Exploring Lincoln

L. Symonds Craig, J. Williams Frank

Description

Ubiquitous and enigmatic, the historical Lincoln, the literary Lincoln, even the cinematic Lincoln have all proved both fascinating and irresistible. Though some 16,000 books have been written about him, there is always more to say, new aspects of his life to consider, new facets of his persona to explore. Enlightening and entertaining, Exploring Lincoln offers a selection of sixteen papers presented at the Lincoln Forum symposia over the past three years.Shining new light on particular aspects of Lincoln and his tragically abbreviated presidency, Exploring Lincoln presents a compelling snapshot of current Lincoln scholarship and a fascinating window into understanding America's greatest president.

Sujets

• Histoire
• USA
• United States of America
• History of the Americas
• American Civil War
• États-Unis
• Guerre de Sécession

Informations

• Publié par: Fordham University Press
• Date de parution: 02 mars 2015
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9780823265657
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 2 Mo

Extrait

Exploring Lincoln

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The North’s Civil War

Andrew L. Slap, series editor

A L i n c o l n F o r u m B o o k

Exploring Lincoln

Great Historians Reappraise Our Greatest President

edi t ed by Harold Holzer, Craig L. Symonds, and Frank J. Williams

FORDHAM UNIVERSITY PRESS New York • 2015

Frontispiece: Abraham Lincoln, ca.1863, photograph by Lewis E. Walker, Washington, D.C. (Library of Congress)

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Exploring Lincoln : great historians reappraise our greatest president / edited by Harold Holzer, Craig L. Symonds, and Frank J. Williams. — First edition. pages cm. — (The North’s Civil War) Includes bibliographical references and index.  ISBN978-0-8232-6562-6(cloth : alk. paper) — ISBN978-0-8232-6563-3(pbk. : alk. paper) 1. Lincoln, Abraham,1809–1865—Influence.2. United States—Politics and government—1861–1865. 3. Political leadership—United States— History—19th century.4. Presidents—United States—Biography. I. Holzer, Harold, editor, author. II. Symonds, Craig L., editor, author. III. Williams, Frank J., editor, author. E457.E96 2015 973.7092—dc23 2014033578

Printed in the United States of America

17161554321

First edition

Contents

Introduction Harold Holzer, Craig L. Symonds, and Frank J. Williams

Lincoln’s Role in the1860Presidential Campaign William C. Harris

The Baltimore Plot—Fact or Fiction? Michael J. Kline

The Old Army and the Seeds of Change John F. Marszalek

Seward and Lincoln: A Second Look Walter Stahr

Mourning in America: Death Comes to the Civil War  White Houses Catherine Clinton

Abraham Lincoln: Admiral-in-Chief Craig L. Symonds

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viii

Contents

Jefferson Davis and Robert E. Lee: Reluctant “Traitors” William C. Davis

“The Battle Hymn of the Republic”: Origins,  Influence, Legacies John Stauffer

The Emancipation of Abraham Lincoln Eric Foner

Lincoln and the Struggle to End Slavery Richard Striner

Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation: A Propaganda Tool  for the Enemy? Amanda Foreman

The Gettysburg Campaign and the New York City  Draft Riots: Conspiracy or Coincidence? Barnet Schecter

Lincoln and New York: A Fraught Relationship Harold Holzer

Lincoln and McClellan: A Reappraisal John C. Waugh

Judging Lincoln as Judge Frank J. Williams

The Madness of Mary Lincoln: A New Examination  Based on the Discovery of Her Lost Insanity Letters Jason Emerson

Notes List of Contributors

The Lincoln Forum: A History Index

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245 279 283 287

Introduction Harold Holzer, Craig L. Symonds, and Frank J. Williams

He is both ubiquitous and enigmatic. He is as familiar as the penny and the five-dollar bill: at once instantly recognizable— yet he is elusive as a chimera. The historical Lincoln, the literary Lincoln, even the cinematic Lincoln, have all proved both fascinat- ing and irresistible. Though some sixteen thousand books have been written about him and more than a dozen major motion pictures (including one depicting him as a vampire hunter) have been released, there is always more to say, new aspects of his life to consider, new facets of his persona to explore. The Lincoln Forum, a national organization with more than one thousand members, meets in Gettysburg each fall on the anniversary of Lincoln’s most famous speech, to provide (as its name suggests) a public forum for these considerations. This volume offers a selection of sixteen of the papers that have been presented at this annual meeting over the past three years. They are arranged more or less chronologically, beginning with a reconsideration of Lincoln’s1860 campaign, by William C. Harris, and ending with an essay about the psychological demons of his wife Mary Todd Lincoln, by Jason Emerson. Yet the purpose of this volume is not to provide yet another