Tycoon's War: How Cornelius Vanderbilt Invaded a Country to Overthrow America's Most Famous Military Adventurer

In 1849, fifty-five year old shipping magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt was one of the richest men in America. When he died in 1877, Vanderbilt had more money than the US Treasury and was the richest man in the country. Americans remember Vanderbilt's name today, but very few Americans remember the adventurer William Walker, his rival, who was the most famous man in America during his day. This was the age of expansion. The US had just won the war with Mexico the previous year during which the country took half a million Mexican acres. Now Nicaragua interested several countries. The French wanted to build a canal across it from the Caribbean Sea to the Pacific Ocean. The British landed military forces in Nicaragua to take control of the area and introduce their influence into Central America. This was also the time of the California gold rush when many people lost their lives when they traveled across the US by land. Vanderbilt proposed to the US government that the government get him the right from Nicaragua to build a canal across their country so that Americans and others could go from the east to the west safely. However, Vanderbilt was opposed by the very talented young American idealist, William Walker, who was determined to conquer and rule over a Central American Empire. Walker would become the president of Nicaragua for awhile, but ultimately failed to accomplish his goal. The two powerful men, both opportunists, clashed in battles that resulted in the death of thousands of Americans. This book is a well-written history, with much interesting information, and it reads like a drama.

The "Tycon's War" offers an entertaining historical voyage into a fascinating era of American/Central American history. I wholeheartedly recommend this book for both its historical and entertainment value. Well written and well researched, the book provides many great stories to recount to friends and family.

When you hear the name Vanderbilt, what do you think of? Gloria's designer blue jeans, perhaps? Amy's practical particulars on proper etiquette? Consuelo's European titled-husband-hunting and subsequent portrait by Sargent? An American university? Or maybe those preposterously lavish millionaire's "cottages" in dotting the landscape in Ashville, North Carolina and Newport, Rhode Island? Yes, so do I. All of the above stem from Cornelius--AKA "Commodore"--Vanderbilt, who fashioned an empire worth $143 billion in today's dollars, out of ferry boats, steamships and railroads, thus making himself and his heirs among America's wealthiest plutocrats down to this very day. All of this is pretty well known. But without the book Tycoon's War, even 19th century trivia buffs might not have realized that the Commodore of the New York Central also waged a war in Central America, against a colorful expatriate American from Nashville named William Walker, and through deception, skullduggery and the power of the dollar, won it. Just barely. Had he lost, he might have ended his life in reduced circumstances and semi-obscurity like the rest of us. And therein lies this tale. The Commodore, to make the understatement of the day, was not exactly a likable fellow. He was accustomed to getting exactly what he wanted and derived inordinate pleasure from terrorizing the populace by driving his horses up and down the boulevards of Manhattan at break neck speed, cheating at protracted card games with various sons and sons-in-law (most of whom he disinherited at regular intervals) and causing a general ruckus wherever he went. A person of ordinary means with such a sour disposition would have been shunned as the Amish do, but the Commodore had extraordinary means and so his oafish behavior was tolerated, though never appreciated. All of this makes for good copy, if not good companionship. Given a choice--and really there is not much of one--throughout the book the reader roots fervently for the underdog adventurer, William Walker. Whether this is due to Walker's perennially sunny assessment of his own prospects of success, his adulation in the contemporary American press, his hero worship by his hand picked followers or his improbably bookish appearance, Walker comes off better than the Commodore on every page. Then again, a rumpled sheet of waxed paper would come off better than the Commodore. But I digress. Walker seeks to establish a government in Nicaragua with himself as the generalissimo behind the titular president and thereby, extend United States influence southward. However, in so doing, Walker commandeers the Commodore's lake steamers from his lucrative trans-isthmus business, just as all thousands of young fellows are responding to Horace Greeley's decree, "Go west, young man!" This gets the Commodore where it hurts, in the Vanderbilt wallet. So in the Commodore's eyes Walker has got to take a hike. West or otherwise. I won't spoil th

What a study in power and greed. Wow, would the US and Central America look different without Vanderbilt and Walker. Brought together masterfully by Dando-Collins. I'll never look at Vanderbilt University the same again...nor Nicaragua.

"In addition to symbolizing a certain lifestyle and founding a major university, Cornelius Vanderbilt engaged in a vicious economic and personal war with William Walker of Nashville. When Walker and his private army invaded Nicaragua, Vanderbilt's fortune was threatened and this true story illustrates all the greed and violence that resulted."