Review by Choice Review
Hugh McLeod is usually remembered by history as the commander of the ill-fated military expedition of the early 1840s that the Republic of Texas sent to Santa Fe in an unsuccessful attempt to take control of New Mexico. Born in New York, he grew up in Georgia. After graduation from West Point, McLeod went to Texas, where he enthusiastically participated in the Revolution. He spent the rest of his life there, holding a variety of positions, including Adjutant General of the Republic, and becoming active in the Democratic Party. He also became a vocal critic of Sam Houston. Proslavery in sentiment and a successful Galveston businessman in 1860, McLeod ardently supported succession, before his death in January 1862. Basing his work on extensive archival research, Spellman seeks to revive McLeod's historical reputation beyond his tarnished standing as the flawed leader of the Texas-Santa Fe Expedition. The author succeeds admirably by providing a full portrait of McLeod and placing him within the larger context of his times. The book is extremely well written and will no doubt become a part of the essential bibliography of Texas history during the era of the Republic. All levels. L. T. Cummins; Austin College
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
