History is sometimes characterized as a dry chronicle of dates, names and places. However, those who lived in the past were as vibrant, opinionated and alive as any of us. Though often lost in the ‘facts’ of History, this is at the subject’s core, as is the case with Jane Hampton Cook’s American Phoenix: John Quincy and Louisa Adams, the War of 1812 and the Exile that Saved American Independence. It is a vividly written and fascinating account of the political and personal exile of one of America’s most brilliant statesmen as de-facto American ambassador to the Russian Empire during the Napoleonic Wars that ultimately signaled the rebirth of his political career. Both Louisa and John Quincy were avid and perennial diarists, and Hampton Cook has a veritable treasure-trove of personal insight and observation at her disposal to write a highly personal history. Indeed, the book is an intimate look into the life and mind of the studious, intensely intellectual and reserved American diplomat who would later become the sixth President of the United States and a Massachusetts Congressman for the last 24 years of his long life.
John Quincy Adams (1767-1848), the eldest son of John Adams, the American revolutionary and second President of the new United States, received a first-class education in the political theories of the day and a ring-side seat to some of the greatest political events of the late 18th century. Though initially U.S. Senator from Massachusetts, John Quincy fell out with his Federalist Party and in 1809 left the Senate to be nominated by President James Madison to the new diplomatic position as “Minister Plenipotentiary” in the Russian court of St. Petersburg, with instructions to establish formal relations between his new Republic and the continental great power. Accompanied by his opinionated and devoted wife Louisa and their infant son Charles Francis, Adams, the dour disciplined Boston Congregationalist, encountered the glittering, decadent court of Russian Czar Alexander II, and struggled to fit into a strictly hierarchical system based on lavish social events and complicated social protocol. Fortunately for John Quincy, Czar Alexander II favored establishing a close working relationship with the new American Republic, and struck up a warm friendship with the intelligent and engaging Adams.
Though not financially able to host lavish social events, John Quincy and Louisa gained the respect of the diplomatic community through their personal integrity and tactful, nimble representations of their country’s interests. Their time in dimly sunlit St. Petersburg, however was marred by the personal tragedies of a miscarriage and the death of another baby daughter. The Adamses nonetheless successfully represented their country and forged a close relationship with the Russian government that would last until 1917. Adams’ service in Russia ended abruptly in late 1812, when he was called away to serve as chief negotiator in the Ghent Peace Conference with Britain to end the War of 1812. Adams’ dogged persistence in the face of humiliating American losses during the negotiations, including the capture and burning of Washington DC, helped ensure and cement American independence and recognition as an equal diplomatic player among the great powers of Europe.
A journalist, Jane Hampton Cook demonstrates her great skills in adding a personal touch to her account of a little-known episode of American diplomatic history by providing many excerpts and much information from the Adamses’ diaries. Though shy and reserved in public, in the privacy of his journal, John Quincy Adams displayed a biting wit, keen insight, and a touching devotion to his family. A highlight of Hampton Cook’s book is the equal attention paid to Louisa Adams’ side of the story, including her traumatic separation from her family, her unfortunate miscarriage, and loss of her only daughter. Overall, it is a charmingly anecdotal and personal account of an unsung American hero’s unsung political exile and redemption.
Rating: 5/5