author
Henry Coppée
1821–1895
A soldier-scholar who helped shape one of America’s young universities, he wrote widely on history, literature, and military subjects. His life moved from West Point and the Mexican War to the presidency of Lehigh University.
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About the author
Born in Savannah, Georgia, in 1821, Henry Coppée came from a family of French background and studied first at Yale before graduating from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1845. He served in the Mexican-American War and was recognized for gallantry before leaving the army to move into teaching and scholarship.
Coppée went on to teach at the University of Pennsylvania and then became the first president of Lehigh University in 1866. He later continued there as a professor of history and English literature, helping guide the school in its early years and leaving a strong mark on its academic life.
He was also a prolific author whose books ranged across history, biography, literature, and military topics. That mix of practical experience, teaching, and wide reading gave his work a learned but energetic character that appealed to nineteenth-century readers.