Abraham Lincoln and a Nation Worth Fighting for

by Rawley, James A.

• ISBN13: 9780803289949
• ISBN10: 0803289944
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2003-02-01
• Publisher: Univ of Nebraska Pr

Summary

The many sides of Abraham Lincolnwar leader, humorist, commander in chief, politician, and emancipatorare vividly depicted in this concise and fresh look at his presidential years. Pivotal events, decisions, and issues in Lincoln's private and public life are scrutinized and explained clearly by noted historian James A. Rawley. During an innovative yet bloody era marked by mass communication, unheard-of national recognition and media attention, and the increasingly destructive uses of technology to wage war, Lincoln did all that he could to preserve the nation as a whole. Principles underpinning Lincoln's actions and motivations as administrator and war leader included an abiding spirit of nationalism, which contrasted with the forces driving his immediate predecessors, and the encompassing power conferred upon him as commander in chief in wartime. Accessible and informative,Abraham Lincoln and a Nation Worth Fighting Foris an engaging and valuable introduction to the career of one of our most memorable presidents.

Author Biography

James A. Rawley is Carl Adolph Happold Professor Emeritus at the University of Nebraska. He is the author of numerous books, including Turning Points of the Civil War (Nebraska 1989), The Politics of Union: Northern Politics during the Civil War (Nebraska 1974), and Secession: The Disruption of the American Republic, 1844–1861.

Table of Contents

Introduction to the New Edition	vii
Introduction and Acknowledgments	xi
Brief Chronology	xiv
The Path to the Presidency	1	(34)
``The Union is Perpetual''	35	(27)
``We Know How to Save the Union'': Congress and the Commander-in-Chief	62	(28)
The War Enters Its Second Year	90	(23)
``There Are Those Who Are Dissatisfied with Me.''	113	(25)
``From These Honored Dead'': Fredericksburg through Gettysburg	138	(26)
``The Signs Look Better'': Reconstruction, Relentlessness, and Reelection	164	(35)
``With Malice toward None''	199	(23)
Conclusion	222	(8)
Bibliographical Essay	230	(5)
Index	235