Source: Jon Meacham. And There Was Light -
Abraham Lincoln and the American Struggle (2022)
Abraham Lincoln and the American Struggle (2022)
Abolitionists believed that the Election of 1864 was a turning point not only in their favor, but for the nation as well, and with Lincoln in his second term, a Constitutional amendment abolishing slavery was very possible. It seemed that the political landscape had changed at least enough to create the necessary momentum, and Lincoln had his men lobby hard to reach the required two-thirds majority in the House to formally propose the amendment abolishing slavery. Lincoln believed that he would have support from the four Border States for the amendment, which might at last convince the CSA that the Civil War was over.
On 31 January 1865, the House formally proposed the amendment by a vote of
119 - 56, with eight Congressmen not voting (the Senate had formally proposed the amendment in April 1864). Jefferson Davis attempted to throw a monkey wrench in the process when he offered to send a “peace delegation”. Lincoln agreed to the point where the meeting would be held outside of DC in Hampton Roads (VA) with SecState Seward, but then Lincoln surprised all involved by telegraphing that he would also attend the meeting.
Jefferson Davis sent VP Alexander Stephens to the meeting to be the lead negotiator for the CSA. Stephens kept insisting on conditions on which Lincoln would never agree, and after three hours the meeting ended, with Lincoln resolute, and the CSA unyielding. Lincoln returned to DC, and he kept his focus on ending the Civil War and starting Reconstruction. Lincoln did fit in a few periods of enjoyment in early-1865, such as on 10 February when he and General Grant attended Ford’s Theater, watching two plays, with both receiving a great ovation.
On 31 January 1865, the House formally proposed the amendment by a vote of
119 - 56, with eight Congressmen not voting (the Senate had formally proposed the amendment in April 1864). Jefferson Davis attempted to throw a monkey wrench in the process when he offered to send a “peace delegation”. Lincoln agreed to the point where the meeting would be held outside of DC in Hampton Roads (VA) with SecState Seward, but then Lincoln surprised all involved by telegraphing that he would also attend the meeting.
Jefferson Davis sent VP Alexander Stephens to the meeting to be the lead negotiator for the CSA. Stephens kept insisting on conditions on which Lincoln would never agree, and after three hours the meeting ended, with Lincoln resolute, and the CSA unyielding. Lincoln returned to DC, and he kept his focus on ending the Civil War and starting Reconstruction. Lincoln did fit in a few periods of enjoyment in early-1865, such as on 10 February when he and General Grant attended Ford’s Theater, watching two plays, with both receiving a great ovation.
During January 1865, General Sherman issued his Special Field Order #15 (with Lincoln’s approval), which assigned 400,000 acres of confiscated land along the coastlines of SC, GA, and FL, including the Sea Islands. To free Black people, since Sherman added Union mules to the order, it was the origin of “40 Acres and a Mule”, which was the promise of land ownership for many former slaves. In addition to land ownership for former slaves, Lincoln knew another postwar concern was to somehow keep the “former” rebels from swamping the ballot box in their favor, and Black suffrage was one way to blunt their advantage. However, Lincoln wasn’t yet quite ready to go all-in on Black suffrage at that point. On 3 March 1865, the day before his 2nd Inauguration, Lincoln signed into law the Freedmen’s Bureau. In part, that new federal bureaucracy was to administer the transfer of confiscated Southern lands to former slaves.
4 March 1865, Lincoln’s 2nd Inaugural - The swearing-in of Andrew Johnson as Vice-President: Johnson, the Military Governor of TN, had just wrapped up a state convention that voted to support the abolition of slavery, but also opposed Black suffrage. Johnson had what was most likely a severe case of the flu, and telegraphed Lincoln that he didn’t feel well enough to attend the Inauguration; Lincoln cabled back, in effect ordering Johnson to DC. Johnson drank the evening before the Inauguration, which was most unwise, and the following morning, he drank three glasses of whiskey on an empty stomach. Outgoing VP Hamlin, who supplied the morning whiskey, hoped that Johnson could handle his liquor, but that would not be the case. Before taking the Oath of Office for VP, Johnson had to make the customary address to the Senate. Johnson delivered a disastrous speech, which became a drunken vitriolic tirade that lasted around twenty minutes, with no one knowing what to do in order to get Johnson to stop his rant. When Johnson took the Oath of Office for VP, he slurred the words and even added some words/phrases of his own. The media and DC had absolute field days excoriating the new VP for his behavior on Lincoln’s 2nd Inaugural, with one nickname in particular sticking: “Andy the Sot”.
4 March 1865, Lincoln’s 2nd Inaugural - The swearing-in of Andrew Johnson as Vice-President: Johnson, the Military Governor of TN, had just wrapped up a state convention that voted to support the abolition of slavery, but also opposed Black suffrage. Johnson had what was most likely a severe case of the flu, and telegraphed Lincoln that he didn’t feel well enough to attend the Inauguration; Lincoln cabled back, in effect ordering Johnson to DC. Johnson drank the evening before the Inauguration, which was most unwise, and the following morning, he drank three glasses of whiskey on an empty stomach. Outgoing VP Hamlin, who supplied the morning whiskey, hoped that Johnson could handle his liquor, but that would not be the case. Before taking the Oath of Office for VP, Johnson had to make the customary address to the Senate. Johnson delivered a disastrous speech, which became a drunken vitriolic tirade that lasted around twenty minutes, with no one knowing what to do in order to get Johnson to stop his rant. When Johnson took the Oath of Office for VP, he slurred the words and even added some words/phrases of his own. The media and DC had absolute field days excoriating the new VP for his behavior on Lincoln’s 2nd Inaugural, with one nickname in particular sticking: “Andy the Sot”.
Lincoln delivered his 2nd Inaugural Address, plainly identifying slavery as the main cause of the Civil War, and that the war was the price the nation paid for the sin of slavery. While Lincoln’s 2nd Inaugural Address was fairly short, it was very complex and densely-layered, designed for the assembled crowd to respond in an emotional manner. As Lincoln worked his way through his address, people listened with more care, sensing Lincoln wasn’t giving a traditional Inaugural Address. In starting his concluding paragraph, Lincoln said, “With malice toward none, with charity for all”, which to the crowd seemed like a benediction, and then after a few moments, they cheered wildly.
By this late state of the Civil War, the CSA was so desperate that the government called for slaves to fight for the Confederacy. General Lee, who knew the only way to gain more soldiers was to go down that path, pressed for those that agreed to fight to be freed as slaves. Lincoln knew the South had reached the abyss in terms of war-time resources to continue fighting, and he decided that he wanted to meet face-to-face with General Grant in VA. On 23 March 1865, with Grant on the verge of capturing Richmond, Lincoln left DC on the River Queen. Once in VA, Lincoln saw parts of Petersburg, watched the burial of Union dead, and worked his way by train to Grant’s headquarters. Lincoln spent sixteen days in VA, waiting for the Fall of Richmond; as the days passed, Union forces closed in on the Confederate capital.
By this late state of the Civil War, the CSA was so desperate that the government called for slaves to fight for the Confederacy. General Lee, who knew the only way to gain more soldiers was to go down that path, pressed for those that agreed to fight to be freed as slaves. Lincoln knew the South had reached the abyss in terms of war-time resources to continue fighting, and he decided that he wanted to meet face-to-face with General Grant in VA. On 23 March 1865, with Grant on the verge of capturing Richmond, Lincoln left DC on the River Queen. Once in VA, Lincoln saw parts of Petersburg, watched the burial of Union dead, and worked his way by train to Grant’s headquarters. Lincoln spent sixteen days in VA, waiting for the Fall of Richmond; as the days passed, Union forces closed in on the Confederate capital.
The Rebel South wondered why the Lord had found their cause to be wrong; wasn’t their cause just? So therefore, there had to be another reason that explained why the South was about to become a conquered region at the hands of the North. To some, the defeat to the Union was a sign of the Apocalypse, which demonstrated the depth of the ambitions, self-regard, certitude, and the flat-out delusions of the South. All of those factors, plus the incredible hardships and sacrifices the entire region suffered during the Civil War, would be the ingredients for what became known as “The Lost Cause” after the war.
On 4 April 1865, Lincoln entered Richmond, now the fallen capital of the Confederacy. Among other things, Lincoln visited (the abandoned) CSA President Jefferson Davis’ house in Richmond. On 7 April 1864, Lincoln telegraphed Grant (who was in the field), telling him that
General Philip Sheridan said that if Lee was pressed, he would surrender. Lincoln told Grant to “Let the thing be pressed”. On 9 April 1865 (Palm Sunday), Lee wrote Grant to request a meeting, asking for a suspension of hostility in order to discuss terms of surrender. The meeting was set for the afternoon at the house of Wilmer McLean in VA in a town known as Appomattox Court House. On Palm Sunday, Lincoln was on the River Queen, returning to DC when Lee surrendered to Grant at Appomattox. All that was left for Lee was honor - honor for his army and for himself. Grant, in part due to Lincoln’s advice, and also due to the general’s practicality, gave generous terms for surrender, of which he hadn’t done (much) during the Civil War.
On 4 April 1865, Lincoln entered Richmond, now the fallen capital of the Confederacy. Among other things, Lincoln visited (the abandoned) CSA President Jefferson Davis’ house in Richmond. On 7 April 1864, Lincoln telegraphed Grant (who was in the field), telling him that
General Philip Sheridan said that if Lee was pressed, he would surrender. Lincoln told Grant to “Let the thing be pressed”. On 9 April 1865 (Palm Sunday), Lee wrote Grant to request a meeting, asking for a suspension of hostility in order to discuss terms of surrender. The meeting was set for the afternoon at the house of Wilmer McLean in VA in a town known as Appomattox Court House. On Palm Sunday, Lincoln was on the River Queen, returning to DC when Lee surrendered to Grant at Appomattox. All that was left for Lee was honor - honor for his army and for himself. Grant, in part due to Lincoln’s advice, and also due to the general’s practicality, gave generous terms for surrender, of which he hadn’t done (much) during the Civil War.
News of Lee’s surrender reached DC on the dawn of 10 April 1865 via a 500 round cannonade, which Lincoln heard very clearly while having breakfast. It soon became clear that Lincoln was pursuing a moderate course in the immediate aftermath of Lee’s surrender. For example, Lincoln wanted LA to be readmitted as a state, and the rebel legislature in VA to have the chance to vote to officially end their part of the war. The Radical Republicans were very much in opposition to Lincoln’s moderate course, wanting to punish the entire South for the Civil War. Lincoln wasn’t interested in widespread retribution; it was not too much to say that Lincoln was probably the best friend the South had in the immediate aftermath of the Civil War.
On 11 April 1865, Lincoln gave a brief speech from a window in the White House, with his central topic being Reconstruction. The New York Times focused on the main issue of Reconstruction, stating that the real concern was whether the Southern states would actually cooperate once readmitted to the Union, instead of resorting to oppression, resisting Reconstruction. The Times continued by saying that former slaves needed the assistance and protection of the federal government, so bondage in other forms, and denial of basic rights could not occur. To Lincoln, LA was the test case for Reconstruction, and as with the Emancipation Proclamation and the formally proposed amendment abolishing slavery which had been sent to the states for ratification, Lincoln was focused on human rights (which was a phrase not yet in existence in the American lexicon). Had Lincoln not been assassinated, he never would have accepted the “Black Codes” that the entire South soon enough embraced and enforced.
On 11 April 1865, Lincoln gave a brief speech from a window in the White House, with his central topic being Reconstruction. The New York Times focused on the main issue of Reconstruction, stating that the real concern was whether the Southern states would actually cooperate once readmitted to the Union, instead of resorting to oppression, resisting Reconstruction. The Times continued by saying that former slaves needed the assistance and protection of the federal government, so bondage in other forms, and denial of basic rights could not occur. To Lincoln, LA was the test case for Reconstruction, and as with the Emancipation Proclamation and the formally proposed amendment abolishing slavery which had been sent to the states for ratification, Lincoln was focused on human rights (which was a phrase not yet in existence in the American lexicon). Had Lincoln not been assassinated, he never would have accepted the “Black Codes” that the entire South soon enough embraced and enforced.
Addendum: Lincoln's 2nd Inaugural Address . . .