John Potts Slough, the Union commander at the Battle of Glorieta Pass, lived a life of relentless pursuit for success that entangled him in the turbulent events of mid-nineteenth-century America. As a politician, Slough fought abolitionists in the Ohio legislature and during Kansas Territory's fourth and final constitutional convention. He organized the 1st Colorado Volunteer Infantry after the Civil War broke out, eventually leading his men against Confederate forces at the pivotal engagement at Glorieta Pass. After the war, as chief justice of the New Mexico Territorial Supreme Court, he struggled to reform corrupt courts amid the territory's corrosive Reconstruction politics. Slough was known to possess a volcanic temper and an easily wounded pride. These traits not only undermined a promising career but ultimately led to his death at the hands of an aggrieved political enemy who gunned him down in a Santa Fe saloon. Recounting Slough's timeless story of rise and fall during America's most tumultuous decades, historian Richard L. Miller brings to life this extraordinary figure.
Richard L. Miller is a frequent presenter to Civil War roundtables and other history groups. He is the past president of the Puget Sound Civil War Roundtable. Miller lives in Seattle, Washington.
Acknowledgments Introduction Part One. Ohio Chapter One. Coming of Age Chapter Two. "An Ardent and Zealous Democrat" Chapter Three. Disgrace and Defeat Part Two. Kansas Territory Chapter Four. A Righteous Fight Chapter Five. Fruitless Labor Chapter Six. Two Elections Part Three. Colorado Territory Chapter Seven. Gilpin's Pet Lambs Chapter Eight. "The Great Mogul of the Colorado First" Chapter Nine. "We Have Saved this Territory" Part Four. Virginia Chapter Ten. The Defense of Harpers Ferry Chapter Eleven. "Disorder and Vice Had Been the Rule" Chapter Twelve. Enemies Within the Lines Chapter Thirteen. "Why Then Am I Kept Here So Long?" Part Five. New Mexico Territory Chapter Fourteen. Chief Justice Chapter Fifteen. Disintegration Epilogue Notes Bibliography Index
"History has too long overlooked this unyielding, incorruptible, unlovable, and unrestrained man, who attracted enemies like iron filings to a magnet. Richard Miller's readable and well-researched biography allows us to see Slough in a new light, illuminating this enigmatic character and his tumultuous times." - Andrew E. Masich, author of Civil War in the Southwest Borderlands, 1861-1867 "A thoughtful and compelling biography of the fascinating Slough. In this most impressive job of historical sleuthing, Miller will keep the reader turning the pages. His hard-driving narrative and fresh insights, as well as his keen eye and adroit pen, make for a fascinating read." - Jerry D. Thompson, author of A Civil War History of the New Mexico Volunteers and Militia "John P. Slough was one of a handful of historical figures who not only lived through many key events of the Civil War era but also played a pivotal role in most of them. Richard Miller has provided an excellent first biography of this tragic character, whose flaws frustrated his great ambitions and ultimately led to his murder on the Southwest frontier." - Richard Melzer, coauthor of A History of New Mexico Since Statehood
