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John S. D. Eisenhower

So Far From God: The U. S. War With Mexico, 1846–1848 Paperback – September 15, 2000

by John S. D. Eisenhower (Author)

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The Mexican-American War of the 1840s, precipitated by border disputes and the U.S. annexation of Texas, ended with the military occupation of Mexico City by General Winfield Scott. In the subsequent treaty, the United States gained territory that would become California, Nevada, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, and parts of Wyoming and Colorado. In this highly readable account, John S.D. Eisenhower provides a comprehensive survey of this frequently overlooked war.

Print length

498 pages
Language

English
Publisher

University of Oklahoma Press
Publication date

September 15, 2000
Dimensions

5.5 x 1.11 x 8.5 inches
ISBN-10

0806132795
ISBN-13

978-0806132792
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Editorial Reviews

Review

Eminent military historian John S.D. Eisenhower has written a highly readable and expert account of a war which--though frequently overlooked--tuned out to be the training ground for the American Civil War.

"Splendidly narrated."–Washington Post

From the Back Cover

The Mexican-American War of the 1840s, precipitated by border disputes and the U.S. annexation of Texas, ended with the military occupation of Mexico City by General Winfield Scott. In the subsequent treaty, the United States gained territory that would become California, Nevada, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, and parts of Wyoming and Colorado. In this highly readable account, John S. D. Eisenhower provides a comprehensive survey of this frequently overlooked war.

Publisher ‏ : ‎ University of Oklahoma Press; Illustrated edition (September 15, 2000)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 498 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0806132795
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0806132792
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.25 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 1.11 x 8.5 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #426,986 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #4,579 in American Military History
- #9,564 in U.S. State & Local History

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Amazon Customer.

WHAT A JEWEL!!!!

Reviewed in the United States on June 26, 2018

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What a jewel!!!!
What an eye opening book. I have never imagined that our Mexican history was so twisted and full of... holes. I am from a Mexican decent and through out my early and adolescent years, had been tought history in a very dark way. I grew up blaming the wrong people for the wrong deeds.
As I read this amazing side of Mexican history, written by an Anglo and unbiased by all means, I can tell you that the blind fold comes down like a heavy rock on your brains. Now I understand more the full lie that all the Mexican people have been living since then. If you’re fortunate you’ll take this amazing part of history, if you want to be fortunate, get the book and devour it as if life depended on it.

11 people found this helpful

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Kindle CustomerTop Contributor: Baseball

Good Account of the Mexican War

Reviewed in the United States on April 22, 2019

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This a good overview of the war with Mexico. This has become a nearly forgotten war but, as stated by author in his closing, that it had very long lasting effects for both countries that extend to today. All angles of the war are covered well. The roots of the war,all of the main participants and the long lasting effects. Good work went into bringing out what made Scott and Taylor effective Generals with Scott being a near genius in his preparations and execution of battle. Many things are brought out that most don't know. One being the landing at Vera Cruz was the biggest land invasion of American forces until the Normandy landing in 1944. Also interesting was all the future "stars" of the American Civil War that were involved in Mexico which included Lee and Grant among many, many others. Overall this is a very good history or the Mexican War. The only mark I have against it is that it did drag in spots, mainly in describing the execution of the battles. Still a very worthwhile read.

3 people found this helpful

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Uncle Joe

Tough read!

Reviewed in the United States on June 3, 2021

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I stopped reading this book just over half way through it. I wanted a big picture, overall view of the Mexican-American War. Unfortunately, this book tends to get dull and down in the weeds. General Eisenhower writes of many very specific incidents and while there are maps with this book, he mentions many locations without a map to show where such-and-such occured. You get lost trying to figure out where that unit was. He writes of many obscure individuals and talks about their issues with each other, politics, etc.
If you want a big, overall general book on the Mexican-American war this book may not be for you. A tedious, tough read in my opinion.

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Leonard J. Wilson

The US Military Campaign in the Mexican War

Reviewed in the United States on July 25, 2010

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So Far from God, by John S. D. Eisenhower (brigadier general in the Army Reserve, ambassador to Belgium, and president's son) is a military history of the Mexican War of 1846-48. The title is taken from the quote from Mexican General Porfirio Diaz: "Poor Mexico! So far from God and so close to the United States".

I read this book as a counter-point to A Country of Vast Designs by Robert W. Merry, which I have also reviewed on Amazon.com. While Merry's book is historically factual and very well written, it did leave me with the feeling that he was less than objective in his favorable treatment of President Polk. Eisenhower's book is a good counter-point in that it is also historically factual, provides far more detail on military tactics, and is not biased in favor of Polk. If Eisenhower displays any bias, it is toward the field commanders, Generals Winfield Scott and Zachary Taylor, in their dealings with Polk. I can't find much to criticize about Taylor's dealings with the president, but I believe there was plenty of fault to be shared between Scott and Polk. Scott was a superb field commander who planned and executed the amphibious landing of his army at Veracruz, capture of that city, overland march, capture of Mexico City, and occupation of that city almost flawlessly. He was cited by no less authority than the Duke of Wellington as the "greatest living soldier". However, Scott was also egotistical, insubordinate to both the President and the Secretary of War, and fully deserving of his troops' nickname, "Old Fuss and Feathers."

My only criticism of Eisenhower's book is that it needs a better editor. Senator Lewis Cass is cited as the senator from Ohio; he represented Michigan. Polk's emissary to John C. Fremont (who commanded a US Army expedition in California) was US Marine Lieutenant Archibald H. Gillespie; Eisenhower renames him "Arnold H. Gillespie". These are perhaps trivial errors, but they leave me wondering what other errors I might have missed.

If you are looking for a detailed description of the US military campaign in the Mexican War, read Eisenhower's book. On the other hand, if you want the war put into a larger picture which involves US politics, the concurrent US-British dispute over the Oregon Country (which almost led to war), and British involvement in the Republic of Texas preceding the Mexican War, read Merry's book.

30 people found this helpful

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To the Halls of Montezuma...

Reviewed in the United States on November 18, 2012

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"So Far from God" is John S.D. Eisenhower's highly readable and fairly comprehensive account of the U.S. war with Mexico 1846-1848. In around 400 pages, Eisenhower manages to cover the Texas war for independence, the U.S. political debate over its annexation, U.S. interest in California, the tangle of Mexican politics, and the war itself. Eisenhower's battle narrative follows the fighting from the opening skirmishes along the Rio Grande to the fighting in northeastern Mexico including the climactic Battle of Buena Vista, to the oddly inept struggle for California, to General Winfield Scott's daring invasion of Mexico through Veracruz that ended in Mexico City.

Eisenhower is nothing if not a fairminded historian, presenting both sides of what remains a deeply controversial war. In the process, the author makes clear just how narrow was the margin of U.S. victory in a string of battles fought deep inside Mexican territory. This reviewer was especially impressed with the daring expeditions of several U.S. commands across the empty wastelands of the Southwest, including the long trek of Doniphan's Missouri volunteers from Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas, through Santa Fe, New Mexico, to Buena Vista.

While the battle narrative is quite good, the author truly excells in following the politics behind the war, with the Polk administration in Washington, D.C., the eratic reign of Santa Ana as off and on political leader of Mexico, and the savage backbiting amongst ambitious generals in both armies. "So Far from God" is very highly recommended as a good history and a good read.

9 people found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

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greasey

An excellent book on a forgotten conflict

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 17, 2018

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This is a great book about the US/Mexico War of 1846-48. It has been well written and reads like a novel, plus it has a timeline at the back to follow every event in the war. My only gripe was that there was not much on the war in the west such as in New Mexico and California, just a single chapter. Apart from that this is an excellent book.

Cosmo lang

Five Stars

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 15, 2015

Verified Purchase

Very pleased.

One person found this helpful

Ramones 16

Der Beginn des US-Imperialismus

Reviewed in Germany on May 13, 2015

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Nachdem ich den sehr gelungenen Westernroman "Das Böse im Blut", dessen Geschichte großteils im US-Mexikanischen Krieg spielt, begeistert gelesen hatte, wollte ich mehr über diesen vergessenen Konflikt erfahren. Der Autor, ehemaliger Brigadier-General und früherer US-Botschafter in Brüssel, besticht in seinem Werk durch militärische Genauigkeit und Detailtreue, vergisst dabei aber nicht, spannend und bildhaft zu schreiben. So findet man sich in der Phantasie bald in der unwirtlichen und staubtrockenen Kriegslandschaft wieder, wo US-"Regulars" und viele "Volunteers" unzählige Meilen zu marschieren haben, um den mexikanischen "Feind" zu fassen.
Hintergrund des Konflikts war der unabhängige Staat Texas, den sich die USA unbedingt einverleiben wollten, was Mexiko wiederum unbedingt verhindern wollte. Doch der Appetit mancher Politiker und Abenteurer an der Ostküste war noch viel größer - auch New Mexico und vor allem Kalifornien wollte man sich erobern, blöd nur, dass beide Territorien mexikanisches Staatsgebiet waren.

Der demokratische Präsident James K. Polk gab schließlich grünes Licht, wie interessanterweise überhaupt in der Geschichte der USA mehr Kriege von demokratischen als von republikanischen Präsidenten begonnen wurden. Auf 383 Seiten, mit einigen Fotos und Abbildungen, vor allem aber sehr gutem Kartenmaterial, führt der Autor durch sämtliche Kampfhandlungen, bis zur Entscheidungsschlacht vor Mexico City.

Das größte Problem der US-Truppen waren Logistik und Nachschub, die Verluste an Mensch und Material wesentlich höher als ursprünglich angenommen. Die Stärke der US- Army waren ihre professionellen Offiziere, insbesondere die Pioniere (in Westpoint ausgebildet), sowie ihre, oft schlachtentscheidende "fliegende" = leichte Artillerie. Die mexikanischen Soldaten kämpften tapfer, litten aber unter altmodischer Artillerie, schlechter Logistik, vor allem aber einem vollkommen unfähigen Offizierskorps. So waren sie von Beginn an eigentlich chancenlos, die relativ lange Dauer des Krieges ist nur ihrem Durchhaltewillen und ihren blutigen, letztlich zwecklosen Opfern zu verdanken. Allerdings waren auch die USA heilfroh, als der Krieg zu Ende war, nicht zuletzt aus Kostengründen. 13.780 US-Soldaten starben, nur etwa 1500 davon im Gefecht, der Rest durch Krankheiten und Unfälle. Die mexikanischen Verluste sind unbekannt, dürften aber deutlich höher gewesen sein.

Mit dem Sieg über Mexiko verschoben die USA ihr Grenzen nach Süden und Westen, Texas, Kalifornien und New Mexico wurden neue Bundesstaaten. Der Weg der USA Richtung Weltmacht hatte begonnen! Von mir gerne fünf Sterne für dieses gut gemachte Werk.

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