"Gideon Welles: Lincoln's Secretary of the Navy" by John Niven, published by Oxford University Press, New York, 1973. First Edition with '1973' on the bottom of the title page and copyright 1973 by the publisher.

Original dust jacket with unclipped price on the front flap [some soiling, edge wear]; hard boards, original beige cloth with black decorations and silvery lettering on spine; 6.1/4" x 9.1/4"; navy blue endpapers, xii + 676 pages including Index + 8 page block with photographs on glossy paper, slightly stained outer edge of the pages, very good condition.

"Excellent, readable biography of Lincoln's Navy Secretary. John Niven sheds some light on Gideon Welles, the 19th century politician best known for his service as Abraham Lincoln’s Navy secretary... Welles was a leading Jacksonian editor based out of Connecticut, Welles was always a competent and respected member of Lincoln's Cabinet who also served as a close adviser to Andrew Johnson as well. Welles also helped launch the GOP.

Niven sheds some light on this obscure figure and his role as a Jacksonian Democrat who opposed slavery, often clashing with "doughface" Isaac Toucey (who served in Polk's and Buchanan's Cabinets and really needs a biography) over the party's direction in Connecticut. Besides offering a good account of his leading the Navy during the war, Niven is also able to shed some light on Welles' personal life and his various writings before and after the war, including his efforts to show Lincoln as a strong figure. The book is helped by a good use of primary sources, including Welles' diaries. This is one of the best biographies of a 19th century American politician offering new insights in a readable fashion. Highly recommended." [a private review]

An educator and historian, (William) John Niven earned a BA from the University of Connecticut in 1943, an MA from Columbia University in 1947 and a Ph.D. from Columbia University in 1954. He was an instructor at Mitchell College from 1949 until 1951 and taught at the Claremont Graduate School from 1965 until his retirement in 1990, where he served as professor of American history and chairman of the Graduate Faculty of History.

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