Test #2 - Reading Questions

What strategy did Seward devise to recruit more troops, and not embarrass the president at the same time?

- He consulted privately with governors attending a conference in NY and got them to agree that they would endorse asking the president to call for 300,000 more troops. - He made it so the president would be responding to a patriotic appeal rather than initiating a call on his own.

What was Lincoln's view of General U.S. Grant?

- He developed respect, admiration, and regard for U.S. Grant.

Give an example of how Lincoln repaired injured feelings that otherwise might have hardened into lasting animosity.

- He discovered that a hastily written note to General Franz Sigel upset him, and immediately followed up with another. He stated that he was upset asked the general to pardon him.

What made Lincoln eventually relieve McClellan of his command?

- He failed to mobilize in pursuit of General Lee & Lincoln met with McClellan and prompted him to plan for future movements. - Lincoln's final straw was McClellan stalling after having finally crossed the Potomac and not intercepting the enemy on the way to Richmond, letting them get away. It came across as if he did not want to hurt the enemy.

Why did Lincoln conclude that he made a mistake in appointing Simon Cameron as Secretary of War?

- He knew how to be a wily political boss but not how to lead the War Department, especially during a civil war. - He was incapable of organizing details or conceiving and advising general plans.

With many in Congress demanding the dismissal of Secretary Stanton, what did Lincoln do?

- He publicly defended the "beleaguered" Stanton before an immense Union meeting on the Capitol steps.

What effect did Lincoln's visits have on the troops?

- He reassured the soldiers and boosted their spirits with his jokes, poetry, and tales.

How were Lincoln's worst fears realized on June 14th 1863?

- He received a dispatch from Meade reporting Lee's army escaped his grasp by successfully crossing the Potomac at Williamsport, Maryland, into Virginia.

Why did Lincoln revoke General David Hunter's proclamation in spring 1862?

- He said "No commanding general shall do such a thing, upon my responsibility, without consulting me."

Why did Lincoln agree to keep McClellan on and restore his command?

- He was the one that knew the "whole ground" and could be trusted to defend and though he was slow to act, there was no one who could better organize.

What did his letter to General Meade - which was never sent - reveal about Lincoln's character?

- He was very precise and calculated with his actions and didn't let himself get carried away by or make harmful decisions fueled by emotion. - He knew the letter he wrote would discourage Meade and decided to wait for his emotions to settle before sending it.

Why did Lincoln refuse the resignations of Seward and Chase? How had the most critical government crisis of Lincoln's presidency ended in victory?

- Lincoln decided that the "public interest" needed both men to remain in office and keeping them both would retain a balance in his cabinet. - This was a victory as he had treated the senators with dignity and respect and resulting had protected the integrity and autonomy of his cabinet. In effect, he solidified his own position as a master of both of the factions in his cabinet.

What directive of Grant's did Lincoln overrule? And why?

- Lincoln overruled the order Grant had issued expelling "the Jews, as a class" from his department. - He did it because it prohibited an entire religious class (some of whom were fighting in Union ranks).

Who was Benjamin Helm & what momentous decision did he have to make?

- Lincoln's brother-in-law (native of Kentucky and graduate of West Point). - Had to decide whether to assume the rank of major and position of paymaster in the Union Army, he declined his offer and becomes brigadier general in the Confederate Army.

What were the personality differences between Lincoln and Stanton? And yet...

- Lincoln: (un-secretive, charitable, gave many chances, "calm and unruffled" in stressful moments, took hardship in stride, simple and good-natured). - Stanton: (secretive, uncharitable, not patient and believed in punishment, "would lash himself into a fury" in stressful situations, bemoaned hardship, righteous and stern). - And yet...they supplemented each other's nature and recognized that they were a necessity to each other.

In what ways did the death of Willie Lincoln affect each parent differently?

- Mary relied on the relief spirituality offered her but while she got temporary relief from seeing glimpses of her son, she could not bear to hear his name, see his mementos or look at his picture without being moved to tears. - Lincoln made himself busy but he dreamed of Willie a lot. He cherished mementos of his son and constantly kept him in his memory as he believed that the dead only live on through the memories of the living.

Lincoln and Seward were engaged in the same task of finding a middle position between what two extremes?

- Radical Republicans (thought that freeing the slaves should be the primary goal of the war) and Conservative Democrats (resisted any change in the status of slaves & fought solely for the restoration of the Union).

How did our national holiday of Thanksgiving come about?

- Seward presented Lincoln with a proclamation inviting citizens to observe the last Thursday of November as a day to give thanks to God.

How did Mary aid the war effort?

- She established a daily habit of visiting the hospitals in the District. - She distributed fruit and delicacies. - Sat with lonely soldiers & talked to them about their experiences, read to them, and helped them write letters home.

How did Black leaders react to Lincoln's views on the "benefits of colonization"?

- Swift widespread antipathy was the reaction to the proposal. - they thought it was pathetic that the leader of a country that could contain all of the worlds population and that brags of being the refuge of the oppressed could even consider exiling "the entire colored population...to a distant shore".

What were Lincoln's reasons for selecting Edwin Stanton to replace Cameron?

- The combined influence of Seward and Chase. - Seward would appreciate the intelligence that Stanton provided during the last weeks of the Buchanan tenure (helped root out traitors & keep Washington safe from capture). - Chase believed Stanton would be a steadfast ally in the struggle against slavery.

Why was the joint meeting of the cabinet and the 'Committee of the Nine' held on December 18th, 1862? What was the outcome?

- The joint session would "disabuse the senators of their notions of disunity...in the cabinet". - The outcome was that no change in the cabinet would be made.

According to Lincoln, Chase had "...fallen into what two bad habits"?

- Thinking he was indispensable to the country. - Thinking he ought to be President.

How did it come to pass that Andrew Johnson was nominated for vice president over the incumbent Hannibal Hamlin?

- Thurlow Weed played a great role. He knew if NY's Daniel Dickinson gained the nomination for vice president, then that could mean that Seward would no longer be SoS. - There was a call for a War Dem. and Weed thought Johnson was a better option as his nomination didn't put Seward's seat at risk.

What were the purposes of Lincoln's visits to the troops in their encampments and at the battlefront?

- To boost morale and to ensure that everything was running in order.

Why was the 'Committee on the Conduct of the War' formed?

- To critique General McClellan on his handling of the war. (He was assuring Lincoln of there being forward movement though those were actually empty promises).

Contemplating the possibility of defeat in November 1864, Lincoln resolved to pursue what two goals in the remaining months of his (first) term?

- To win the war on the North's terms. - Bring as many slaves as possible into Union lines before newly elected Democratic leaders could shut the door forever.

Who did the Democrats nominate for president in 1864? How did the view of the war expressed in the party's platform "...prove to be exceedingly ill-timed"?

- War Democrat George McClellan. - The view of "surrender and abasement" was ill-timed because "if McClellan agreed to represent this dishonorable platform, 'he condemns his name to infamy.'"

How did the Emancipation Proclamation irrevocably alter the relationship of the national government to slavery?

- Where slavery had been protected by the national government, it was now "under its ban". - Armed forces that returned fugitive slaves to bondage would be employed in securing their freedom.

How did Lincoln win Cameron's undying gratitude & lasting friendship?

- Wrote a long public letter to Congress declaring that he and his entire cabinet were equally responsible for whatever error, wrong, or fault was committed. - Cameron appreciated the courage it took for Lincoln to share the blame when everyone else deserted him.

How did Lincoln protect the prerogatives of the presidency in regard to the actions of General John C. Fremont?

- Wrote a private letter to him expressing his anxiety and stating that he should modify the paragraph as to conform to the recent Confiscation of the Act of Congress. - Then issues "an open order" to Fremont to revise his proclamation to conform to the provisions of the Confiscation Act & made the reply public before Fremont received it when Fremont did not heed his first advice.

What was the significance of moving the telegraph office from McClellan's headquarters to the War Dept.?

- dispatches that connected Washington w army officials, camps, and forts, was no longer funneled through McClellan. - McClellan was furious as he lost significant influence & Lincoln would go on to spend hours with Stanton (who now exercised control over all military communications) rather than with his General in Chief.

Who were the first casualties of the war on April 19th, 1861? What was the first instance of wartime-censorship by the Union?

- 1st casualties - Sixth Massachusetts Regiment was attacked by secessionist mob when they reached Baltimore by rail (4 soldiers & 9 civilians were killed). - A squad of the National Rifles possessed the office of correspondents who wished to telegraph what happened to the Sixth Massachusetts Regiment and did not allow for any messages to be sent.

Why did Chase and Stanton want to oust McClellan from his command?

- Because his continued command would lead to the resignation of some cabinet members, and even the dissolution of the administration.

How did the summer of 1863 bring a crucial transformation to the Union war effort?

- Black regiments were organized and deployed. (180,000 of them).

How did Lincoln try to minimize the impact of the Union defeat at Fredericksburg?

- By issuing a public letter of commendation to the troops saying that they were courageous and possessed all of the qualities of a great army.

What were some of the ways Lincoln found to sustain his spirits during the war?

- Call Sewards house. - Go to the telegraph office and enjoy the company of young telegraph operators. - He would rouse John Hay and read aloud his favorite passages.

In what way did Lincoln formulate a coherent military policy from the painful lessons of the Union defeat at Bull Run?

- Called for forces to "be constantly drilled, disciplined & instructed" - Called to let the short-term soldiers "be discharged as rapidly as circumstances will permit." - Devised a strategy of 3 advances: (1) Second stand at Manassas. (2) Move down the Mississippi towards Memphis. (3) Drive from Cincinnati to East Tennessee.

How did both the Northern and Southern states underestimate each other?

- Enthusiastic solidarity of the North underestimated the strength and determination of the South. - Southerners overstated their own chances as they underestimated their opponents will.

What were the final four states that seceded from the Union? Which slave-holding border states did not secede?

- Final 4 states to secede: (NATV) North Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee, Virginia. - Slave-holding border states that didn't secede: (KMM) Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri.

What was the goal of Salmon Chase in the 1864 presidential election? What was Lincoln's reaction to the machinations of Chase?

- Goal of Salmon Chase: He, rather than Lincoln would be the Republican nominee in 1864. - Lincoln was amused and decided to let him be. He understood what Chase was doing was disingenuous but thought that it was smarter and worthwhile to let him be than to "cut him loose to mount a full-blown campaign".

What impressions have you formed about the character of General George B. McClellan?

- Has a very big ego and believes he is infallible. - He wants all the acclaim, benefits, power, and recognition that comes with a high-ranking position but none of the responsibility.

How did Frederick Douglass characterize his first meeting with Lincoln?

- He claimed to have felt at ease in the presence of the president. He also claimed that he thought the president was very honest and transparent.

What was Lincoln's view on the propriety of the federal government violating civil liberties during wartime?

- He conceded that in ordinary times, military arrests would be unconstitutional, but that the Constitution provided for the suspension of the process of habeas corpus "in cases of rebellion or Invasion".

What is one of the ways Lincoln demonstrated "...an enormous capacity to dispel anxiety in constructive ways"?

The ability to immerse himself in a play at Grover's or Ford's, he theater offered him solace.

Chase's best chance of gaining the support necessary to defeat Lincoln for the nomination in 1864 came from what source?

The steadfast support he earned among the growing circle of Radical Republicans frustrated by Lincoln's slowness on the issue of slavery.

What was the relationship between the Union victory at Antietam and the promulgation of the Emancipation Proclamation?

The victory was the long-awaited event that provided Lincoln with the occasion to announce his plans to issue an Emancipation Proclamation the following January.

What pressures did Mary Lincoln face soon after moving into the White House?

Was not fully trusted in the North, vilified in the south for being Lin.'s wife & she did not meet the standards of Eastern society as a Westerner.

Who became Lincoln's most faithful ally in the cabinet?

William Seward

What premonition did Lincoln express at the deathbed of Congressman Owen Lovejoy?

He stated that he had the impression that he wouldn't live to see the end of the war/ his goals being realized.

Why was Lincoln's Gettysburg Address so effective?

He was able to translate the story of the country and the meaning of the war into ideas that every American could understand and developed for the U.S. an ideal of its past, present, and future to be recited and memorized forever.

How did Lincoln outmaneuver Chase in terms of the latter remaining in the cabinet?

He accepted Chase's resignation, rather than apologizing to him, much to Chase's surprise.

How did Lincoln develop a strong bond with Union soldiers?

He inspired "an almost mystical devotion among his troops" as they began to regard him with "sentiments of veneration and love".

How did Seward's argument change Lincoln's mind about when to promulgate the Emancipation Proclamation?

Seward indicated it would be wiser if the proclamation was delivered following the North's victory, rather than delivering it while morale is still low before victory was won.

To Lincoln's mind, the battle to save the Union contained what larger purpose than even ending slavery?

To prove that popular government is not an absurdity, and that people are able to govern themselves.

What controversial decision did Lincoln make in response to pro-confederate activities in Maryland?

To suspend the process of Habeas Corpus.

What crucial foreign policy success did Lincoln achieve in the early months of the war?

Turned a threatening message (on behalf of William Seward, which could have tangled the Union into two wars at once) into the basis for a hardline policy, successfully interrupting British momentum toward recognizing the confederacy.