The Civil War would come to an end April 9, 1865 at Appomattox Courthouse, Virginia with General Robert E. Lee’s surrender to General Ulysses S. Grant. But what led up to this momentous event were a series of exchanges between the two belligerents. The beginnings of this process towards peace, at least for the sake of this article, begins in 1864. The fact of the matter is by 1864 the Navy blockade...
"Cypher War Department Washington City, July 10---2.P.M. 1864 Lieut. Gen. Grant City-Point, Va Your despatch to Gen. Halleck, referring to what I may think in the present emergency, is shown me. Gen. Halleck says we have absolutely no force here fit to go to the field. He thinks that with the hundred day-men, and invalids we have here, we can defend Washington, and scarcely Baltimore. Besides these,...
To Pardon—Why or why not? President Lincoln’s use of telegrams revealed a man ahead of the 1860s technological times. He is recognized as an innovator, communicator, and commander of the telegraph. Lincoln has been named writer of war, micromanager, and technophile. After analyzing a small collection of 10 telegrams dated from April 5, 1864 to February 15, 1865 one may question the argument for...
During the course of the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln was responsible for shutting down more than 300 newspapers (1). In a telegram sent to Major General Dix on May 18th, 1864, Lincoln orders military occupation of the New York World newspaper for something that was "wickedly and traitorously printed and published," (1). In another telegram sent on May 18th, 1864, it is discovered that a forged document...
In the fourth year of the American Civil War, the country found itself in a pivotal moment in history. With no certainty of how long the nation would remain engaged in a bloody stalemate, the American citizens had the power to steer themselves out of political, militant, social and economic unrest. The Election of 1864 poised the Confederacy-backed Democratic Party against Republican and incumbent...
On November 19, 1863 the Soldiers National Cemetery in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania was dedicated to the fallen and unfallen Union soldiers of the civil war. The dedication was known to be very long because of the famed orator Edward Everett, who spoke for over two hours, then turned the podium to President Lincoln. Then President Lincoln’s speech was stated to be 2 minutes tops, speaking...
During the 1850’s, racist thinking still contaminated the South. Southerners believed that their tradition was being harmed and violated. A northerner believed in equality of all people, as it is stated in the Declaration of Independence. Southerners still viewed slaves as property, instead of people. This mind of thinking disregards any mere thought of a person as human,...
Abraham Lincoln was an apparent genius. He had the ability to tend to a country divided by political differences and opinions, act as a commander in chief, and skillfully direct generals. He did this concomitantly as he anticipated the needs of the war effort, used the most advanced and up-to-date technology to communicate orders, and tended to the matter of humanity. Combined, this assets point to...
Covered by the Charleston Daily, a newspaper based in Charleston, S.C., Senator Doolittle gave an acceptance speech for the democratic nomination for governor of Wisconsin. On September 5, 1871, Doolittle touched on many current events in the world of US politics. Most importantly, he touched on Reconstruction. He retold the story of reconstruction from his perspective and the...
In December of 1864 Francis Preston Blair, Sr., a native of Kentucky residing in Maryland, approached Abraham Lincoln about a peace conference between Blair and political leaders in the South. Blaire was a seventy-three-year-old journalist and influential politician. In 1856 Blaire helped organize the Republican Party. His influence also derived from his editing and founding the Washington Globe . ...