Courage Above All Things

Harwood P. Hinton was Professor of History at the University of Arizona for thirty years. He wrote about the legendary cattle baron John Simpson Chisum and edited the journals Arizona and the West and Western Historical Quarterly, as well as John Spricklin Spratt’s Thurber, Texas: The Life and Death of a Company Coal Town.Jerry Thompson is Regents Professor of History at Texas A&M International University and the author of numerous books on the history of Texas and the American Southwest, including Cortina: Defending the Mexican Name in Texas.

"Few nineteenth-century U.S. Army officers have such long and wide experience as John Wool, and Courage Above All Things is the most comprehensive biography of any nineteenth-century army officer. Jerry Thompson has added great depth to Harwood Hinton's valuable account, especially for the Civil War and the U.S. war with Mexico. This is an immense, essential contribution to the study of nineteenth-century American military history."—Samuel J. Watson, author of Jackson's Sword: The Army Officer Corps on the American Frontier, 1810–1821“Harwood P. Hinton spent 50 years of research on the life of John Ellis Wool, the Civil War’s oldest general. When Hinton died, his work was continued and finally edited by fellow historian Jerry Thompson. Courage Above All Things is a meticulously researched biography that stands up on its factual merits. Enthusiasts of the formative years of American military power should find it extremely interesting.”—Civil War Times Magazine“Although he is barely remembered today, in a military career of more than fifty years of active duty, John Ellis Wool developed a reputation as a U.S. Army troubleshooter who had a knack for being at important places when significant events were taking place. The late acclaimed historian Harwood P. Hinton labored for decades on this Wool biography, and it was completed, edited, and published by another distinguished historian/author, Jerry D. Thompson… Hinton/Thompson have presented the life of an important American officer in stunning detail. This book is likely to be the definitive biography of a dedicated but long-forgotten soldier."—Journal of America's Military Past“Well researched and eminently readable, this book will appeal to anyone interested in nineteenth century American history.”—Michigan War Studies Review“In the course of examining the life and experiences of one of the most prominent offices of the nineteenth century, Courage Above All Things passes the test with flying colors. In the process, it makes a truly outstanding contribution to scholarship.”—Army History Magazine"Courage Above All Things offers a detailed biography of General Wool, a zealous and dedicated Army Regular, highlighting his fascinating yet underappreciated supporting roles in numerous critical episodes throughout nineteenth-century U.S. history."—Southwestern Historical Quarterly