The letters of Jessie Benton Frémont

the long version

Bold, talented, and ambitious, Jessie Benton Frémont was one of Victorian America's most controversial women. As the daughter of powerful Senator Thomas Hart Benton of Missouri and the wife of John C. Frémont- western explorer, presidential candidate, and Civil War general- she not only witnessed but struggled to influence many of the major events of her time. Despite the restrictions she faced as a women, she managed to carve out a vital role for herself as a writer, dedicated abolitionist, and "secretary and other self" to her mercurial husband. She collaborated on his best-selling exploration reports, served as his behind-the-scenes political advisor and chief Civil War aide, and worked as a lobbyist for Arizona mining interests. The authors create a compelling portrait of this remarkable woman. -- from book jacket.