Presidents at War: Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War
It is fitting that our series on Presidents at war should conclude with the most memorable of wartime presidencies, that of Abraham Lincoln. It has been the subject of massive volumes, documentaries and movies, and a blog entry can not do justice to the attention that this topic deserves.
Some list Lincoln's election as one of the causes of the war, and southern states began to secede from the union following his election victory but before Lincoln was even inaugurated. Even though Lincoln defeated more strident abolitionists like William Seward for his party's nomination, when Lincoln was elected, southern states believed that the writing was on the wall and it didn't portend good news for them. By the time of Lincoln's inauguration in March 1861, seven states had seceded from the Union. Even though his inaugural address adopted a conciliatory tone, this had no effect on the South.
Against the advice of a majority of his cabinet, Lincoln decided to send provisions to Fort Sumter, the fort threatened by state interests located in the harbor of Charleston, South Carolina. The fort was viewed as a symbol of federal authority, an anathema in the state that was the first to secede. On Apr. 12, 1861, South Carolinians fired the first shots of the war on the fort, and so the Civil War began.
Although he had little military experience, Lincoln became an active commander in chief. He read military texts and took great interest in his general's military strategy. Lincoln took aggressive measures, sometimes with disregard for the Constitution and often at odds with his military commanders. He replaced the aging Winfield Scott and gave command of the army to the Young Napoleon, George B. McClellan. But Lincoln's conflicts with that Democratic general, who he viewed as too slow to action. Eventually McClellan would become Lincoln's his presidential rival in 1864. He replaced his generals frequently, finally settling on Ulysses Grant. Of Grant, Lincoln said "I can't spare this man, he fights."
Lincoln was known to be merciful to court-martialed soldiers, while showing intolerance for some critics of the war. He suspended the writ of habeas corpus, which meant that those perceived as enemies of the government could be arrested, without resort to the courts to seek their release. Lincoln was aggressive in pursuing victory, in spite of significant casualties. With Grant, who shared this philosophy, Lincoln took a less direct role in military planning, but maintained his keen interest.
The war required the deployment of huge numbers of men and the procurement of huge quantities of materiel. Democrats accused Lincoln of being a tyrant because of his suspension of civil liberties. During the war over 13,000 persons were arbitrarily arrests, although Lincoln was more tolerant of criticism from the press and politicians. While many feared that Lincoln might postpone the election of 1864, there was nothing to suggest that he ever seriously considered this, although he feared in August of that year that he would lose to McClellan.
The Constitution protected slavery, but Lincoln believed that in wartime the commander in chief could abolish slavery as a war measure. His preliminary Emancipation Proclamation of Sept. 22, 1862, was said to be more a military tactic than a moral act, as was his decision to accept freedmen into the army. The emancipation proclamation became final on Jan. 1, 1863. By 1864, this was a significant issue in the election, as Lincoln endorsed the 13th Amendment to the Constitution abolishing slavery, while McClellan's pledged to return to the South the rights it had had in 1860.
Military successes, especially in the South with the capture of Atlanta and General Sherman's march to the sea, led to Lincoln's victory in that election. It would change the future of the nation, and dashed the hopes of southerners who believed that a McClellan victory would lead to a negotiated and acceptable peace. The victory agitated Southern-sympathizer John Wilkes Booth, who began to conspire first to abduct Lincoln and later to kill him. On Apr. 14, 1865, five days after Robert E. Lee's surrender to Grant at Appomattox Court House, Lincoln attended a performance of Our American Cousin at Ford's Theatre in Washington. While watching the play, Booth entered the presidential box and shot Lincoln. The next morning at 7:22 Lincoln died.
Lincoln's lasting achievements of fighting to preserve the Union, freeing the slaves, and his martyrdom at the war's end have earned him a place in the top echelon on presidents. His legacy is enhanced by his eloquence, as best exemplified in the Gettysburg Address, in which he urged "malice toward none" and "charity for all".
Some list Lincoln's election as one of the causes of the war, and southern states began to secede from the union following his election victory but before Lincoln was even inaugurated. Even though Lincoln defeated more strident abolitionists like William Seward for his party's nomination, when Lincoln was elected, southern states believed that the writing was on the wall and it didn't portend good news for them. By the time of Lincoln's inauguration in March 1861, seven states had seceded from the Union. Even though his inaugural address adopted a conciliatory tone, this had no effect on the South.
Against the advice of a majority of his cabinet, Lincoln decided to send provisions to Fort Sumter, the fort threatened by state interests located in the harbor of Charleston, South Carolina. The fort was viewed as a symbol of federal authority, an anathema in the state that was the first to secede. On Apr. 12, 1861, South Carolinians fired the first shots of the war on the fort, and so the Civil War began.
Although he had little military experience, Lincoln became an active commander in chief. He read military texts and took great interest in his general's military strategy. Lincoln took aggressive measures, sometimes with disregard for the Constitution and often at odds with his military commanders. He replaced the aging Winfield Scott and gave command of the army to the Young Napoleon, George B. McClellan. But Lincoln's conflicts with that Democratic general, who he viewed as too slow to action. Eventually McClellan would become Lincoln's his presidential rival in 1864. He replaced his generals frequently, finally settling on Ulysses Grant. Of Grant, Lincoln said "I can't spare this man, he fights."
Lincoln was known to be merciful to court-martialed soldiers, while showing intolerance for some critics of the war. He suspended the writ of habeas corpus, which meant that those perceived as enemies of the government could be arrested, without resort to the courts to seek their release. Lincoln was aggressive in pursuing victory, in spite of significant casualties. With Grant, who shared this philosophy, Lincoln took a less direct role in military planning, but maintained his keen interest.
The war required the deployment of huge numbers of men and the procurement of huge quantities of materiel. Democrats accused Lincoln of being a tyrant because of his suspension of civil liberties. During the war over 13,000 persons were arbitrarily arrests, although Lincoln was more tolerant of criticism from the press and politicians. While many feared that Lincoln might postpone the election of 1864, there was nothing to suggest that he ever seriously considered this, although he feared in August of that year that he would lose to McClellan.
The Constitution protected slavery, but Lincoln believed that in wartime the commander in chief could abolish slavery as a war measure. His preliminary Emancipation Proclamation of Sept. 22, 1862, was said to be more a military tactic than a moral act, as was his decision to accept freedmen into the army. The emancipation proclamation became final on Jan. 1, 1863. By 1864, this was a significant issue in the election, as Lincoln endorsed the 13th Amendment to the Constitution abolishing slavery, while McClellan's pledged to return to the South the rights it had had in 1860.
Military successes, especially in the South with the capture of Atlanta and General Sherman's march to the sea, led to Lincoln's victory in that election. It would change the future of the nation, and dashed the hopes of southerners who believed that a McClellan victory would lead to a negotiated and acceptable peace. The victory agitated Southern-sympathizer John Wilkes Booth, who began to conspire first to abduct Lincoln and later to kill him. On Apr. 14, 1865, five days after Robert E. Lee's surrender to Grant at Appomattox Court House, Lincoln attended a performance of Our American Cousin at Ford's Theatre in Washington. While watching the play, Booth entered the presidential box and shot Lincoln. The next morning at 7:22 Lincoln died.
Lincoln's lasting achievements of fighting to preserve the Union, freeing the slaves, and his martyrdom at the war's end have earned him a place in the top echelon on presidents. His legacy is enhanced by his eloquence, as best exemplified in the Gettysburg Address, in which he urged "malice toward none" and "charity for all".