Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address

Sherman’s March to the Sea, Inevitability of the War’s End, Southern Desperation, and Lincoln’s re-election as President of the United States of America

Sherman’s March to the Sea

Sherman’s March began in Atlanta November 1864, and it ended in the capture of Savannah on December 21.

The March was a campaign where union general William T. Sherman and his force of 60,000 soldiers marched across Georgia, living off the land and terrorizing southern civilians and creating a path a destruction.

It’s goal was to demonstrate the power of the union army, and to frighten Georgia’s civilian population into abandoning the Confederate cause. As Sherman said, they needed to “make young and old, rich and poor, feel the hard hand of war”.

Sherman’s March to the Sea

http://www.history.com/interactives/shermans-march

The Atlanta Campaign

     May to September 1864 Supreme commander Grant and General William T. Sherman decided that Grant would confront the main confederate army in Virginia, whilst Sherman attacked Atlanta Georgia(Atlanta being the main supply center of the Southern War effort).

He made more than 1,500 civilians evacuate on September 1 st (mostly because he did not want to be burdened by caring for and protecting them).

Sherman took control of the city on the 2 command post for Union operations.

nd . He let the Confederate troops escape so he could focuse on Atlanta. Sherman established Atlanta as a Before Sherman captured this important city, Lincoln was at major risk of not being re-elected. This victory gave him a boost.

The Savannah Campaign

November to December 1864 Sherman became very interested in the idea of marching through Georgia to the sea, away from the battlefronts in the North and into the South.

His goal was to wage almost a physcological war between the North and South.

Grant approved of this idea, and Sherman continued his march to the sea.

Savannah was captured, and Sherman sent Lincoln a telegram offering him Savannah as a christmas present. This victory was a big hit to the south, and it caused some Southern desperation.

Campaign of the Carolinas

January to April 1865 Much like in Georgia, the tactic was feinting to the right and left, then driving through the center to the main objective. This time that main objective was Columbia, the state capital.

Liquor was passed out to the Union troops and they began to torch buildings and burn down the city.

Before Lincoln’s Re-Election

       Before the election, things had changed drastically. Grant remained stalled at Petersburg Mobile Bay fell to the Federal Navy in August Sherman captured Atlanta in September General Phillip Sheridan secured Shenandoah Valley in October Before this no country had ever had an election during a military crisis.

As Lincoln explained, “We cannot have free government without elections; and if the rebellion could force us to forego, or postpone a national election, it might fairly came to have conquered and ruined us”.

Andrew Johnson

To increase bipartisan (including both political parties) support and to attract “War Democrats,” Lincoln selected Andrew Johnson to be his running mate.

Andrew Johnson was a staunch Unionist and the Democratic governer of Tennessee.

Johnson became a hero among both Republicans and Democrats as the only southern senator to retain his seat after his state seceded from the Union.

Johnson became president after Lincoln was assasinated.

Lincoln’s Re-Election

Lincoln won 212 electoral votes and McClellan only 21. Lincoln won 55% of the vote. 78% of the Union troops voted for Lincoln and they were very critical to Lincoln’s win.

Because 11 states had seceded their votes did not count.

Lincoln would be the first president inaugurated for a second term in thirty-two years.

     

McClellan

McClellan was a initial Union general and “hero "of the Civil War. McClellan was a very arrogant 35 year old man as he told his wife “I can do it all. All tell me that I am held responsible for the fate of the nation, and that all its resources shall be placed at my disposal”.

At first, McClellan was true to Lincoln’s decisions and he carried out orders well. However, as time passed, McClellan was criticized for his inaction. Lincoln claimed that if McClellan did not intend to use the army, he wanted to use it.

McClellan responded to his critics, and there grew friction between Lincoln and McClellan.

McClellan stood by his inaction of the army, and he ran for the peace platform.

Inevitability of the War’s End

Lincoln’s speech (given on March 4, 1865) came after the Union had won a string of battles. The Confederate army had been greatly weakened. The Confederate capital (Richmond) was captured on April 2 and Lincoln toured Richmond on April 4-7. The bulk of the Southern army surrendered on April 9 at Appomattox.

Lincoln Giving his Second Inaugural Address

The Address

The Second Inaugural Address

Lincoln was expected to brag about the North’s victories, or talk about the cruelty of slavery, but instead the address was a moral framework of peace and understanding. For this, the address was misunderstood and angered many.

It discusses keeping the Union together, which was always a top priority for Lincoln.

Speaks of the savagery of the war, and how it is God’s punishment for slavery.

“With malice toward none; with charity for all”

This is one of the most famous lines from this speech.

When Lincoln says “With malice toward none; with charity for all” he means that he doesn’t have evil intentions towards anyone (the South) and he wants to help them. Lincoln is also saying he wants to bind up the nation’s wounds, care for the injured, and help the families whose husbands and fathers died in the war. Lincoln wants to do everything in his power to form a nation that has peace within itself and with all other nations.

Religious Aspect

“

Both [North and South] read the same Bible and pray to the same God, and each invokes his aid against the other.

” Lincoln wonders how the South could believe that God is on the side of slavery.

Lincoln talks about how the North and South both use the same bible, and it’s use and misuse.

Lincoln introduces religion. He mentions God 14 times, quotes the Bible 4 times, and invokes prayer 3 times.

The Bible had been quoted only 1 time in the previous 18 addresses, by John Quincy Adams

THE END