The Civil War Presidents: Abraham Lincoln (Part 5 - Running the War)
After the fall of Fort Sumter, Lincoln realized the importance of taking immediate executive control of the war, and devising a strategy to put down the rebellion. Whereas James Buchanan had shied away from the problem of southern secession, Lincoln made his reputation as a commander-in-chief who faced his biggest challenges head on.
Lincoln attacked the problem first by expanding his war powers. He directed that there be a blockade on all Confederate shipping ports. He disbursed funds even before they were appropriated by Congress. He suspended the writ of habeas corpus (the power of a court to effect the release of someone in the custody of the state) and he arrested and imprisoned thousands of suspected Confederate sympathizers. Lincoln had the support of Congress for all of these actions and he also used the press as a means of getting the northern public on his side. (A book by Harold Holzer that will be coming out later this year, entitled Lincoln and the Power of the Press: The Wat for Public Opinion is about this aspect of his presidency. It's one of many books that I'm looking forward to reading.)
Lincoln realized early on in the war that he would require bipartisan support for his strategy to succeed, but this was difficult, given the differences which existed both between and within the two parties. He tried to appoint both Republicans and Democrats to command positions in the Union Army. Strict constitutionalists criticized Lincoln for refusing to compromise on the slavery issue, while Radical Republicans criticized him for moving too slowly in abolishing slavery. On August 6, 1861, Lincoln signed the Confiscation Act that authorized judiciary proceedings to confiscate and free slaves who were used to support the Confederate war effort. The law meant little practically, but it did win political support from those in favor of abolishing slavery.
Lincoln also had to contend with reinforcing Union sympathies in the border slave states. He also wanted to prevent the war from becoming an international conflict. In late August 1861, General John C. Frémont, who had been the 1856 Republican presidential nominee, issued a proclamation of martial law in Missouri. He declared that any citizen found bearing arms could be court-martialed and shot. He also ordered that slaves of persons aiding the rebellion would be freed. Frémont took these steps on his own authority and without consulting with Lincoln. The general was already facing charges of negligence in his command of the Department of the West, as well as allegations of fraud and corruption. Lincoln overruled Frémont's order He. worried that Fremont's emancipation was too political and that it might drive the border states into the Confederate cause. The order was not neither militarily necessary and likely not legal. When Lincoln did this, Union enlistments from Maryland, Kentucky, and Missouri grew by more than 40,000 troops.
On the international front, Lincoln had to address an incident known as the Trent Affair in late 1861. The U.S. Navy had illegally intercepted a British merchant ship, the Trent, and seized two Confederate envoys. Britain protested the incident and Lincoln was worried that this might cause the British to support the Confederacy. In spite of the fact that the seizure of the two Confederates was a popular move for Lincoln within his base, he resolved the issue by releasing the two men. Lincoln's Secretary of State, William Seward was seen as too hardline with the British, so Lincoln also turned to Senator Charles Sumner, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and an expert in British diplomacy, to make peace with the British.
To learn technical military terms, Lincoln read extensively. He borrowed General Henry Halleck's book, Elements of Military Art and Science, from the Library of Congress. He also monitored the telegraph reports coming into the War Department in Washington, D.C. Lincoln selected generals based on their past success, but he also did not ignore what state and party they were from.
In January 1862, after many complaints of inefficiency and profiteering in the War Department, Lincoln replaced his Secretary of War, Simon Cameron, with Edwin Stanton. Stanton was a Democrat, but he was also a strong Unionist and a man whose views accorded with the Radical Republican faction. Stanton worked more closely with Lincoln than any other senior official.
In terms of war strategy, Lincoln set two priorities: (1) to ensure that Washington was well-defended, and (2) to conduct an aggressive war effort to achieve a prompt, decisive victory. Some major Northern newspaper editors expected victory within 90 days. Lincoln met with his cabinet twice a week. Lincoln learned of the importance of controlling strategic points, such as the Mississippi River.
When the War began, the highest ranking officer in the army was the venerable General Winfield Scott. But by this time, Scott was an old man. He was also very obese, over 300 pounds, and could not get on a horse by himself. Lincoln first offered command of the army to Robert E. Lee of Virginia, but when that state joined the Confederacy, Lee resigned from the Army and followed his state. Lincoln would turn to a general called the Young Napoleon, General George McClellan. It would come to be a choice that Lincoln would regret.
Lincoln attacked the problem first by expanding his war powers. He directed that there be a blockade on all Confederate shipping ports. He disbursed funds even before they were appropriated by Congress. He suspended the writ of habeas corpus (the power of a court to effect the release of someone in the custody of the state) and he arrested and imprisoned thousands of suspected Confederate sympathizers. Lincoln had the support of Congress for all of these actions and he also used the press as a means of getting the northern public on his side. (A book by Harold Holzer that will be coming out later this year, entitled Lincoln and the Power of the Press: The Wat for Public Opinion is about this aspect of his presidency. It's one of many books that I'm looking forward to reading.)
Lincoln realized early on in the war that he would require bipartisan support for his strategy to succeed, but this was difficult, given the differences which existed both between and within the two parties. He tried to appoint both Republicans and Democrats to command positions in the Union Army. Strict constitutionalists criticized Lincoln for refusing to compromise on the slavery issue, while Radical Republicans criticized him for moving too slowly in abolishing slavery. On August 6, 1861, Lincoln signed the Confiscation Act that authorized judiciary proceedings to confiscate and free slaves who were used to support the Confederate war effort. The law meant little practically, but it did win political support from those in favor of abolishing slavery.
Lincoln also had to contend with reinforcing Union sympathies in the border slave states. He also wanted to prevent the war from becoming an international conflict. In late August 1861, General John C. Frémont, who had been the 1856 Republican presidential nominee, issued a proclamation of martial law in Missouri. He declared that any citizen found bearing arms could be court-martialed and shot. He also ordered that slaves of persons aiding the rebellion would be freed. Frémont took these steps on his own authority and without consulting with Lincoln. The general was already facing charges of negligence in his command of the Department of the West, as well as allegations of fraud and corruption. Lincoln overruled Frémont's order He. worried that Fremont's emancipation was too political and that it might drive the border states into the Confederate cause. The order was not neither militarily necessary and likely not legal. When Lincoln did this, Union enlistments from Maryland, Kentucky, and Missouri grew by more than 40,000 troops.
On the international front, Lincoln had to address an incident known as the Trent Affair in late 1861. The U.S. Navy had illegally intercepted a British merchant ship, the Trent, and seized two Confederate envoys. Britain protested the incident and Lincoln was worried that this might cause the British to support the Confederacy. In spite of the fact that the seizure of the two Confederates was a popular move for Lincoln within his base, he resolved the issue by releasing the two men. Lincoln's Secretary of State, William Seward was seen as too hardline with the British, so Lincoln also turned to Senator Charles Sumner, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and an expert in British diplomacy, to make peace with the British.
To learn technical military terms, Lincoln read extensively. He borrowed General Henry Halleck's book, Elements of Military Art and Science, from the Library of Congress. He also monitored the telegraph reports coming into the War Department in Washington, D.C. Lincoln selected generals based on their past success, but he also did not ignore what state and party they were from.
In January 1862, after many complaints of inefficiency and profiteering in the War Department, Lincoln replaced his Secretary of War, Simon Cameron, with Edwin Stanton. Stanton was a Democrat, but he was also a strong Unionist and a man whose views accorded with the Radical Republican faction. Stanton worked more closely with Lincoln than any other senior official.
In terms of war strategy, Lincoln set two priorities: (1) to ensure that Washington was well-defended, and (2) to conduct an aggressive war effort to achieve a prompt, decisive victory. Some major Northern newspaper editors expected victory within 90 days. Lincoln met with his cabinet twice a week. Lincoln learned of the importance of controlling strategic points, such as the Mississippi River.
When the War began, the highest ranking officer in the army was the venerable General Winfield Scott. But by this time, Scott was an old man. He was also very obese, over 300 pounds, and could not get on a horse by himself. Lincoln first offered command of the army to Robert E. Lee of Virginia, but when that state joined the Confederacy, Lee resigned from the Army and followed his state. Lincoln would turn to a general called the Young Napoleon, General George McClellan. It would come to be a choice that Lincoln would regret.