John P. Slough: The Forgotten Civil War General by Richard L. Miller

Abstract

Reviewed by: John P. Slough: The Forgotten Civil War General by Richard L. Miller Christopher R. Mortenson John P. Slough: The Forgotten Civil War General. By Richard L. Miller. (Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, 2021. Pp. xvi, 288. $34.95, ISBN 978-0-8263-6219-3.) Writing a biography can be a tricky endeavor, especially when the subject provided no significant collection of papers. Regardless, Richard L. Miller offers a good analysis of the life and contributions of John P. Slough, the commander of Union forces at the battle of Glorieta Pass. In part, the author uses other participants' voices to describe what Slough experienced in the Ohio River Valley, the Great Plains, the Mountain West, and the East. Miller's use of newspaper reports is also quite helpful. Miller portrays a politician, judge, and military officer who was quick to seize opportunities for advancement but whose "irritability, rigidity, and impulsivity" often derailed his efforts to excel (p. 200). For Slough, as a politician in Ohio and Kansas, a colonel in Colorado, a general in Virginia, and a judge in New Mexico Territory, these characteristics led him to fall short of his potential. In response, Slough moved on to the next opportunity, often after physical or verbal altercations with colleagues and even superiors. While the author paints a great picture of this Civil War general's life and career, one might argue that two points warrant further analysis. Miller discusses the politics of generalship to a degree, and it is clear that Slough was a politically appointed officer. However, a definition of political generalship, and a deeper analysis of how he could have contributed in even more ways as a not-so-trained officer, would add to an already well-written biography. In addition, the author analyzes Slough's temperament with some references to nineteenth-century conceptions of manhood, but even more focus on masculinity might help explain Slough's rough and self-destructive behavior. He was a "stiff, remote, and autocratic" officer who might also be characterized as a "ruffian," descriptions that might warrant extended thoughts on gender norms (pp. 99, 104). Slough's insecurities may not have been all that [End Page 566] abnormal, especially for someone hailing from the midwestern state of Ohio (then often referred to as the West). Again, in explaining the career of this hero of Glorieta Pass, John P. Slough: The Forgotten Civil War General is otherwise a wonderful biography. More attention to the points above would have added to the explanation of a complicated official. Furthermore, this well-written book explains how such an "irritable" gentleman still managed to contribute to the Union cause (p. 200). Colonel Slough began his service in charge of the First Colorado Infantry, which he commanded well at Glorieta Pass. After promotion to brigadier general, he served in the defense of Harpers Ferry and especially well as the military governor of Alexandria, Virginia. While stationed near Washington, D.C., the former politician and judge presided over the court-martial of Major General Fitz John Porter; the War Department also ordered Slough to assist with a backlog of less significant courts-martial. In addition, he handled himself quite well when called before the infamous Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War. Amazingly, Slough resigned or asked to be relieved of duty on at least three occasions; again, as the author points out, the officer's temperament and insecurities were often self-destructive for someone who could have contributed even more. Scholars of the Civil War, officership in general, and the postwar West will find much to appreciate in this biography. Christopher R. Mortenson Ouachita Baptist University Copyright © 2022 The Southern Historical Association