War, be familiar with details of the military events, such as the decision to supply Fort Sumter, the battles of Vicksburg and Gettysburg and the Trent Affair.  What we gain from this tome are the rationales of Lincoln and the statements of the former presidents that contributed to the public dialogue about the incidents.

I read this in preparation for a book club.  Members enjoyed the book, especially for the introduction it provided into the former presidents featured and the events leading up to the Civil War.

The many footnotes and the index are helpful and the bibliography provides a guide to future reading.

Drawing on letters, diaries and contemporary newspapers and utilizing many quotes, DeRose sets the stage with the thirty-year buildup to War and skillfully weaves military, political and personal tales into a saga not to be found elsewhere.  “The Presidents’ War” is an excellent choice for readers seeking a new political-military approach to our great national conflict.