Notes CH 21 Part 3

The Election of 1864

Abraham Lincoln was in a unique position in American History. How can you have a National Election in the midst of a Civil War? How would the Soldiers, close to 2 million, get to vote? How would he “run a campaign” and be “commander-in –chief” which demanded 24 hours a day contact with the Army via telegraph, and run the nations other interests….in peacetime it is difficult at best…in the midst of a civil war…How? Remember that no president since Andrew Jackson had been reelected to a 2nd term since 1832 (32 years before). Kansas, West Virginia, and Nevada had been added as new states. Tennessee and Louisiana were under Federal Union control and cast ballots as well (but were not counted in the Electoral college)

Lincoln knew there were those within his own party who wanted him out…his own Secretary of the Treasury Salmon P. Chase, led a movement to “ditch Lincoln” because many in his party were worried that he could not possibly win….due to his many faults; not being forceful enough, being too forceful, too ready to compromise, not having won the war yet, emancipation, etc…Lincoln and his loyal followers do something clever….They FORM A NEW TEMPORARY PARTY – THE UNION PARTY*** – WHICH COMBINED REPUBLICANS WITH WAR DEMOCRATS. THIS ISOLATED THE PEACE DEMOCRATS AND COPPERHEADS….AND FORCED THEM TOGETHER (very difficult for them due to the conflict in ideologies) See the graphic on page 469 in the text edition!

Lincoln was eventually nominated by the Union Party and Salmon P. Chase resigns from the Cabinet, later to be nominated by AL to the Supreme Court, no hard feelings from AL 

The Union Party Platform:

…called for a pursuit of the War until the Confederacy surrendered unconditionally; a constitutional amendment for the abolition of Slavery (13th amendment); aid to disabled Union soldiers; continued European neutrality; enforcement of the Monroe Doctrine (remember Mexico & France); encouragement of Immigration; and construction of a transcontinental railroad. It also praised the use of Black troops and Lincoln’s management of the war.

-Andrew Johnson,***** current Military Governor of Tennessee, was named as the VP candidate…a War Democrat (note this could cause problems later, if Lincoln were to somehow die in office…a DEMOCRAT ?) HE WAS ADDED TO THE TICKET TO ATTRACT BORDER STATE – WAR DEMOCRATS…CAVEAT 

THE DEMOCRATS –

Nominate George McClellan, the deposed and overcautious, war hero??, The Democrats left after the departure of the War wing of their party to align with the Republicans were still split between those who favored a continuation of the war and uniting of the Union with those Copperheads and Peace Dems who wanted an end to the war and a negotiated settlement with the Confederacy. Here we see the influence of Clement V. who now is back in the states and had his friend Thomas Seymour added to the ticket as the VP candidate…and was able to get into the party platform- that they supported a negotiated Peace with the Confederacy – a position to which MAC opposed…. He supported a continuation of the war and restoration of the Union, but certainly not the 13th amendment.

Time-

Early on it did not look good for Lincoln… too many battles in the East…Robert E. Lee’s miracles continued, the war was taking a high # of casualties, McClellan was looking good… BUT AS LINCOLN HAD ALWAYS STATED…THE SUCCESS OF THE ARMIES****** WOULD DETERMINE HIS FATE AND THE FATE OF HIS POLICIES, such as stated in the “Union” Party Platform, …very true, very true.

Why Lincoln wins over the people…you might consider that “Little Mac” might get a majority of the soldiers vote due to his overwhelming popularity…but the slogan, “vote as you shot,” was important due to MAC’s party advocating publicly for a negotiated settlement with the CSA(Mac did not publicly support this idea) which would have meant that all the sacrifice given to this point would have been for naught…THE SOLDIERS OVERWHELMINGLY VOTE FOR LINCOLN…COMING HOME FROM EVERYWHERE TO VOTE, “THE BAYONET VOTE,” AND WERE EVEN PERMITTED TO CAST THEIR VOTES AT THE FRONT (where they were fighting across the South) …one soldier voting 49 times, for himself and once for each absent member of his company at war 

-*****VICTORIES BY THE UNION ARMY…WERE THE MOST SIGNIFICANT in Lincoln winning the election-- COMBINED WITH THE LIBERAL VOTING OF THE SOLDIERS… 3 VICTORIES SPECIFICALLY – SHERMAN TAKING ATLANTA , FARRAGUT TAKING MOBILE, ALABAMA, AND GENERAL PHIL SHERIDAN LAYING WASTE (TOTAL WAR –“ a crow could not fly over the Shenandoah Valley from one end to the other without carrying food with him.”)

- “Do not change horses in the middle of the stream,” was a popular Union Party slogan….and Lincoln began to make the 13th amendment a central issue.

Results:

Mac only wins three states; Kentucky, Delaware, and New Jersey. Lincoln wins 75% of the soldiers vote, and 55% of the total popular votes. He won the Electoral college 212-21. However, the vote was close in 4 states, NY, Conn, Penn, and DE….but –MAC could never had won even with those states electoral votes they still only totaled 68 additional electoral votes…

Lincoln’s 2nd inaugural address**** posted on Website***

Significance of the Election of 1864:

It was the DEATH BLOW FOR THE SOUTH…. The removal of Lincoln and hope for a negotiated peace which would have given the CSA their independence…. WAS THE SOUTH’S LAST HOPE.

After the election THE SOUTH WAS DEFEATED…

******NOTE: This period from November 1864 until April-May 1865 will be chaotic as the Civil War comes to a close… for both the North and South… GRANT IS IN COMMAND NOW IN THE EAST PUSHING LEE, THE UNION ARMY IS IN CONTROL OF LARGE AREAS IN THE SOUTH (Tenn & La. already…what to do with the slaves??? Is a reconstruction policy forthcoming??? From Lincoln – who would be in charge of this? The President, who believes he will because they--[ the 11 states that made up the Confederacy] never left they were just in rebellion or Congress who believed they had left and now had to apply for readmission? [BIG QUESTION- THIS WILL CAUSE SERIOUS CONFLICT] WHAT ABOUT THE PROPOSED 13TH AMENDMENT? Lets return to the story 

DO NOT FORGET LINCOLN’S FIRST ATTEMPT AT RECONSTRUCTION IN LOUISIANA AND ARKANSAS…HIS PROCLAMATION OF DEC. 1863 THE 10% PLAN******

RADICAL REPUBLICANS IN CONGRESS COUNTER LINCOLN’S 10% PLAN IN 1864 WITH THE WADE-DAVIS BILL—50% plan… which Lincoln defeats with a “pocket veto.”

Grant Outlasts Lee

General U.S. (unconditional surrender) Grant comes EAST to tackle Lee…Lincoln and Grant agree on the general principal of warfare needed to bring the war to a close as swiftly as possible…. CONSISTENTLY ENGAGE THE ENEMIES MAIN FORCES AND GRIND THEM INTO SUBMISSION –TOTAL WAR. Grant stated, “ I propose to fight it out on this line…if it takes all summer.” It took close to 18 months, ouch….

GRANT’S MOTTO AT THIS POINT: “WHEN IN DOUBT, FIGHT.”

THE VIRGINIA CAMPAIGN 1864-65

[great map p. 471 in the digital version] – “some of the most brutal fighting of the Civil War.”

Grant with 100,000 men goes after Richmond and Lee attempts to stop him…The Virginia Campaign.

The Wilderness battles during May and June of 1864 were horrifying, “Bloody Angle,” “Hell’s half acre,” the Union army suffered 50,000 casualties in 2 months (remember this is before the election and was one reason why Lincoln was believed to be in trouble in the election) in June, at Cold Harbor, in 30 minutes over 7000 Union soldiers were killed or wounded. Public opinion was aghast at the casualty rate, “Grant the Butcher,” was in the news..

By Feb. 1865 the CSA tasting defeat attempted desperately to negotiate for peace “between the two countries.” The CSA sent representatives to Hampton Roads, Virginia (in the movie – “Lincoln,” this is shown taking place as Congress is preparing to vote for the 13th Amendment…and much pressure is placed on Lincoln due to the immense casualties and the North tiring of war…to listen and abandon his commitment to EMANCIPATION…Lincoln DOES NOT WAVER AT ALL…) he does secretly meet with representatives to listen… BUT THE REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE CSA DEMAND ??? INDEPENDENCE AND A CONTINUATION OF SLAVERY….CLEVER LINCOLN LISTENS…THIS INFLUENCES THE VOTE ON THE 13TH AMENDMENT, IT PASSES, BUT!!!! Lincoln…NEVER WAVERS ON HIS COMMITMENTS TO RESTORING THE UNION AND EMANCIPATION-13TH AMENDMENT. The Southerners go home, defeated again.

The Union captures Richmond and force Lee to surrender his forces Lincoln actually tours and visits captured, burned out Richmond just before his death… (including the Iredell Blues) in April of 1865 – a momentous month in American History for sure… Lee surrenders at Appomattox Courthouse on April 9th, 1865.Grant states to his troops, “The war is over; the Rebels are our countrymen again.” Lee’s soldiers wept as he departed.

Note: on Lee’s behalf, Jefferson Davis does not approve of surrender. He ordered Lee to take his remaining troops to the mountains and continue to fight a guerilla style war….Lee to his credit, denies Davis, and states, My Troops are tired, they have sacrificed everything, have fought well and deserve to now go HOME.

THIS IS NOT THE LAST CONFEDERATE ARMY IN THE FIELD****…ONE LAST GREAT ARMY HAS YET TO SURRENDER, IT IS IN NORTH CAROLINA AND IS FIGHTING GEN. SHERMAN JUST SOUTH OF RALEIGH. It will too surrender with honor and grace… but not yet…

Note:Lincoln at this point is nearing the end of his life… but before he is killed…he travels to Richmond to see the captured Capital and he states, “THANK GOD I HAVE LIVED TO SEE THIS.”

***Lincoln gives his lastspeechto a small crowd outside of the White House… where he begins to discuss the futureRECONSTRUCTION OF THE UNION INTO A BI-RACIAL DEMOCRACY… discussing the prospects of BLACK CITIZENSHIP (14TH AMENDMENT LATER) & BLACK MEN VOTING (14TH AND 15TH AMENDMENT LATER)**** Lincoln’s assassin, John Wilkes Booth, is present at this speech and vows to kill Lincoln and others in his government… he does.

The Martyrdom of Lincoln

Good Friday, April 14, 1865 at Ford’s Theatre in DC…The President is shot in the back of the head—by John Wilkes Booth-- and by the next morning is dead. Curiously, Lincoln’s bodyguard John Parker leaves and goes to a nearby tavern with the footman and coachman to drink…. And that is when he is shot…Booth leaps from the Balcony and some say he shouted, “Sic Semper Tyrannis,” (Thus always to tyrants, the Virginia State Motto} andLincoln is DEAD. 5 days before Lee surrendered to Grant at Appomattox Court House, Virginia. He is the 1st American President to be assassinated, but not the last…

John Wilkes Booth, a famous actor, with conspirators attempted to revive the Southern Cause. Lewis Powell, David Herold, and George Atzerodt were also part of this plot. Powell and Herold were to kill Secretary of State Seward and Atzerod was supposed to kill VP Andrew Johnson….the attempt was to cut off the head of the Union Govt…and throw everything into chaos. The Conspirators failed however in killing Seward, though brutally wounding him in his home, and Atzerod never attempted to kill Johnson, he lost his nerve. Booth was successful. Booth on April 11th had attended a speech at the White House in which Lincoln had supported the idea of enfranchising the former slaves (giving them the vote)…Booth is quoted as saying, “Now by God, I’ll put him through. That is the last speech he will ever give.”

Photo of the hanging of the conspirators….July 7, 1865 after 366 witnesses testified at their trial. Of the seven accused in the Conspiracy all were found guilty…4 were hanged and 3 were sentenced to life in Prison, including Dr. Samuel Mudd*. The three who were sentenced to life in prison were later pardoned by President Johnson in Feb. of 1869, just before he left office.

*Note: Booth’s leg had been broken and on the first night of his attempted escape, he stopped at a Dr. Samuel Mudd’s home…and the doctor set his leg in a splint…they left the next day….Mudd was sentenced to life, later paroled…but spent his sentence in a fort by himself and guards on the Islands of the Dry Tortugas off the Florida Keys. “Your Name is Mudd.” Became a frequently used term after to describe people whose actions ruin their reputation. Mudd always professed his innocence.

Note:

In an 1876 dedication to the new Freedmen’s Monument in Lincoln Park in DC Frederick Douglas delivered this speech, “Oration in Memory of Abraham Lincoln.” Source: Frederick Douglass: Selected Speeches and Writings, Phillip Foner, 1999.

He was preeminently the white man’s President, entirely devoted to the welfare of white men. He was ready and willing at any time during the first years of his administration to deny, postpone, and sacrifice the rights of humanity in the colored people to promote the welfare of the white people of this country. In all his education and feeling he was an American of the Americans. He came into the Presidential chair upon one principle alone, namely, opposition to the extension of slavery.

For while Abraham Lincoln saved for you a country, he delivered us from bondage…The name of Abraham Lincoln was near and dear to our hearts in the darkest and most perilous hours of the Republic. We were no more ashamed of him when shrouded in clouds of darkness, of doubt, and defeat than when we saw him crowned with victory, honor, and glory. Our faith in him was often taxed and strained to the uttermost, but it never failed…we were able to take a comprehensive view of Abraham Lincoln, and to make reasonable allowance for the circumstances of his position…we came to the conclusion that the hour and the man of our redemption had somehow met in the person of Abraham Lincoln. It mattered little to us what language he might employ on special occasions; it mattered little to us, when we fully knew him, whether he was swift or slow in his movements; it was enough for us that Abraham Lincoln was at the head of a great movement, and was in living and earnest sympathy with that movement, which, in the nature of things, must go on until slavery should be utterly and forever abolished in the United States…under his wise and beneficent rule we saw ourselves gradually lifted from the depths of slavery to the heights of liberty and manhood; under his wise and beneficent rule, and by measures approved and vigorously pressed by him, we saw that the handwriting of ages, in the form of prejudice and proscription, was rapidly fading away from the face of our whole country;under his rule we saw the independence of the black republic of Haiti, the special object of slave-holding aversion and horror, fully recognized, and her minister, a colored gentleman, duly received here in the city of Washington; under his rule we saw the internal slave-trade, which so long disgraced the nation, abolished, and slavery abolished in the District of Columbia; under his rule we saw for the first time the law enforced against the foreign slave trade, and the first slave-trader hanged like any other pirate or murderer; under his rule, assisted by the greatest captain of our age, and his inspiration, we saw the Confederate States, based upon the idea that our race must be slaves, and slaves forever, battered to pieces and scattered to the four winds;it is hardly necessary to say that in his heart of hearts he loathed and hated slavery. The man who could say, “Fondly do we hope, fervently do we pray, that this mighty scourge of war shall soon pass away, yet if God wills it continue till all the wealth piled by two hundred years of bondage shall have been wasted, and each drop of blood drawn by the lash shall have been paid for by one drawn by the sword, the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether,” gives all needed proof of his feeling on the subject of slavery.Abraham Lincoln was clear in his duty, and had an oath in heaven. He calmly and bravely heard the voice of doubt and fear all around him; but he had an oath in heaven, and there was not power enough on earth to make this honest boatman, backwoodsman, and broad-handed splitter of rails evade or violate that sacred oath. He had not been schooled in the ethics of slavery; his plain life had favored his love of truth. He had not been taught that treason and perjury were the proof of honor and honesty. His moral training was against his saying one thing when he meant another. The trust that Abraham Lincoln had in himself and in the people was surprising and grand, but it was also enlightened and well founded. He knew the American people better than they knew themselves, and his truth was based upon this knowledge.No man who knew Abraham Lincoln could hate him — but because of his fidelity to union and liberty, he is doubly dear to us, and his memory will be precious forever.