Customer Reviews

Reelecting Lincoln: The Battle for the 1864 Presidency

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The election of 1864 was probably the most important Presidential election in our History.It is no understatement to say that if Abraham Lincoln had not been re-elected Our History would have been very different.In fact had Lincoln not won the United States might not even exsist today. In Re-electing Lincoln John Waugh gives us a superb account of this crucial campaign.Mr. Waugh is a former Political Reporter. And it shows.As I read this Book I often had the sensation that I was reading this in the newspaper or watching it on CNN. Mr. Waugh also has the gifts of a Novelist. He gives us a powerful and a suspenseful story with a cast of simply unforgetable Characters. As a History Teacher the thing that I gained most from Re-electing Lincoln was the realization that Political campaigns really have''nt changed much in 134 years.Those who think Campaign finance practices are sleazy today will find this Book a real eye opener.This Book is a wonderful read,even if your not a Civil War Buff. Don't pass it up.

Author John C. Waugh has assembled a very large study of the political battle faced by President Abraham Lincoln as he ran for his second term in office. Waugh brings the reader to the front lines of struggle faced by the Lincoln administration and various political parties looking to cause unrest and hinder Lincoln's chances at reelection. The book also looks at many players involved in either helping Lincoln or destroying his chances. As the book progresses it uncovers odd political gain of many such as radicals trying anything to ruin Lincoln's chances while hysteria and hype flow through the papers. Anyone looking to understand the battle for the 1864 election owes it to them selves to read this book! 5 STARS!

John Waugh's book is a great insight into Lincoln's re-election bid in 1864. The book is replete with examples of Lincoln's astuteness as a politician. Although, Lincoln was a self-made commander in chief with no real military experience, he was very able. Lincoln envisioned, before his generals, that the war would be protracted. He came to mistrust many of his top generals; they were not aggressive enough for him. The conduct of the war is starting to wear on the morale at home. This causes a split in the fledgling Republican Party. The Abolitionist thought that Lincoln was too soft on eradicating slavery, but they couldn't get a candidate of their liking chosen at convention. The anti-war wing of the party believed that Lincoln was bleeding the country dry; they abhorred the human and economic suffering. Lincoln was able to out maneuver both factions and win re-nomination.

He then had to prepare to run against General McClellan, the Democratic Party's nominee, who he had fired for not aggressively prosecuting the war. The Democrats had selected McClellan on an anti war platform. Much to their chagrin McClellan ignores the party platform and runs as a pro-war candidate. This reversal is the first time in presidential political history that a candidate runs counter to the party platform. Despite McClellan's reversal the election is looking dire for Lincoln in August. Although Grant, the new general, is at least pursuing Lee's army, the war isn't moving fast enough. Many people in the North are looking to a decisive field victory to show that the war is at least coming to an end. All the doom and gloom in the White House comes to an end in September when General Sherman burns Atlanta. Lincoln can show the nation that the end is finally in sight. Lincoln very adroitly allows military units, especially from New York to travel home to vote. This shrewd political tactic garners Lincoln 7 out of 10 military votes. He winds up winning the election with 55% of the vote and a large portion of the Electoral College.

Waugh who is a journalist by trade writes in a style reminiscent of the great newspaper editors of Lincoln's day. He uses many of the articles as background information for the book. This was a very interesting book, which illuminates Lincoln's adroitness as a politician. As a retired Army officer and student of political philosophy, I found this to be a great book on leadership. Highly recommended.

John C. Waugh's book is billed as an account of the 20th election campaign of the United States, between Union (Republican) candidate and incumbent President Abraham Lincoln and Democrat George B McClellan. But in truth, it is a narrative of the politics of 1864 in Washington, with the election playing a central, but not supreme, role.

'Reelecting Lincoln' thus tells the tale of the numerous political clashes that took place that year. It occasionally moves away from the Capital, reporting events in the Eastern Front, in Chicago convention, or even in Richmond, but the focus is clearly on the politics in Washington.

Waugh uses the terms 'cover' and 'report' to describe what he does in this book, arguing that he treats the election of 1864 as if it was a current day election. Indeed, the best thing about Waugh's book is that it demonstrated the messiness and doubt that affected the people at the time. Wild schemes to replace Lincoln as President, to nominate Grant, Chase or Benjamin Butler, or to change the party tickets, were all in the air. Waugh gives the audience a good sense of Washington's confusion in 1864 - without opinion polls, with on and off communication with the rest of the country, and with a war that seems to go good and bad unexpectedly, 1864 seemed much less certain then it does in retrospect.

Although Waugh's book is very readable, I would hesitate calling any book well written if it contained lines such as "Her beautiful head rested upon perhaps the most perfectly swanlike neck in the country" (p. 42). Waugh has an irritating tendency to describe, in great detail, the physical appearance of virtually every character he introduces, never mind how minor he or she is to the account. These descriptions slow the book down considerably - he spends the better part of three pages describing Abraham Lincoln (pp. 76-78).

Perhaps because Waugh is a journalist and not a historian, his approach to the questions of historiography is somewhat naïve. Waugh says that "it really happened that way" (p. x) but of course it's more complicated then that - the problems of selection and emphasis are inherent in any account. For example, the most important cause for Lincoln's victory in the election were the Northern military triumphs late in the summer - but Waugh dedicated only 4 pages to describe them (pp. 295-8). When describing the relations between Lincoln and the Radicals, Waugh seems to lean against the currently accepted interpretation, which emphasizes the agreement between Lincoln and the Radicals in face of Democratic, and especially copperhead, opposition.

Unforgivable is the absence of maps, especially given the long account of Jubal Early's ultimately pointless raid on Washington (chapter 18). The description of the Wilderness campaign would also have benefited from a map.

'Reelecting Lincoln' was the first narrative history I've read of the 1864 political situation in Washington, barring James McPherson's classic "Battle Cry of Freedom". As a narrative of those times, it gets the job done - but I can't recommend it to a more general audience

I personally liked the book from a purely historical standpoint. It was a bit dry in parts and a bit too flowery in others but from the view of a person of the era watching the event I found it fascinating. I would have liked a few more maps and a few more pictures but ya can't have everything. I loved the personal descriptions of each of the main characters. Without actual movies or sounds of the day it made me visualize how Lincoln walked and talked, I could picture how Grant talked and walked, etc., etc. This may not be much to some but it puts flesh and bone on historical figures and makes them more human, rather than pages in a history book.

For a history buff this is a must read, especially if you are a Civil War fanatic. On the other hand, those who are not really into history or politics might just enjoy this book also. The twists and turns of the plot, the shouting matches, the suspense, and the knife in the back tactics of some of the main players make this story almost worthy of being a daytime soap. The only thing missing is the sex.

Many readers will find it hard to believe that in 1864 Abraham Linclon was not the beloved figure he is today. Not only was he a target for the Democrats but also came under heavy fire from many in his own party. Had not Sherman, Farragut, and Sheridan given the Union great wins on the field in the Fall of 1864 it is quite possible that Lincoln would have lost the election. Still more probable is that if the Democrats themselves had not made major mistakes in their platform and choice for Vice President, George McCellan would have been the 17th President of the United States. The trials Lincoln faced within his own party makes one wonder just how much better he would have done than did Johnson during reconstruction.

John Waugh does a masterful job of telling his story. He keeps the book interesting from cover to cover and almost makes the reader feel they are there. Of special note is his ability to help the reader keep the players in this story straight. Many people who were prominate in this campaign are somewhat lost in history but Waugh never confuses the reader as he weaves them in and out of his text. I also found it very interesting how he pointed out the similar trials Jefferson Davis faced in Richmond.

The most amazing thing is that elections were held at all during such a crisis. It is a credit to the leaders of both the Union and the Confederacy that they never really thought about not holding elections right on schedule. Thanks to Mr. Waugh for reminding us just how dear our form of government is. Thanks also for an outstanding book.

As his narrative style demonstrates, author John Waugh is a great storyteller; his vivid descriptions of the many players involved in the campaign of 1864 are details one might expect from a work of historical fiction. But this is not a novel. It is a well-researched, very readable history that illustrates Abraham Lincoln's political skill and the importance of his re-election to the fate of the union. What quickly becomes apparent is Lincoln's skill in successfully juggling the interests of opponents both inside and outside his party. While other politicians may have been more dedicated to the immediate abolition of slavery, one begins to understand that Lincoln's overriding goal above all else was the end of the war and the restoration of the union. Waugh's work suggests that Lincoln's personality, and perhaps more importantly, moderate ideology, were crucial to that goal.

The book does a thorough job of showcasing Lincoln's many opponents as well as illustrating the President's own doubts about getting re-elected. Still, after finishing the book, I never really got the sense that Lincoln's re-election was ever really in serious jeopardy. After all, the subject of the book is the "battle for the 1864 presidency." Granted, we have the advantage of knowing the outcome, and, for Lincoln, the threat of defeat was indeed real. But many of the quotes of the doomsday prognosticators seemed more like wishful thinking from Lincoln-hating politicians who could never attain the numbers to give him a more serious challenge. When one removes the book's microscope on Lincoln's political opponents, the big picture would seem to suggest that the people of the north were loyal to the President all along. In any case, keeping one's perspective might be a good idea.

Still, I'd recommend this book-it's a fun read that is well-written and very accessible. Another theme that I took away from Reelecting Lincoln was the reminder that our heroic leaders were ordinary politicians once-fallible with friends and enemies alike.

Considering turmoil surrounding the 2000 U.S. presidential election, it is interesting to reflect back on how well U.S. electoral politics have worked no matter the crisis. Even during the U.S. Civil War, the Union managed to hold an effective election that could have been much closer than it was. Waugh does an excellent job of examining the 1864 election, the players, the minor issues, and the overall effect that reversals and gains on the battlefields of the South and West had on Lincoln's fortunes.

As a reporter (as opposed to a historian), Waugh writes with a minimum of analysis, preferring to retell the events and to sketch the outcomes in a straightforward manner that proves very readable. This "historical reportage" approach lends itself well to both illuminating the past and allowing the reader to draw parallels with modern electoral campaigns and politicians.

This is one of the best history books I have ever read. John C. Waugh has written a lively story of an extraordinary election campaign - the reelection of Lincoln in 1864 as the Civil War dragged on. The contrasts with modern election campaigns are striking. We take 2-term presidencies as if not a given then certainly a standard goal. When Lincoln ran again in 1864, however, no president had been reelected in over 30 years! Neither Lincoln nor his Democratic opponent, George B. McClellan (the general Lincoln fired because he had the "slows") attended the conventions that nominated them or made any campaign speeches once they were nominated. Instead surrogates did all the compaigning for the two candidates. Mr. Waugh's book is a wonderful account of all the lively personalities who were players large and small in this campaign. As a newspaperman himself, he clearly relishes the highly partisan style of journalism which was prevalent at this time, and delights in leading his reader to a lively newspaper quote, or to yet another funny Lincoln story. I would have liked to have seen a few maps to help follow the Civil War campaigns. I also think Mr. Waugh would have done well to provide a brief "cast of characters" listing to help the reader keep all these people sorted out. But these are minor quibbles and this is history the way it should be written - always lively, informative and never losing sight of the humanity of the players upon the painted stage at this pivotal moment in American history. If you are an American history buff, a Lincoln admirer, or a person who loves the presidential campaign season, then this is a book you will delight in.

(original version posted July 28, 2000)
As his narrative style demonstrates, author John Waugh is a great storyteller; his vivid descriptions of the many players involved in the campaign of 1864 are details usually found in a work of historical fiction. But this is not a novel. It is a well-researched, very readable history that illustrates Abraham Lincoln's political skill and the importance of his re-election in determining the fate of the union. What quickly becomes apparent is Lincoln's skill in successfully juggling the interests of opponents both inside and outside his party. While other politicians may have been more dedicated to the immediate abolition of slavery, one quickly understands that Lincoln's overriding goal was the end of the war and the restoration of the union. Waugh's work suggests that Lincoln's personality, and perhaps more importantly, moderate ideology, were pivotal in attaining that goal.

The book does a thorough job of showcasing Lincoln's many opponents as well as illustrating the President's own doubts about getting re-elected. Still, after finishing the book, I never really got the sense that Lincoln's re-election was ever really in serious jeopardy. After all, the subject of the book is the "BATTLE for the 1864 presidency." Granted, we have the advantage of knowing the outcome, and, for Lincoln, the threat of defeat was indeed real. But many of the quotes of the doomsday prognosticators seemed more like wishful thinking from Lincoln-hating politicians who could never attain the numbers to give him a more serious challenge. When one removes the book's microscope on Lincoln's political opponents, the big picture would seem to suggest that the people of the north were loyal to the President all along. Knowing nothing of the history of this election, one might be led to think that the author was trying to manufacture some drama (I doubt this to be the case). In any event, keeping some healthy perspective can't hurt.

I recommend this book--it's a fun read that is well-written and very accessible. Another simple reminder that I took away from Reelecting Lincoln was that our heroes and legends with the monuments and their faces on dollars were ordinary fallible politicians once-- with friends and enemies alike.