As 1862 unfolded, Lincoln longed for Union military victories. While there were some Union victories in the West (e.g. Grant at Forts Henry and Donelson, and then at Shiloh, the first major battle of the Civil War), the Army of the Potomac under McClellan’s command kept finding ways to fail in military engagements between DC and Richmond. During these military failures in the East, Lincoln attacked slavery where and when he felt that he could safely do so. On 16 April 1862, Lincoln agreed to the action from Congress to abolish slavery in DC, which had been originally proposed in 1805. In Washington, D.C., Congress had authority over the national capital according to the Constitution. The act provided compensation of $300 for each slave freed, and also recommended that the freed slaves emigrate from the US. In this instance, freeing slaves in DC would not be seen as a war measure, but a multilateral decision involving the President based on the Constitution.
During May 1862, Lincoln issued a statement saying that due to the war, he had the power to free slaves, by what today we would call an Executive Order, which was a bold assertion of Executive power (Lincoln had forewarned both the South and the North of this eventuality). The Civil War was not going well for the Union by the Spring of 1862. Grant’s victory at Shiloh was especially costly: in two days of battle, the overall combined casualties of both armies basically equaled the combined overall casualties of the Revolutionary War, War of 1812, and the Mexican-American War - and there would be 20+ more of those nightmare large-scale battles yet to come in the Civil War.
During May 1862, Lincoln issued a statement saying that due to the war, he had the power to free slaves, by what today we would call an Executive Order, which was a bold assertion of Executive power (Lincoln had forewarned both the South and the North of this eventuality). The Civil War was not going well for the Union by the Spring of 1862. Grant’s victory at Shiloh was especially costly: in two days of battle, the overall combined casualties of both armies basically equaled the combined overall casualties of the Revolutionary War, War of 1812, and the Mexican-American War - and there would be 20+ more of those nightmare large-scale battles yet to come in the Civil War.
The Civil War for the Union to that point was summed up by hard-won-yet-costly victories and discouring-and-costly defeats, and as a result support of the Civil War in the North decreased. For the Union, the war would get worse, with General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson
winning decisive victories in the Shenandoah Valley (VA). At about the same time, General Robert E. Lee was given command of the Army of Northern Virginia, and just a month later, Lee defeated McClellan in the Seven Days Battles. Lincoln replaced the overly-cautious McClellan with the overly-reckless General John Pope, whose forces were routed by Lee at the very costly 2nd Battle of Bull Run in July 1862.
By the Spring/Summer of 1862, both Generals Ulysses Grant and William Tecumseh Sherman realized that the war would have to be won by conquest, since the Union was not just fighting enemy armies, but enemy civilians as well. Grant’s nickname in the press became “Unconditional Surrender” Grant, showing no leniency to captured Confederate armies, which became an unofficial battlefield policy for many Union commanders. However, Lincoln didn’t make that policy official in the War Department or as Commander-in-Chief. But while Lincoln stayed silent on that front, he made a significant choice on emancipation, making up his mind between March and July 1862. Lincoln would move against slavery in the CSA, but not in the Border States (MO, KY, DE, MD), and he worked on a preliminary proclamation in order to do so. The key question for Lincoln was when to release the preliminary emancipation order.
Even during the early phases of the Civil War, Lincoln wanted to move the nation forward, so afterwards the nation would be stronger. Lincoln approved a federal income tax and tried to stabilize the banking system (there was no National Bank since 1836, and the Federal Reserve wouldn’t be created until 1913). Most famously, Lincoln signed into law the Homestead Act (1862), which provided opportunities to own land for people that never could do so in the eastern part of the nation; that law also meant that Natives would be forced from their lands. On 1 July 1862, Lincoln signed into law the Pacific Railroad Act, which in effect was the first serious step towards actually building the Transcontinental Railroad. On 2 July 1862, Lincoln signed a bill into law to create land grant institutions of higher learning (e.g. University of Nebraska), which would create opportunities for white citizens, but would also displace Natives.
winning decisive victories in the Shenandoah Valley (VA). At about the same time, General Robert E. Lee was given command of the Army of Northern Virginia, and just a month later, Lee defeated McClellan in the Seven Days Battles. Lincoln replaced the overly-cautious McClellan with the overly-reckless General John Pope, whose forces were routed by Lee at the very costly 2nd Battle of Bull Run in July 1862.
By the Spring/Summer of 1862, both Generals Ulysses Grant and William Tecumseh Sherman realized that the war would have to be won by conquest, since the Union was not just fighting enemy armies, but enemy civilians as well. Grant’s nickname in the press became “Unconditional Surrender” Grant, showing no leniency to captured Confederate armies, which became an unofficial battlefield policy for many Union commanders. However, Lincoln didn’t make that policy official in the War Department or as Commander-in-Chief. But while Lincoln stayed silent on that front, he made a significant choice on emancipation, making up his mind between March and July 1862. Lincoln would move against slavery in the CSA, but not in the Border States (MO, KY, DE, MD), and he worked on a preliminary proclamation in order to do so. The key question for Lincoln was when to release the preliminary emancipation order.
Even during the early phases of the Civil War, Lincoln wanted to move the nation forward, so afterwards the nation would be stronger. Lincoln approved a federal income tax and tried to stabilize the banking system (there was no National Bank since 1836, and the Federal Reserve wouldn’t be created until 1913). Most famously, Lincoln signed into law the Homestead Act (1862), which provided opportunities to own land for people that never could do so in the eastern part of the nation; that law also meant that Natives would be forced from their lands. On 1 July 1862, Lincoln signed into law the Pacific Railroad Act, which in effect was the first serious step towards actually building the Transcontinental Railroad. On 2 July 1862, Lincoln signed a bill into law to create land grant institutions of higher learning (e.g. University of Nebraska), which would create opportunities for white citizens, but would also displace Natives.
On 17 July 1862, Lincoln signed the 2nd Confiscation Act into law, which basically stated that if a slave reached the North, the slave would be free (the act only applies to slaves in the CSA, not in the Border States). Passage of the 2nd Confiscation Act indicated that public opinion in the North was trending against slavery. The 2nd Confiscation Act, combined with General Butler’s actions at Fort Monroe (VA), led to slaves attaching themselves to a Union army after a victory in the South. Slaves that were able to do so were free and protected under Union policy, which led to additional strategies/tactics for a Union army in order to successfully accommodate the slaves.
There was an increasing awareness among DC Republicans that measures needed to be taken in order to incentivize slaves in the CSA to run away from plantations, denying the South the forced labor they needed. Simplified, Lincoln understood that the South could not fight a war and grow food at the same time, and if more-and-more slaves left plantations, Union victory would occur sooner. By the Summer of 1862, Lincoln viewed emancipation as not only a way to save the government, but also a weapon he could wield in war. An additional reason for Lincoln to release the emancipation order was that he hoped to encourage enlistments of Free Blacks to fight for the Union.
On 22 July 1862, Lincoln read his draft of emancipation (on which he had labored a very long time) to his Cabinet.. The President made it clear that he was informing them of what he was going to do, but he would be open to opinions after they heard the draft. As both Lincoln’s secretaries (John Hay and John Nicolay) would remember, every Cabinet member was surprised and bewildered by Lincoln’s boldness.
There was an increasing awareness among DC Republicans that measures needed to be taken in order to incentivize slaves in the CSA to run away from plantations, denying the South the forced labor they needed. Simplified, Lincoln understood that the South could not fight a war and grow food at the same time, and if more-and-more slaves left plantations, Union victory would occur sooner. By the Summer of 1862, Lincoln viewed emancipation as not only a way to save the government, but also a weapon he could wield in war. An additional reason for Lincoln to release the emancipation order was that he hoped to encourage enlistments of Free Blacks to fight for the Union.
On 22 July 1862, Lincoln read his draft of emancipation (on which he had labored a very long time) to his Cabinet.. The President made it clear that he was informing them of what he was going to do, but he would be open to opinions after they heard the draft. As both Lincoln’s secretaries (John Hay and John Nicolay) would remember, every Cabinet member was surprised and bewildered by Lincoln’s boldness.
Postmaster General Montgomery Blair was against the draft, believing it would be too politically costly, a point of which Lincoln was fully aware. SecState Seward approved of the draft, but questioned Lincoln’s timing of publicly issuing the emancipation order. Seward argued that it would be better to wait until after a significant Union victory in order to issue the proclamation from a position of strength, not weakness, as it would be perceived if Lincoln released the order now. Like George Washington, Lincoln knew good advice when he heard it, and acted on Seward’s advice; Lincoln later admitted to himself that the timing of issuing the order was something that he had overlooked.
Lincoln waited for that Union victory on the battlefield, and he became increasingly aware that while more-and-more Northerners opposed slavery, that didn’t mean those same people accepted the idea of a multiracial democracy after the Civil War. By the Summer of 1862, Lincoln had linked together emancipation of African slaves, as well as their subsequent colonization outside of the nation as his overall plan. Outside of the Abolitionists, Northerners were far from prepared to welcome racial equality after the Civil War.
During August 1862, Horace Greeley published an editorial in his New York Tribune which criticized Lincoln for failing to be bold and decisive on emancipation. Greeley also stated in the editorial that Union generals were simply ignoring aspects of the 2nd Confiscation Act, and that Lincoln was doing nothing to force the generals to follow the act. Taking into account public opinion, Lincoln responded to Greeley with an open letter in the newspapers, where the President stated that his main purpose was to preserve the Union. Lincoln continued to say that he would free all, none, or some of the slaves in order to save the nation. So while Lincoln waited for that significant Union victory to issue his emancipation order, he used the open letter to bolster public opinion in his favor.
Lincoln waited for that Union victory on the battlefield, and he became increasingly aware that while more-and-more Northerners opposed slavery, that didn’t mean those same people accepted the idea of a multiracial democracy after the Civil War. By the Summer of 1862, Lincoln had linked together emancipation of African slaves, as well as their subsequent colonization outside of the nation as his overall plan. Outside of the Abolitionists, Northerners were far from prepared to welcome racial equality after the Civil War.
During August 1862, Horace Greeley published an editorial in his New York Tribune which criticized Lincoln for failing to be bold and decisive on emancipation. Greeley also stated in the editorial that Union generals were simply ignoring aspects of the 2nd Confiscation Act, and that Lincoln was doing nothing to force the generals to follow the act. Taking into account public opinion, Lincoln responded to Greeley with an open letter in the newspapers, where the President stated that his main purpose was to preserve the Union. Lincoln continued to say that he would free all, none, or some of the slaves in order to save the nation. So while Lincoln waited for that significant Union victory to issue his emancipation order, he used the open letter to bolster public opinion in his favor.
17 September 1862, the Battle of Antietam (MD): After the disastrous Union defeat at 2nd Bull Run, Lincoln reappointed McClellan as the commander of the Army of the Potomac. The overly-cautious (and egomaniacal) McClellan squandered chance-after-chance to gain a decisive Union victory over Lee’s army. Antietam was three major battles in one day (Antietam is still the “Bloodiest Day” in US History in terms of how many Americans died in a single day), and Lee decided it was best to retreat to the safety of VA. Lee’s retreat gave Lincoln the ability to claim Union victory and to issue his preliminary order of emancipation. McClellan never pursued Lee, despite direct order from Lincoln to do so, including a personal visit of the President to McClellan’s headquarters. Lincoln waited until after the Congressional Elections of 1862 to remove the still-popular McClellan from command of the Army of the Potomac.
On 22 September 1862, Lincoln informed his Cabinet that he was issuing the preliminary emancipation order. The preliminary order contained conditions, in that Lincoln held out the possibility that a state that seceded could return to the Union before the end of the year and keep slavery intact. That being said, it was clear to those in the North and South that Lincoln was using his Executive power to strike against chattel slavery. Dated 22 September 1862, Lincoln’s order would become known as the Emancipation Proclamation, which would officially take effect on 1 January 1863. In the proclamation, Lincoln only freed slaves in the states that were in rebellion (the eleven states in the CSA), not slaves in the Border States . . .
On 22 September 1862, Lincoln informed his Cabinet that he was issuing the preliminary emancipation order. The preliminary order contained conditions, in that Lincoln held out the possibility that a state that seceded could return to the Union before the end of the year and keep slavery intact. That being said, it was clear to those in the North and South that Lincoln was using his Executive power to strike against chattel slavery. Dated 22 September 1862, Lincoln’s order would become known as the Emancipation Proclamation, which would officially take effect on 1 January 1863. In the proclamation, Lincoln only freed slaves in the states that were in rebellion (the eleven states in the CSA), not slaves in the Border States . . .