Product Description

First time in paperback: "Waugh's excellent account reminds me of Bruce Catton: both are marvelous storytellers." -Grady McWhiney, author of Grant, Lee, Lincoln, and the Radicals

Here, from the author of the acclaimed book The Class of 1846, is the dramatic story of what may have been the most critical election campaign in American history. Taking place in the midst of the Civil War, the election of 1864 would determine the very future of the nation. Would the country be unified or permanently divided? Would slavery continue? Weaving rich anecdotal material into a fast-paced narrative, John C. Waugh places this pivotal election in its historical context while evoking its human drama. The men and women who figured in this epic campaign-most notably Lincoln himself-emerge with all their strengths, weaknesses, and idiosyncrasies. "It's an inherently dramatic story, and one that has been told before. But never quite so well as by John C. Waugh, [who] brings to his task the keen eye for detail and scene-setting that one would expect from a career reporter," said the Wall Street Journal. Drawing on an extensive array of sources, including published and unpublished reminiscences, memoirs, autobiographies, letters, newspapers, and periodicals, Waugh re-creates that fateful year with all the immediacy of a political reporter covering a national presidential election today.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #415562 in Books
• Published on: 2001-11
• Released on: 2001-11-13
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 480 pages

Amazon.com Review
The election of 1864, conducted as the Civil War raged, was perhaps the most significant presidential election ever. Abraham Lincoln, revered by many but also savaged by a partisan press and a contentious Congress, faced an opponent of complex and sometimes puzzling motives, General George McClellan. It's no exaggeration to say that the outcome of the election would not only influence the outcome of the war, but that it would affect the future direction of the U.S. John C. Waugh's Reelecting Lincoln, which reads like a novel filled with remarkable characters, provides a lucid narrative of the events.

From Library Journal
The Civil War engulfing the nation consumed Lincoln's energies. The search for a general, leadership of the Republican Party, distribution of patronage, emancipation of the slaves, mediation of a tumultuous cabinet?all filled the president's first term. Veteran newspaper correspondent Waugh (Class of 1846, LJ 2/1/94) examines the impact of these issues on Lincoln's reelection in 1864. Democrats selected Gen. George B. McClellan to run on a peace plank. A few Republicans wanted to nominate Salmon P. Chase and others hoped General Ulysses Grant would accept the nomination, but Lincoln, who wanted to see the war through to victory, was the party's choice. Using a variety of sources, including newspapers (but not Lincoln's hometown papers in Illinois), Waugh's narrative has a newspaper style including anecdotes, short paragraphs, and numerous quotes will appeal to a lay audience. Recommended for public libraries.?Patricia Ann Owens, Wabash Valley Coll., Mt. Carmel, Ill.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Kirkus Reviews
A vigorous, detailed record of the crucial campaign for the presidency during the last bitter stages of the Civil War. Waugh, a journalist with the Christian Science Monitor and a historian (The Class of 1846: From West Point to Appomattox, 1994), brings the skills of both callings to bear on this somewhat unlikely subject and produces a surprisingly lively narrative. As he notes, there have been other studies of Lincoln's uncertain struggle for reelection. Waugh's stands out for its skillful marshalling of a huge cast of characters, from hard-bitten politicos to Confederate spies, some less-than-honorable journalists, and a wide variety of citizens and citizen-soldiers, all of them anxious and exhausted by the war, and for its savvy reading of the forces at work in American society. Startling as it may now seem, at the beginning of the campaign Lincoln was a long shot; many felt that the war had gone on too long and had been mishandled, and that too many freedoms had been abridged in the process. There was also the fact that his Democratic opponent, Gen. George McClellan, seemed to have been ordered from central casting for the part: A handsome ex-soldier, McClellan had gravity and a winning manner with the public. Nonetheless, Lincoln won by a margin of over 400,000 votes (and a staggering electoral college vote of 212 to 21). Waugh traces Lincoln's savvy campaign (which was also, as Lincoln saw it, a referendum on the conduct of the war) in great detail, and his portrait of 19th-century rough-and- tumble politics is fascinating. He points out that the soldiers may have made the difference: By an overwhelming majority, they voted for Lincoln over their former commander. Waugh has taken a frequently overlooked event in the Civil War and found the drama and importance in it. An entertaining and even moving work of popular history. (8 pages b&w photos, not seen) -- Copyright ©1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Customer Reviews

A marvelous work of History,It reads like a novel.
The election of 1864 was probably the most important Presidential election in our History.It is no understatement to say that if Abraham Lincoln had not been re-elected Our History would have been very different.In fact had Lincoln not won the United States might not even exsist today. In Re-electing Lincoln John Waugh gives us a superb account of this crucial campaign.Mr. Waugh is a former Political Reporter. And it shows.As I read this Book I often had the sensation that I was reading this in the newspaper or watching it on CNN. Mr. Waugh also has the gifts of a Novelist. He gives us a powerful and a suspenseful story with a cast of simply unforgetable Characters. As a History Teacher the thing that I gained most from Re-electing Lincoln was the realization that Political campaigns really have''nt changed much in 134 years.Those who think Campaign finance practices are sleazy today will find this Book a real eye opener.This Book is a wonderful read,even if your not a Civil War Buff. Don't pass it up.

An in depth study of the fight for the 1864 election:
Author John C. Waugh has assembled a very large study of the political battle faced by President Abraham Lincoln as he ran for his second term in office. Waugh brings the reader to the front lines of struggle faced by the Lincoln administration and various political parties looking to cause unrest and hinder Lincoln's chances at reelection. The book also looks at many players involved in either helping Lincoln or destroying his chances. As the book progresses it uncovers odd political gain of many such as radicals trying anything to ruin Lincoln's chances while hysteria and hype flow through the papers. Anyone looking to understand the battle for the 1864 election owes it to them selves to read this book! 5 STARS!

The most important presidential election in our history
John Waugh's book is a great insight into Lincoln's re-election bid in 1864. The book is replete with examples of Lincoln's astuteness as a politician. Although, Lincoln was a self-made commander in chief with no real military experience, he was very able. Lincoln envisioned, before his generals, that the war would be protracted. He came to mistrust many of his top generals; they were not aggressive enough for him. The conduct of the war is starting to wear on the morale at home. This causes a split in the fledgling Republican Party. The Abolitionist thought that Lincoln was too soft on eradicating slavery, but they couldn't get a candidate of their liking chosen at convention. The anti-war wing of the party believed that Lincoln was bleeding the country dry; they abhorred the human and economic suffering. Lincoln was able to out maneuver both factions and win re-nomination.

He then had to prepare to run against General McClellan, the Democratic Party's nominee, who he had fired for not aggressively prosecuting the war. The Democrats had selected McClellan on an anti war platform. Much to their chagrin McClellan ignores the party platform and runs as a pro-war candidate. This reversal is the first time in presidential political history that a candidate runs counter to the party platform. Despite McClellan's reversal the election is looking dire for Lincoln in August. Although Grant, the new general, is at least pursuing Lee's army, the war isn't moving fast enough. Many people in the North are looking to a decisive field victory to show that the war is at least coming to an end. All the doom and gloom in the White House comes to an end in September when General Sherman burns Atlanta. Lincoln can show the nation that the end is finally in sight. Lincoln very adroitly allows military units, especially from New York to travel home to vote. This shrewd political tactic garners Lincoln 7 out of 10 military votes. He winds up winning the election with 55% of the vote and a large portion of the Electoral College.

Waugh who is a journalist by trade writes in a style reminiscent of the great newspaper editors of Lincoln's day. He uses many of the articles as background information for the book. This was a very interesting book, which illuminates Lincoln's adroitness as a politician. As a retired Army officer and student of political philosophy, I found this to be a great book on leadership. Highly recommended.