Who should read *Tried by War: Abraham Lincoln as Commander in Chief*?

This book is ideal for Civil War enthusiasts, students of presidential leadership, and readers interested in military history. McPherson’s accessible narrative appeals to both academic audiences and general readers seeking a deeper understanding of Lincoln’s wartime decisions.

Is *Tried by War: Abraham Lincoln as Commander in Chief* worth reading?

Yes. Pulitzer Prize-winning author James M. McPherson combines rigorous scholarship with engaging storytelling, offering fresh insights into Lincoln’s presidency. The book is praised for its clarity on complex military strategies and its balanced portrayal of Lincoln’s triumphs and missteps.

How does McPherson analyze Lincoln’s military leadership in *Tried by War*?

McPherson portrays Lincoln as a hands-on leader who learned rapidly, communicated directly with generals, and adapted strategies amid setbacks. The book highlights Lincoln’s use of telegraphy to oversee operations and his pragmatic shift toward total war tactics to defeat the Confederacy.

What key challenges did Lincoln face as Commander in Chief?

Lincoln navigated limited military experience, political divisions, and inconsistent generals. He balanced abolitionist demands with border-state loyalties while transforming the war’s purpose from preserving the Union to abolishing slavery—a strategic and moral pivot.

How did Lincoln’s views on slavery evolve in *Tried by War*?

Initially cautious, Lincoln prioritized Union preservation but later recognized emancipation as a military necessity. McPherson traces this shift to the 1863 Emancipation Proclamation, which weakened the Confederacy and aligned the war with moral imperatives.

What role did public opinion play in Lincoln’s wartime decisions?

Lincoln tempered military strategies with political realities, responding to Northern morale and electoral pressures. He delayed emancipation to retain border-state support and framed the Proclamation as a wartime measure to mitigate backlash.

How does *Tried by War* compare to McPherson’s other Civil War works?

Unlike McPherson’s broader *Battle Cry of Freedom*, *Tried by War* focuses narrowly on Lincoln’s command decisions. It offers a detailed operational analysis rather than a comprehensive war history, complementing his other works on soldiers and naval campaigns.

Tried by War

Q: What is *Tried by War: Abraham Lincoln as Commander in Chief* about?

*Tried by War* examines Abraham Lincoln’s leadership during the Civil War through five lenses: policy, national strategy, military strategy, operations, and tactics. Historian James M. McPherson details Lincoln’s evolution from an inexperienced leader to a master strategist who preserved the Union, emancipated enslaved people, and redefined the role of Commander in Chief.

Abraham Lincoln as Commander in Chief

James M. McPherson

4.09(5914 Reviews)

Overview of Tried by War

Lincoln's wartime leadership transformed America. Pulitzer-winner McPherson reveals how a president with no military experience became a strategic mastermind who preserved the Union while ending slavery. "Few historians write as well," praised Jean Edward Smith - a gripping tale of power, morality, and legacy.

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Chapter 1

The Reluctant Warrior Who Changed History

When Abraham Lincoln took office in March 1861, he had no way of knowing he would become the only American president whose entire administration would be defined by war. From the Fort Sumter crisis that erupted just weeks after his inauguration to his assassination days after Lee's surrender, Lincoln's presidency was consumed by military matters. Yet this former one-term congressman who once mocked his own meager military experience fighting "mosquitoes" during the Black Hawk War would transform into one of history's most consequential commanders-in-chief. His evolution from inexperienced leader to masterful war president not only preserved the Union but fundamentally reshaped American society through emancipation. Oprah Winfrey once named Lincoln's collected works among her all-time favorite books, noting how his strategic thinking and moral clarity continue to inspire leaders across disciplines. Lincoln's wartime leadership has been studied at military academies worldwide and referenced by presidents from both parties during national crises. As we explore his journey, we discover not just how Lincoln won the Civil War, but how the war transformed Lincoln himself.

Chapter 2

The Crucible of Command: Lincoln's First Strategic Decisions

When Lincoln took office in March 1861, he faced an immediate strategic crisis at Fort Sumter in Charleston harbor. With Major Anderson reporting his garrison would run out of provisions within six weeks, Lincoln confronted intense pressure from all sides. General Scott and most cabinet members recommended evacuation to preserve peace, while Republicans demanded holding the fort. Lincoln later called this period worse than any trial he would later face during the war. Lincoln's solution revealed his emerging strategic brilliance. By separating reinforcement from provisioning, he placed Jefferson Davis in an impossible position - either allow supplies and appear weak to Southern hardliners, or fire on an unarmed "mission of humanity" and bear responsibility for starting the war. When Confederate guns opened fire on April 12, Lincoln's gambit succeeded perfectly. The attack united previously divided Northerners in patriotic fervor, allowing Lincoln to call 75,000 militia into federal service. Lincoln quickly asserted unprecedented executive authority, declaring a blockade of Southern ports and advancing treasury funds for military purchases without Congressional approval, as Congress wouldn't convene until July. He justified these actions under his "war power" - a concept he essentially invented - arguing his constitutional duty to preserve the government overrode specific constraints. When violence erupted in Baltimore as a mob attacked Massachusetts soldiers, killing four soldiers and twelve civilians, Maryland officials cut telegraph lines and burned bridges to prevent troops reaching Washington. Lincoln's suspension of habeas corpus led to a constitutional confrontation with Chief Justice Taney, who ruled only Congress could suspend this protection. Lincoln defended his action using a medical metaphor: "Often a limb must be amputated to save a life; but a life is never wisely given to save a limb." Lincoln initially focused on defending Washington and securing border states rather than recapturing Southern territory. He occupied Maryland with troops, respected Kentucky's proclaimed neutrality while quietly arming Unionist forces there, and supported Union efforts in western Virginia and Missouri. This strategic patience paid dividends when Kentucky's elections produced Unionist majorities, though Confederate forces eventually violated its neutrality in September. As the Union army grew beyond initial quotas, Lincoln sought a winning strategy. General Scott proposed his "Anaconda Plan" to blockade and isolate the Confederacy rather than invade it. Lincoln initially shared Scott's faith in Southern Unionist sentiment but by June had decided on a more aggressive approach, planning to attack Confederate forces at Manassas Junction despite his earlier assurances not to "invade" the South.

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Chapter 3

The Agony of Inaction: McClellan and the Army of the Potomac

The disastrous Union defeat at Bull Run on July 21, 1861, transformed Lincoln's approach to the war. While Southerners celebrated what they believed secured their independence, Lincoln spent the night receiving reports and drafting plans for reorganization. He immediately summoned George McClellan to command the newly formed Army of the Potomac and signed bills authorizing one million three-year volunteers. McClellan proved both blessing and curse. His organizational genius transformed the demoralized Union forces into a disciplined fighting force, but his strategic vision clashed with Lincoln's. McClellan's plan required 500,000 trained soldiers-twice the number available-and months of preparation. His tendency to inflate enemy numbers became his defining flaw; he initially claimed Confederate forces numbered 100,000 (actually 40,000), then 150,000, and eventually 170,000. When Lincoln proposed a flanking strategy in December-precisely what Confederate General Johnston feared most due to Union naval mobility-McClellan dismissed it, claiming he had a better plan that would "surprise the enemy." Lincoln would wait nearly two months to learn this plan while McClellan fell ill with typhoid fever. By January 1862, Lincoln's frustration reached a breaking point. He summoned generals McDowell and Franklin for an emergency strategy session, declaring that "if General McClellan did not want to use the army, he would like to borrow it." Lincoln replaced the ineffective Secretary of War Simon Cameron with Edwin M. Stanton and issued two critical orders: General Order No. 1 requiring all forces to move against the Confederates by February 22, and Special Order No. 1 specifically directing the Army of the Potomac to advance. McClellan finally revealed his plan to transport the Army of the Potomac down the Chesapeake to establish a base near Richmond. Lincoln questioned whether this approach would be more effective than his preferred Occoquan Valley operation, expressing concerns about Washington's vulnerability. Lincoln reluctantly approved McClellan's plan, but a series of failures further damaged the general's credibility, including the infamous "canal boat fiasco" at Harpers Ferry, where boats proved six inches too wide for the locks. When Confederate General Johnston withdrew from Manassas to positions south of the Rappahannock, journalists discovered the defenses were far less formidable than McClellan had claimed, with "Quaker guns" (logs painted black) instead of artillery. This embarrassment permanently damaged Lincoln's trust in McClellan's estimates of enemy strength.

Chapter 4

A Question of Legs: Lincoln's Growing Strategic Mastery

While McClellan stalled in Virginia, Union forces achieved significant victories in other theaters. Grant and Buell united their armies at Pittsburg Landing for a campaign against Corinth, Mississippi. Despite initial setbacks at the Battle of Shiloh where Confederate forces nearly pushed Grant into the Tennessee River, a counterattack drove the enemy back to Corinth. When politicians demanded Grant's dismissal over false reports of drunkenness, Lincoln defended him staunchly, with Elihu Washburne later telling Grant that Lincoln "stood like a wall of fire between you and it." Lincoln's strategic vision for coordinated offensives emerged clearly in his correspondence with Halleck and Buell. When Halleck lectured the president about the dangers of operating on exterior lines against an enemy with interior lines, Lincoln demonstrated his growing military acumen. He explained his "general idea of this war" was that the Union had greater numbers while the Confederacy had greater facility for concentration. The solution was to attack at multiple points simultaneously, forcing the enemy to either maintain all positions with weakened forces or abandon some positions to reinforce others. This strategy of "concentration in time" proved successful in February when Grant and Foote captured Forts Henry and Donelson, forcing Confederate commander Johnston into precisely the dilemma Lincoln had predicted. Despite Halleck's attempts to claim credit, Lincoln recognized Grant's achievements and immediately promoted him to major general of volunteers. As Union armies penetrated deeper into the South, the slavery issue intensified. Congress passed laws prohibiting army officers from returning escaped slaves and abolished slavery in the District of Columbia. Lincoln proposed a plan for gradual, compensated emancipation in border states, arguing it would "substantially end the rebellion" by removing Confederate hopes these states would join them. By May 1862, a string of Union victories outside Virginia created widespread optimism that the war might soon end. The Mississippi Valley was "virtually lost" to the Confederacy and most of the southern coastline under Union control. As McClellan's 105,000-man army closed on Richmond, many believed the war would end by July 4th. Jefferson Davis was reportedly "miserable" and "greatly depressed," with his niece writing that "the cause of the Confederacy looks drooping and sinking."

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Chapter 5

The Seven Days: Crisis and Transformation

Despite Lincoln sending reinforcements that brought McClellan's strength to at least 106,000 men, McClellan continued complaining about insufficient support and wildly exaggerated enemy numbers, claiming he faced 200,000 Confederate troops (when Lee had at most 92,000). He told Lincoln that if these "vastly superior" forces overwhelmed him, "I will in no way be responsible for it." Lincoln responded patiently that it "pains me very much" that McClellan would "un-generously" assume he was withholding reinforcements. On June 23, Lincoln traveled to West Point to consult General Scott, likely resulting in the creation of the Army of Virginia under Pope and the appointment of Halleck as general-in-chief. Meanwhile, Lee launched his counteroffensive on June 26, beginning the Seven Days' battles. Despite McClellan having numerical superiority, he lost his nerve after the Confederate tactical victory at Gaines' Mill, retreating to the James River while sending bitter telegrams blaming Washington for "sacrificing this army." The resulting Northern panic sent stocks and morale plummeting, with Lincoln describing himself as "nearly inconsolable." Yet the president refused to panic, reassuring McClellan, calming anxious officials, and announcing his determination to "maintain this contest until successful." The Seven Days' battles triggered bitter polarization over war policy. McClellan handed Lincoln a letter opposing "subjugation of the Southern people" and insisting neither "confiscation of property" nor "forcible abolition of slavery should be contemplated." Lincoln, who once hoped the war wouldn't become "remorseless and revolutionary," now embraced a harder approach, declaring the government couldn't "play a game in which it stakes all, and its enemies stake nothing." The president's frustration grew when border-state representatives rejected his compensated emancipation proposal. Influenced by legal arguments about his war powers, Lincoln decided to issue an emancipation proclamation, telling Seward and Welles it was "a military necessity" that would "strike at the heart of the rebellion." Though the cabinet generally supported this move, Seward advised postponing it until after a military victory to avoid it appearing as "the last measure of an exhausted government." Lincoln placed his hopes in Henry W. Halleck as general-in-chief, bringing him to Washington while looking "weary, care-worn and troubled." Halleck quickly determined McClellan should withdraw from the Peninsula to combine forces with Pope. McClellan bitterly resisted withdrawal, particularly despising Pope, who had boasted about seeing "the backs of our enemies" while criticizing Eastern generals' defensive mindset. McClellan deliberately delayed reinforcing Pope, privately hoping Pope would be "badly thrashed" so "they will be very glad to turn over the redemption of their affairs to me."

Chapter 6

The Darkest Hour: From Second Bull Run to Antietam

As Lee moved north to attack Pope before McClellan's troops could reinforce him, demoralization spread through the North. Stonewall Jackson's "foot cavalry" destroyed Pope's supply base at Manassas after a fifty-mile march. Despite orders from Halleck to send Franklin's and Sumner's corps to help Pope, McClellan delayed, claiming they weren't ready - direct disobedience that contributed to Pope's defeat at Second Bull Run. The North plunged into despair, with newspapers reporting the Union cause might face "speedy and disastrous overthrow." Despite his anger toward McClellan, Lincoln faced a desperate choice. With the cabinet urging McClellan's dismissal (Stanton wanted him court-martialed; Chase said he should be shot), Lincoln nevertheless asked McClellan on September 2 to take command of all retreating troops. Lincoln admitted McClellan "had acted badly" with "a design, a purpose, in breaking down Pope," yet insisted: "We must use the tools we have... If he can't fight himself, he excels in making others ready to fight." The army's extraordinary response proved Lincoln right - soldiers went from despair to "delirium of delight" at McClellan's return. One witness wrote: "The effect of this man's presence was electrical, and too wonderful to make it worth while attempting to give a reason for it." When Lee's army crossed into Maryland, Lincoln urged McClellan to pursue aggressively. After Union forces discovered Lee's battle plans wrapped around cigars, McClellan delayed eighteen crucial hours before attacking, allowing Lee to avoid disaster. At Antietam on September 17-the bloodiest single day in American history-60,000 of McClellan's 80,000 men attacked Lee's 37,000 Confederates (whom McClellan overestimated at 110,000). The Union attacks came piecemeal, enabling Lee to shift troops to threatened positions. Despite potential breakthroughs, McClellan refused to commit his reserves, with nearly 20,000 troops never firing a shot. Though Lincoln privately questioned McClellan's decisions, the Northern press magnified Antietam into a great triumph that revitalized public morale. Antietam provided Lincoln the victory he needed to issue his preliminary Emancipation Proclamation on September 22, warning Confederate states that unless they returned to the Union by January 1, 1863, their slaves "shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free." This transformed the war from one merely to restore the Union into a war for "a new birth of freedom."

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Chapter 7

The Promise Must Now Be Kept: From Emancipation to Gettysburg

Lincoln's frustration with his generals reached a breaking point in October 1862. Both McClellan and Buell failed to pursue Confederate armies after the limited Union victories at Antietam and Perryville. Lincoln demanded they advance, pointing out that Confederate armies moved faster because they traveled lighter, while Union forces were "bogged down by the very abundance of their supplies." When Buell refused to push into East Tennessee, Lincoln replaced him with Rosecrans. McClellan proved an even thornier problem, as he commanded fierce loyalty from his troops and conservative officers. After repeated urgings to advance met with endless excuses about horses, supplies, and road conditions, Lincoln's patience finally snapped. "I have tried long enough to bore with an auger too dull to take hold," he told Francis Preston Blair, explaining McClellan had "the slows." On November 7, Lincoln replaced McClellan with Burnside. Burnside's command began with strategic confusion. He proposed moving east to Fredericksburg rather than south, to establish a more secure supply line. Though Lincoln was skeptical, Halleck eventually presented a modified version of the plan. Miscommunication about pontoon bridges allowed Longstreet's corps to occupy the heights before Union forces could cross the Rappahannock. When Lincoln traveled to consult with Burnside, he proposed a complex pincer movement, but was persuaded against it. Left to his own devices, Burnside launched disastrous frontal assaults on December 13. The attacks on Marye's Heights resulted in catastrophic Union casualties. Unlike McClellan, Burnside accepted full responsibility for the defeat, while Lincoln, devastated but supportive, issued a proclamation praising the army's courage despite the failure. The Fredericksburg defeat triggered a political crisis among Republicans. Senate Republicans, believing Secretary of State Seward was exercising a conservative influence over Lincoln that hampered the war effort, voted to press for cabinet reorganization. Lincoln masterfully outmaneuvered the senators by calling a meeting with both them and the cabinet (minus Seward, who had already offered his resignation). When Chase was forced to either contradict his private criticisms or openly challenge Lincoln, he mumbled support for the president. The next day, Chase reluctantly offered his resignation, allowing Lincoln to refuse both his and Seward's resignations, thereby preserving his authority. "Now I can ride," Lincoln said, "I have a pumpkin in each end of my bag." Despite Democratic electoral gains in 1862 and rumors he might retreat from emancipation, Lincoln never wavered in his determination to issue the final proclamation on January 1, 1863. After a New Year's reception left his hand trembling from hours of handshakes, Lincoln paused before signing, saying "If my name ever goes into history it will be for this act, and my whole soul is in it." He justified the proclamation as both "an act of justice" and a "fit and necessary war measure." Though exempting Union-controlled areas, the proclamation promised freedom to slaves in Confederate territory when the Union prevailed. Critically, it also authorized recruiting black soldiers into Union forces.

Chapter 8

Lee's Army, Not Richmond: Lincoln's Strategic Evolution

As 1863 began, the Union's prospects seemed as bleak as they had a year earlier. The Army of the Potomac presented Lincoln's greatest challenge, with generals Franklin and Hooker undermining Burnside's authority, and morale among troops reaching new lows. Burnside's attempted offensive in January became the infamous "Mud March" when heavy rains bogged down the entire army. Lincoln appointed Hooker to command despite his reputation for loose talk about the country needing a dictator. Lincoln wrote Hooker an extraordinary letter, acknowledging his ambition and criticism of Burnside while warning that "the spirit which you have aided to infuse in the Army, of criticizing their Commander...will now turn upon you." The president concluded: "Beware of rashness, but with energy, and sleepless vigilance, go forward, and give us victories." Hooker proved immediately effective as an administrator, improving supplies, sanitation, discipline, and morale. He created corps insignia badges, secured back pay for troops, and benefited from Lincoln's amnesty for deserters who returned by April 1. Within two months, the army's spirit had remarkably transformed. However, Lincoln remained concerned about Hooker's overconfidence and boastful claims about having "the finest army on the planet." Lincoln's depression deepened during this period. Friends noted he "never tells a joke now" and appeared "worn & haggard" with a trembling hand. The president was frustrated by Admiral Du Pont's repeated delays in attacking Fort Sumter and Charleston. Meanwhile, Grant's Vicksburg campaign faced serious challenges. After Sherman's repulse at Chickasaw Bluffs and the destruction of Grant's supply depot, Grant attempted multiple approaches to reach Vicksburg, all of which failed due to topographical challenges. Despite intense political pressure to remove Grant, Lincoln steadfastly refused. When politicians demanded Grant's dismissal, Lincoln reportedly quipped that he wanted to know what brand of whiskey Grant drank to send some to his other generals. Grant soon justified Lincoln's faith spectacularly by having Porter's gunboats run the Vicksburg batteries on April 17. Cutting loose from his supply lines, Grant's troops lived off the land for three weeks, marching 130 miles and winning five battles before penning the Confederates in Vicksburg. Lincoln was delighted by Grant's speed and simplicity, declaring his campaign "one of the most brilliant in the world." In early April, Lincoln visited the Army of the Potomac and emphasized to Hooker: "Our prime object is the enemies' army in front of us, and is not with, or about Richmond." Hooker's plan seemed promising-cavalry would raid Lee's communications while infantry would feint below Fredericksburg and also cross upriver to attack the Confederate rear. Lincoln's parting advice was simple: "In your next fight, put in all your men." The operation began well, with flanking infantry successfully crossing the Rappahannock by May 1. But Hooker inexplicably pulled back to a defensive position at Chancellorsville, surrendering initiative to Lee, who sent Jackson on a devastating flank march that crushed the Union right on May 2. Despite Lee losing Jackson to friendly fire, the Confederates drove the Union forces back across the river by May 6. When Lincoln received news of the retreat, witnesses described him as "ashen" and overwhelmed, pacing and repeating, "My God! my God! What will the country say!"

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Chapter 9

The Tide Turns: Gettysburg, Vicksburg, and Chattanooga

By mid-June, Lee began moving toward Pennsylvania, presenting Lincoln with another opportunity to catch the Confederate army away from its base. When Hooker proposed attacking the Confederate rear guard at Fredericksburg, Lincoln colorfully warned against being caught "like an ox jumped half over a fence, and liable to be torn by dogs, front and rear." Five days later, Hooker suggested marching on Richmond instead, prompting Lincoln's exasperated response: "Lee's Army, and not Richmond, is your true objective point." When Hooker finally forced a confrontation over the Harpers Ferry garrison and offered his resignation, Lincoln accepted it, telling his cabinet that Hooker showed "the same failings observed in McClellan after Antietam - a want of alacrity to obey, and a greedy call for more troops." Lincoln appointed Meade as Hooker's replacement, the obvious choice supported by most corps commanders. Meade, in just his fourth day of command, directed a skillful defense at Gettysburg that inflicted a punishing defeat on Lee's army, which lost at least one-third of its strength. When news reached Washington on July 4th, celebrations erupted with headlines like "VICTORY! WATERLOO ECLIPSED!" Lincoln told serenaders this was a severe blow to the "gigantic Rebellion," but he wanted more - a death blow. As Lee's army retreated in drenching rain, the destroyed pontoon bridge and impassable ford trapped the Confederates north of the Potomac for over a week. Lincoln saw the perfect opportunity to end the war. But when Meade issued an order speaking only of driving "the invader from our soil," Lincoln exploded: "Drive the invaders from our soil! Great God! Is that all?" Through Halleck, Lincoln urged Meade to "push forward and fight Lee before he can cross the Potomac." Despite promises to attack, Meade called a council of war that voted to delay. By morning, Lee's army had escaped across the rebuilt bridge. Lincoln was devastated: "That, my God, is the last of this Army of the Potomac. There is bad faith somewhere." He drafted a letter expressing his distress: "My dear general, I do not believe you appreciate the magnitude of the misfortune involved in Lee's escape. He was within your easy grasp, and to have closed upon him would have ended the war." Lincoln ultimately filed this letter away unsent, recovering his equanimity as other Union victories offset his disappointment. News of Vicksburg's surrender on July 4th further elated Lincoln, who wrote to Grant expressing gratitude for his "almost inestimable service," admitting "you were right, and I was wrong" about strategy. Though they hadn't yet met personally, this letter began the partnership that would ultimately win the war.

Chapter 10

If It Takes Three Years More: The Hard Road to Victory

Lincoln's strategic success after Gettysburg came in East Tennessee. After months of inactivity, Rosecrans finally moved his Army of the Cumberland against Bragg's Confederate forces on June 23. Moving with surprising speed and skill despite constant rain, Rosecrans outmaneuvered the Confederates at Cumberland Mountain gaps, aided by Colonel Wilder's "Lightning Brigade" armed with Spencer repeating rifles - weapons Lincoln had personally championed despite resistance from ordnance chief General Ripley. Within a week, Rosecrans drove Bragg's army seventy miles back almost to Georgia with minimal casualties. Finally advancing on August 16, Rosecrans cleverly outflanked Bragg at Chattanooga, forcing its evacuation on September 9, while Burnside captured Knoxville. Two years after hoping to rescue East Tennessee Unionists, Lincoln finally saw this accomplished. The Union success proved temporary when Jefferson Davis reinforced Bragg with two of Longstreet's divisions from Lee's army. At Chickamauga on September 20, Longstreet exploited a gap in Union lines caused by a mistaken order, sending one-third of Rosecrans's army fleeing back to Chattanooga. Only General Thomas's stalwart defense, earning him the title "Rock of Chickamauga," prevented complete disaster. Lincoln sensed trouble before it arrived, lamenting to John Hay that "Rosecrans has been whipped." Taking direct control, he ordered Burnside to reinforce Rosecrans. At a midnight conference on September 23, Stanton proposed sending two corps from the Army of the Potomac to Chattanooga. Despite Lincoln's skepticism, the operation proceeded with remarkable efficiency - over 20,000 troops traveled 1,233 miles in just eleven days, the longest and fastest movement of such a large force before the twentieth century. Recognizing Rosecrans's ineffectiveness - Lincoln described him as "confused and stunned like a duck hit on the head" - the president created the Military Division of the Mississippi under Grant's command, who promptly replaced Rosecrans with Thomas. Within a month, the reinforced and rejuvenated army under Grant routed the Confederates in battles from November 23-25, driving them twenty miles into Georgia. As 1863 ended, Lincoln's optimism grew despite disappointment with Meade. The off-year elections brought Republican victories, interpreted as endorsement of emancipation. Lincoln's Gettysburg Address spoke of a "new birth of freedom," and his December message to Congress noted that black soldiers had proven themselves "as good soldiers as any." In early 1864, Lincoln, Halleck, and Grant engaged in strategic planning. Grant favored capturing Mobile as a base for striking into Georgia, but Lincoln vetoed this plan, preferring Banks' Red River campaign into Texas to counter French influence in Mexico. When Grant suggested dividing forces in East Tennessee, Lincoln opposed this, prioritizing holding the region "both from a political and military point of view." As Grant's reputation soared, Congress revived the rank of lieutenant general. After receiving assurance Grant had no presidential ambitions, Lincoln nominated him. Grant developed a coordinated strategy for all fronts, noting that previously Union armies had "acted independently, like a balky team." His plan employed five armies advancing simultaneously against smaller Confederate forces to prevent them from reinforcing each other. Lincoln was impressed, comparing it to his own previously neglected suggestions and offering his inimitable metaphor: "Those not skinning can hold a leg."

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Chapter 11

No Peace Without Victory: Lincoln's Finest Hour

The Northern people and their president faced their lowest morale in the summer of 1864. By July, the two main Union armies appeared stalled at Richmond/Petersburg and Atlanta after suffering ninety-five thousand casualties in the worst carnage of the war. Democratic newspapers like the New York World declared the war "a national humiliation" with "no hope of other issue than the success of the rebellion." Lincoln's July 18 call for five hundred thousand more volunteers was labeled "a cry of distress." As military failures mounted, the peace wing of the Democratic Party gained strength. Copperhead newspapers demanded "Stop the War!" while Confederate agents in Canada encouraged the idea that negotiations might eventually lead to reunion. Confederate hopes in 1864 rested on holding out until Northern elections while inflicting heavy casualties to turn voters against Lincoln. When Horace Greeley initiated a peace effort after receiving word that Confederate agents in Canada were authorized to negotiate, Lincoln authorized Greeley to bring to Washington anyone with genuine propositions "embracing the restoration of the Union and abandonment of slavery." When the agents admitted having no authority to negotiate, they released a letter accusing Lincoln of sabotaging peace by prescribing unacceptable conditions. Lincoln countered by publicizing another peace contact. James Gilmore and Colonel Jaquess had met with Jefferson Davis in Richmond, presenting Lincoln's terms: reunion, emancipation, and amnesty. Davis had angrily rejected these, declaring "We are fighting for Independence-and that, or extermination, we will have." This helped shift blame for refusing negotiations to Davis. Despite pressure from Republican chairman Henry Raymond to send peace commissioners to Davis with reunion as the sole condition, Lincoln refused to abandon emancipation. At an August 25 meeting with the panicked National Executive Committee, Lincoln convinced them such a mission "would be utter ruination...ignominiously surrendering in advance." Backing away from emancipation would not only betray a promise but show administrative weakness and alienate radical Republicans. While managing peace negotiations, Lincoln continued directing the war. When Halleck suggested Grant send troops north to suppress potential draft riots, Grant refused to weaken his position. Lincoln supported Grant: "Hold on with a bull-dog grip, and chew & choke, as much as possible." Then came the turning point: Sherman's September 3 telegram - "Atlanta is ours, and fairly won" - electrified the North and transformed public opinion overnight. Lincoln's concern about the "dead lock" in the Shenandoah Valley prompted him to urge Grant to get Sheridan "to make a strike." Sheridan proved extraordinarily aggressive, routing Early's forces at Winchester on September 19 ("We have just sent them whirling through Winchester"), then again at Fisher's Hill. When Early counterattacked at Cedar Creek on October 19, Sheridan's dramatic ride from Winchester to rally his troops transformed near-defeat into decisive victory, virtually ensuring Lincoln's reelection three weeks later. After Atlanta fell, Sherman proposed his daring march to the sea - cutting loose from supply lines to move 60,000 veterans 285 miles through Georgia. With Lincoln's reluctant approval, Sherman departed Atlanta November 15, while Hood invaded Tennessee. Thomas's forces bloodied Hood at Franklin before delivering a crushing defeat at Nashville December 16, virtually destroying the Army of Tennessee. Meanwhile, Sherman's troops cut a fifty-mile-wide path of destruction through Georgia, causing an estimated $100 million in damage before capturing Savannah as a "Christmas gift" to Lincoln. After Fort Fisher's fall closed the Confederacy's last significant port, Francis Preston Blair traveled to Richmond with Lincoln's tacit consent to meet Jefferson Davis, exploring peace possibilities. Despite fundamental disagreement, Confederate commissioners Stephens, Hunter, and Campbell were appointed. Lincoln met them personally aboard the River Queen on February 3, 1865, remaining firm on his terms: restoration of national authority, no compromise on slavery's abolition, and no armistice short of complete Confederate surrender. When Confederate generals attempted to negotiate through military channels, Lincoln firmly instructed Grant that only capitulation could be discussed, not political questions. A month after his second inauguration, Lincoln visited the Army of the Potomac as Grant launched the decisive offensive. After Lee's failed attack at Fort Stedman, Grant's successful assault at Five Forks on April 1 forced the evacuation of Petersburg and Richmond. Lincoln visited the fallen Confederate capital, where freed slaves greeted him as their Moses. Lee surrendered at Appomattox on April 9, ending the main Confederate resistance. On April 11, Lincoln delivered his final speech from the White House balcony, addressing reconstruction and suggesting that literate African Americans and black veterans should receive voting rights. In the audience, John Wilkes Booth vowed, "That means nigger citizenship... That is the last speech he will ever make." Three days later, Booth assassinated the president.

Chapter 12

The Legacy of Lincoln's Command

Booth carried out his threat because he hated Lincoln for winning the war and abolishing slavery. Lincoln's path to victory had faced three particularly dark moments: after Second Manassas in 1862 when he controversially reinstated McClellan; in spring 1863 when he kept Grant at Vicksburg and replaced Hooker with Meade; and in summer 1864 when he resisted pressure to compromise on peace and emancipation despite likely electoral defeat. Lincoln made mistakes during his on-the-job training as commander in chief, including deferring too long to McClellan and appointing some political generals beyond their capabilities. Yet each of his Army of the Potomac commanders seemed the best choice at the time of appointment, and despite disappointments, Meade remained in command through final victory. Lincoln's evolution as commander-in-chief paralleled the war's transformation from a limited conflict to preserve the Union into a revolutionary struggle that destroyed slavery and redefined American freedom. His strategic vision - focusing on destroying enemy armies rather than capturing territory, coordinating multiple theaters of war, and recognizing the political dimensions of military decisions - ultimately proved decisive. Most importantly, Lincoln's moral clarity and unwavering determination during the darkest moments ensured that "government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."

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Key Themes in Tried by War

civilian military control
presidential war powers
union grand strategy
commander in chief
wartime executive authority

Quotes from Tried by War

Lincoln later called this period worse than any trial he would later face during the war.
Lincoln defended him staunchly, with Elihu Washburne later telling Grant that Lincoln “stood like a wall of fire between you and it.”

Characters in Tried by War

George McClellanGeneral and commander of the Army of the Potomac
Jefferson DavisPresident of the Confederacy
Winfield ScottGeneral who proposed the 'Anaconda Plan'
Edwin M. StantonLincoln's Secretary of War

About the Author

James M. McPherson, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian and foremost authority on the American Civil War, brings his expertise to Tried by War: Abraham Lincoln as Commander in Chief, a penetrating analysis of Lincoln’s military leadership.

A George Henry Davis ’86 Professor Emeritus at Princeton University, McPherson spent four decades teaching and writing about 19th-century U.S. history, with his work anchored in rigorous archival research and battlefield preservation advocacy. His seminal Battle Cry of Freedom (1988), which sold over one million copies worldwide and won the Pulitzer Prize, remains the definitive single-volume history of the Civil War.

McPherson’s exploration of leadership and wartime strategy in Tried by War builds on his Lincoln Prize-winning works like For Cause and Comrades (1997), which analyzed soldiers’ motivations. A Minnesota native and Johns Hopkins PhD, he served as president of both the American Historical Association and the Society of American Historians. His books, translated into 12 languages, are required reading in university history programs and Civil War enthusiasts’ collections alike.

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LOVED BY

1,000,000+ curious minds.

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avg rating

1M+ learners

"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."

@Moemenn

"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."

@Chloe, Solo founder, LA

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"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."

@Raaaaaachelw

"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."

@Matt, YC alum

108

"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC

254

"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

@djmikemoore

"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."

@Pitiful

4.5K

"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."

@SofiaP

"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"

@Jaded_Falcon

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"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."

@OojasSalunke

"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."

@Leo, Law Student, UPenn

483

"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"

@Cashflowbubu

"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."

@Moemenn

"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."

@Chloe, Solo founder, LA

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"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."

@Matt, YC alum

108

"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC

254

"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

@djmikemoore

"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."

@Pitiful

4.5K

"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."

@SofiaP

"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"

@Jaded_Falcon

201

"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."

@OojasSalunke

"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."

@Leo, Law Student, UPenn

483

"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"

@Cashflowbubu

"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."

@Moemenn

"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."

@Chloe, Solo founder, LA

117

"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."

@Raaaaaachelw

"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."

@Matt, YC alum

108

"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC

254

"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

@djmikemoore

"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."

@Pitiful

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"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."

@SofiaP

"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"

@Jaded_Falcon

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"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."

@OojasSalunke

"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."

@Leo, Law Student, UPenn

483

"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"

@Cashflowbubu

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Chapter 11

Tried by War

OverviewOverview of Tried by War

One book. Many ways to hear it.

The Reluctant Warrior Who Changed History

The Crucible of Command: Lincoln's First Strategic Decisions

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The Agony of Inaction: McClellan and the Army of the Potomac

A Question of Legs: Lincoln's Growing Strategic Mastery

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The Seven Days: Crisis and Transformation

The Darkest Hour: From Second Bull Run to Antietam

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The Promise Must Now Be Kept: From Emancipation to Gettysburg

Lee's Army, Not Richmond: Lincoln's Strategic Evolution

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The Tide Turns: Gettysburg, Vicksburg, and Chattanooga

If It Takes Three Years More: The Hard Road to Victory

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No Peace Without Victory: Lincoln's Finest Hour

The Legacy of Lincoln's Command

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Key Themes in Tried by War

Quotes from Tried by War

Characters in Tried by War

About the Author

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1,000,000+ curious minds.

1,000,000+ curious minds.

One book. Many ways to hear it.

The Reluctant Warrior Who Changed History

The Crucible of Command: Lincoln's First Strategic Decisions

See every word as you hear it

The Agony of Inaction: McClellan and the Army of the Potomac

A Question of Legs: Lincoln's Growing Strategic Mastery

Get more out of Tried by War

The Seven Days: Crisis and Transformation

The Darkest Hour: From Second Bull Run to Antietam

See every word as you hear it

The Promise Must Now Be Kept: From Emancipation to Gettysburg

Lee's Army, Not Richmond: Lincoln's Strategic Evolution

Get more out of Tried by War

The Tide Turns: Gettysburg, Vicksburg, and Chattanooga

If It Takes Three Years More: The Hard Road to Victory

See every word as you hear it

No Peace Without Victory: Lincoln's Finest Hour

The Legacy of Lincoln's Command

You made it to the end of Tried by War

Users also liked

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Overview of Tried by War