The Life of Abraham Lincoln of Illinois.
- Creator(s):
- Raymond, Henry J.; Savage, John.
- Title:
- The Life of Abraham Lincoln of Illinois.
- Description:
- As the 1864 election approached, there were ever more theaters of conflict. President Lincoln sought to keep his party united behind him. Faced with a challenge by abolitionist John C. Frémont, Lincoln for the first time called for the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment (abolishing slavery), calling it a “fitting and necessary conclusion” to the war. Ulysses S. Grant now commanded the Army of the Potomac and was determined to keep pressure on Confederate General Lee’s forces. With high casualty rates and victory still elusive, there was a growing clamor in the Union for peace. As the election approached, Lincoln believed that he faced defeat in the polls but refused to sue for peace or abandon emancipation. General William T. Sherman took Atlanta, Georgia, in August, and Lincoln swept to victory, winning 55 percent of the popular vote. The campaign biography above was co-written by Henry J. Raymond, editor and owner of the New York Times, who helped to engineer Lincoln’s re-nomination.
- Source:
- Photograph by Vincent Dilio. Courtesy of David M. Rubenstein.
- Citation:
- Raymond, Henry J.; Savage, John. The Life of Abraham Lincoln of Illinois. New York: National Union Executive Committee, [1864].