Blog 4, Lincoln: Chapter 8, LINCOLN & SLAVERY, Chapter 9 A. LINCOLN, COMMANDER & CHIEF; Chapter 10 THE COMMANDER WHO WOULD NOT FIGHT: MCCLELLAN AND LINCOLN

BLog dialogue

Level II participants will read James McPherson's series of 12 essays in the text entitled "The War that Forged a Nation". They will write, and post four response essays related to the chapters referenced within each blog (Blog 1, Lessons For Our Time: Chapters 12,1 & 11; Blog 2, The Price of Freedom: Chapters 4,3 & 7; Blog 3, The Players: Chapters 6, 5 & 2; Blog 4, Lincoln: Chapters 8, 9 & 10. Participant essays should reflect their beliefs insights, ideas, teaching strategies etc. related to the ideas presented by McPherson in the text. In addition participants will respond to a minimum of five of their peer's posts within the blog. All blogs are posted below.

Civil Rights Reading Assignments

Blog 4, Lincoln: Chapter 8, LINCOLN & SLAVERY, Chapter 9 A. LINCOLN, COMMANDER & CHIEF; Chapter 10 THE COMMANDER WHO WOULD NOT FIGHT: MCCLELLAN AND LINCOLN

1/28/2017

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Blog 4: Lincoln reflective posts

Please review the instructions on the right, when finished write a reflective essay related to the text that presents your ideas, insights, beliefs, and teaching strategies related to the text. The template on the right is provided to assist you in writing your essay; however, bloggers are not required to use the template.

37 Comments

Lisa Beard

4/10/2017 04:12:17 pm

Blog 4 - The War That Forged a Nation, Chapters 8, 9, 10
Lisa Beard - Field Study 2017

Chapter 8 - Lincoln, Slavery and Freedom: Lincoln grew up in a time when civil equality was nonexistent - when the right to own slaves was “sacred to the slave-holding states.” His native state of Kentucky was the only state that refused to ratify all three amendments to abolish slavery. The state of Indiana, where Lincoln lived from ages 7-21 was the most pro slave and anti black state in all of the free states. Lincoln’s wife was from a slaveholding family. Given all of this, one might expect Lincoln to have accepted those things which he was used to. It worked the opposite however. It made Lincoln stronger in his protests for civil equality, and although he hated that there was such a thing as owning slaves, he did not hate the owner of the slave. Lincoln’s evolvement in the way he perceived slavery was interesting. In 1858 he had “always hated slavery.” In 1837 he described slavery as an “injustice.” By 1854 it was a “monstrous injustice.” In 1862 he had a plan to assist blacks who were willing to emigrate stating, “Even when you cease to be slaves...you are yet far removed from being placed on an equality with the white race.” It wasn’t until black soldiers enlisted, and played such a vital part in the Civil War, that Lincoln’s “sense of blacks’ relationship to the nation began to change.” He could not have them fighting for a country that was then going to ask them to leave and for the first time he began to “imagine an interracial future for the United States.” This was all new information for me. I grew up thinking Lincoln was more about equality rather than segregation.
Chapter 9 - A. Lincoln, Commander in Chief: When the Civil War broke out, it is surprising to note that Lincoln was not well prepared to be commander in chief, and his only military experience was during the Black Hawk War 27 years earlier. A great deal of Lincoln’s strength came from his diligence to learn. It is interesting to note that the historian T. Harry Williams referred to Lincoln as a “great natural strategist, a better one than any of his generals,” yet strategy did not come naturally to Lincoln; Lincoln had to work hard at it. It is also interesting that military matters took more of his time than any of his other obligations as commander in chief, and it was how well he performed as a military leader that the nation depended on to survive. It seems Lincoln could not see any end to things except through war. Again, history shows that sometimes this is the only means to an end. When Lincoln said, “It is an issue which can only be tried by war, and decided by victory”, he was right; compromise did not seem to be an option. Lincoln’s strategy to use “black manpower” by issuing freedom for slaves in rebellious states was the turning point, and even though it provoked even more hostility, it and his call for “unconditional surrender of the Confederacy and the abolishment of slavery, was most likely the reason Lincoln was re-elected. I found the idea that Lincoln wanted his commanders to move faster with less supplies, even though he may not have appreciated the efforts involved in doing that. He understood that an army would never move if it waited for everyone to be ready; a philosophy people encounter every day of their lives. If we “wait” for everyone, no matter what the situation, nothing would get accomplished.
Chapter 10 - The Commander Who Would Not Fight: McClellan and Lincoln: Wow - if arrogance were a virtue, McClellan had it going on. I found it interesting that McClellan had thoughts that Lincoln was a President who would not fight, when everything I have read speaks the opposite. It was also interesting that while McClellan seemed to be an antagonizer, who could not get along with anyone, he was appointed the youngest general in chief of U.S. armies in history. The disrespect McClellan showed toward President Lincoln was astounding, and I found myself amazed that when he would not do as asked Lincoln said, “if General McClellan did not want to use the army, he would like to borrow it,” and went about his plan without the appointed commander’s help. It further surprised me that when others wanted Lincoln to remove McClellan from command Lincoln still kept him on. Eventually Lincoln did remove McClellan as general in chief, but even then he did it using the excuse that he (McClellan), “couldn’t do it all”. Maybe I missed something, but I am yet to understand why McClellan got away with so much, for so long.

Patrick Tolman

4/19/2017 11:04:12 am

It is so amazing how remarkable Abraham Lincoln really was. I continually find new information that increases my respect for him as a man and as a president. This book was no different in providing me with additional insight into his life and service. His intellect and ability to see the big picture continues to impress me.

Lisa Beard

4/19/2017 09:27:42 pm

Patrick, I am yet to read where anyone did not see President Lincoln as amazing. He was most definitely a man who made a difference in our country, as he predicted, the changes he fought for, would. It always makes me wonder what changes would have continued for our nation under his command, had his life not been so devastatingly cut short.

Janica

4/21/2017 07:02:19 pm

I agree with you, Pat. Even though Lincoln did believe that slavery was morally wrong, but there was one big problem: It was sanctioned by the highest law in the land, the Constitution. Lincoln bravely stated his moral, legal and economic opposition to slavery and even admitted he wasn't sure what would happen when they were free, but knew it was the right thing. He was a rock star1

Janica

4/19/2017 08:21:42 pm

Lisa, I too was surprised by the separatist philosophy of Lincoln, but as mentioned in my blog - Malcom X had the same theories. Sadly, many people still feel this way. I also agree with the idea that using black manpower was not only a clever move but a necasary one as well. I believe he made very educated decisions throughout his presidency, with the exception of McClellan. Basically he was played by an ineffective narcissist who got carried away with his fleeting popularity.

Lisa Beard

4/19/2017 09:33:27 pm

Janica, Very sad that some people still find a solution in segregation. It really tends to go against "all men are created equal." I think, at the time, Lincoln saw it as a way to free slaves and then keep them safe, knowing there would be those such as the KKK who would not accept the practice of equality. Yes, I also believe using the black manpower in the war was brilliant. I believe Lincoln had many more plans for our nation. It was a sad day when he was killed and unable to fulfill his vision. Do not get me started on McClellan...

Erin OBrien

4/20/2017 07:32:10 am

I also found myself incredibly frustrated with McClellan, I mean come on! Doesn't he know what was riding on this war and the risk it would be to lose? We have a president putting himself out there so far that he was assassinated for his efforts to do what is right and he had a general questioning him at every turn and 'borrowing' an army and not using it! Image if Eisenhower was too stubborn or afraid to move forward with D-Day? As rough as Grant was I think must have been a huge weight off of Lincoln when he came around. Because he was more than willing to use his military at every cost to win this very essential war.

Patrick Tolman

4/19/2017 02:05:48 pm

Blog #4 Lincoln - Chapters 8, 9, and 10
President Lincoln is a historical figure in which I find it difficult to see his faults (I acknowledge he had them, inexperience for his role as commander in chief for example) because of the many awesome qualities I find in him. Despite the varying opinions of President Lincoln I cannot help but see him as the only man at the time with the qualities necessary to lead our country through the Civil War and to the end we obtained. Lincoln was a unique man in his situation, he was the only president whose entire time in office was “wholly bounded by war” (p. 124), he bucked the racist, pro-slavery, cultural trends of his site and situation. Frederick Douglas said that the president received him “just as you have seen one gentleman receive another . . . . . one of the very few Americans, who could entertain a negro and converse with him without in anywise reminding him of the unpopularity of his color” (p. 122). Lincoln was not stubborn and the progression of his beliefs was evident in this chapter and showed a man who was willing to be introspective and make changes as he saw fit instead of being an unbendable stalwart. Lincoln was also logical seeing the hypocrisy in asking black men to fight for their country and then telling them to leave it to colonize somewhere else (p. 113). Lincoln showed hard work taking on roles for which he had no experience. Lincoln showed patience dealing with a string of military underlings who continually failed to carry out his vision or who “would not fight” (p. 144). Lincoln showed integrity, refusing to back away from promises that he made even in the face of political and social backlash. He was bold in making statements about black suffrage that “no American president had publicly endorsed” before him (p. 114). Lincoln was very good at finding balance between the strong opinions of the northern states and the neutral leaning border states. On that same thread Lincoln was a master of words finding a road that brought something to the table for the many different opinions of the time. Responding to the editorial of Horace Greeley, Lincoln “cloaked a radical measure in conservative garb” (p. 119) when he spoke of his main concern being to save the union even if it meant saving or destroying slavery or somewhere in between. As I stated I think Lincoln was the perfect man for what needed to be done during the Civil War (not to say someone else couldn’t have done it). All this, despite his lack of military experience, showed his many excellent qualities that allowed him to navigate very difficult waters, even making a bold speech that led John Wilkes Booth to portentously say, “Now by God, I’ll put him through. That is the last speech he will ever make” (p. 115).

Janica

4/19/2017 08:35:53 pm

Pat,
As always you have made some very insightful comments. If I was going to copy someone's answers on a test- it would be yours! Just kidding, but I do like how you see things. Lincoln did show great dedication in tackling a role as Commander in Chief without much, if any experience, while staying true to his values. History shows his was a man of his word. It might be a fun assignment have the kids compare promises made by Lincoln and those of modern day presidents like Clinton or Obama. Do they have the same values as Lincoln? One last thought; Lincoln was truly a word master and wrote his own speeches. That is not true of our presidents today, with the exception of our current president's interest in Twitter. I don't believe Lincoln was perfect, but we honor him today because he was a man of principles and values.

Lisa Beard

4/19/2017 09:45:55 pm

Janica, I am offended you wouldn't want to cheat off me! I agree with you though, Patrick would be the man. I love your contrast comparison lesson idea. I agree that Lincoln was a man of his word and while I also agree that he is honored today because he was a man of principles and values, I believe we also continue to honor him, because things he fought for so long ago, shaped our nation of today.

Janica

4/21/2017 06:56:30 pm

Ha, Lisa - I would never cheat, period. Giggle, giggle. Like Lincoln, I am not a great strategist and would most likely get caught! And if I was to pattern my life after Lincoln - integrity would not let me do so. But, all kidding aside I loved your thoughts on Lincoln’s journey to the conclusion that slavery was evil. Your quote says it all "he had always hated slavery.” and thought of it as an “injustice.” He was truly a forward thinking man.

Kyler Bingham

4/26/2017 05:23:17 pm

As far as finding it challenging to find fault with Lincoln - I definitely fall under that category. I enjoyed reading this blog! One challenge I find with many of my students is how they view Lincoln. He has become so mythologized in our culture and history, it can be challenging to break that mold and relate to him as a human being.

Lisa Beard

4/19/2017 07:19:02 pm

Patrick, I agree, truly amazing man with great qualities. I was just surprised to learn that he originally had other plans for the freed slaves versus just having them live freely amongst society. I think it speaks highly of his abilities that he was considered a strategist, lacked the experience, yet performed so remarkably. I loved that he just took matters into his own hands and carried on - one of the greats for sure!

Janica

4/19/2017 07:21:24 pm

Blog 4
Talk about irony – Lincoln’s native state of Kentucky was the only state to not ratify all the amendments and Lincoln married Mary Todd who had her own Mammy. These facts must have lurked in the shadows for old Abe, but thankfully Mary Todd embraced the anti-slave movement and supported her husband in his efforts. Although Lincoln was sensitive to the South, the Southern plantation owners did not see that, only that it was a monstrous injustice to them and to the economy. One can only imagine what they may have thought as black soldiers marched in his inaugural parade and as he opened the White House to black guests. I believe he did what he could for slaves, but had to concede to the fact that it might be better to be separated simply for the well-being of both the white and black population. I find it interesting that years later, Malcom X stated the same – separation is best.

I find myself wearing Lincoln’s shoes and wondering what I would do if on the first day I took office there was a document on my desk hinting at the threat of war. I believe the biggest percentage of his time was spent in military decisions and once again – irony – he was never really given the credit for his remarkable talents in this area. Although he was rather green in this area, and he had to defer to Chief Winfield Scott – he soon stepped up to the plate and took a more active role. Although, some think he should have done more, especially in the area of McClellan. I must admit that I had never heard of this man before reading this book and have come to the conclusion that either he really was a slacker or maybe just a scapegoat. On page 144 it states that had McClellan exerted as much energy into the war as he had against those who opposed him – the war would have ended sooner. I tend to believe that he was a bit of a slacker as I think the adulation given to him went to his head and he did manipulate situations (Commander Scott , for example), but also fate did tend to put him in his place. Although McClellan’s troops loved him – President Lincoln removed him from command. Last bit of irony, McClellan blamed his troops for his defeat after they supported him. And of course the government. Victims rarely take responsibility for their actions.

Lisa Beard

4/19/2017 10:04:12 pm

Janica, Ironic indeed! Generally when raised around certain ideas and ways of life, we accept that is how things should be. It was interesting that although Lincoln hated slavery, he did not hold it against the slave owner. I have to think that I would. Like you, I had never heard of McClellan, and I am not sure yet why he wasn't dismissed for insubordination or something. I guess Lincoln chose to move forward with the important things, rather than be distracted by the "little" man. I can understand why the slave owners would have seen Lincoln as the enemy, taking away their livelihood - what I will never understand is why any slave owner thought it was ok to take away another man's freedom. While I am also not a supporter of segregation, I can see why, at the time, it was a possible solution to keep people safe until there could be a possible acceptance or transition time - understanding of course, a difference between segregation and separating colonies. As for McClellan, I think the fact that he turned on his troops, who had wholeheartedly supported him, is enough said about the man's character. Not a fan!

Janica

4/21/2017 06:48:28 pm

Indeed, in all good stories there must be a hero and a villain. McClellan certainly fit the later. Lincoln, on the other had showed huge amounts of integrity while fulling his political and moral promises. He never backed down, although it is written he certainly worried over his decisions. A HERO!

Erin OBrien

4/20/2017 07:26:37 am

I find Lincoln to be a really interesting president. He is so unlike president of the recent years where he truly uses the presidency for what I think it was created for, to stand up for all Americans. While he knew slavery was morally wrong he also knew it was going to be hard for the South economically to lose the slave labor. He wanted to find a solution to solve both problems in the best interest of the nation. However that wasn’t always conveyed. The Southern landowners saw Lincoln as the federal government coming to take their property and getting involved in their business. As I was reading chapter 8 I was getting a little frustrated with Lincoln, thinking he should have done more to bring the Southern people into his plan on how to solve the economic concerns. He should have done something more like FDR with the fireside chats during the Great Depression and take in public opinions. But as the chapter continued and I remembered where we were in history I couldn’t honestly think of a way for Lincoln to do a better job communicating his plans. He was hated in the South and viewed in a particular way and if I have learned anything by studying the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s (what I am teaching right now in US II) is that it is next to impossible to change someone’s mind, politically, morally, or otherwise. I think Lincoln had one of the toughest job of any president in US history, because he knew what he needed to do that was right but had no right way of going about it. Lincoln as commander and chief during the Civil War was another interesting example of his leadership style. I see him as a balanced president during war time, where when he has a good general in charge he gives him the room to do what he sees as strategically right but when leaders aren’t living up to expectations Lincoln steps in and takes charge to push the war forward. While reading chapter 9 I keep comparing Lincoln to Vietnam War presidents (LBJ and Nixon), in that later presidents will overly getting involved to the point that generals actually in the war weren’t the ones making the decisions. And that is where I see one of many failures in the Vietnam War (sorry for that tangent but I couldn’t get it out of my mind). But one thing I saw as probably most frustrating for Lincoln is back in Washington he is doing everything he could to motivate people to join the Union Army, keep them clothes, feed and supplied with medical supplies, and keeping Congress as close in line as he could, and all while doing that his early generals are too scared of failure so not pushing the war forward. Lincoln knows the significance of the war, he knows the results will either bring the nation together or be the end of the 1776 experiment of the Founding Fathers. Lincoln needed to take more of a role militarily to force his generals to take this momentous moment as motivation. I am in the belief that Lincoln had one of the toughest periods in American history to be president; he has the weight of the nation on his shoulders. And he needed people around him that would help support his cause and help push the nation together, and if he had that I think that racial climate today would be considerably different (history according to me).

Kyler Bingham

4/26/2017 05:25:36 pm

I agree, Lincoln was unlike anything we've seen in history. So many factors that are impossible to fully understand, but we can still certainly try! I'm curious how contemporaries of his would have handled the job of Commander in Chief. It's amazing the impact one human being can have on multitudes of generations.

Kyler Bingham

4/26/2017 04:54:18 pm

Blog 4

It’s been over 150 years since the end of the Civil War and new insights still abound. I recently heard a professor who has been teaching for over 30 years say that he still asks the same questions over the years, but it’s the answers that change.
One point of insight that I hadn’t given much thought to when I teach my 11th graders U.S. History is that fact that the military strategy of Lincoln is often brushed over. In his book McPherson drives home the point that since the 1960s, military history has fallen out of fashion with many historians. Social history is the focus and gets much more of the limelight than military history. The fact that Lincoln was largely responsible for huge social shifts in society makes it easy to brush aside the fact that he has been the only president so far whose presidency was totally bound by war.
Lincoln was not a military man (he joked about fighting mosquitos being the extent of his experience in battle), but he was a voracious reader and student in order to meet the challenges that his presidency faced. As commander in chief during wartime Lincoln was consumed with policy, national strategy, military strategy, operations, and tactics. These activities of his could be, and are studied endlessly by modern day scholars. I suppose the point here is that the amazing thing about history is that it can always be studied from multiple angles in an almost endless fashion. I’m positive that Lincoln and the Civil War will be studied long after we are all gone. Some questions may stay the same, but it’s likely that many answers will morph or even change as the decades progress.

Paul Noble

4/28/2017 10:11:06 am

Blog #4, Lincoln (Chapters 8, 9, 10):
Students and scholars of US history frequently debate the order of presidents as to their influence and impact on this nation’s development, as well as their governance effectiveness. Within that debate, Abraham Lincoln is always ranked either first or second—George Washington being the one other president included in the discussion regarding order of importance. There are myriad reasons that Lincoln rises to this prominent position, none more important that his evolution as a human being, as a commander-in-chief, or his greater vision as to what needed to be done to preserve the Union and rid it of the “black” mark against its ideals.

Each of us is a product of all our individual and shared experiences. In this sense, Lincoln was no different than either you or me. What was different was the purity of his character and integrity—Thaddeus Stevens, a primary leader of the Radical Republicans, once referred to Lincoln as the “purest man in America” (Lincoln, 2015)—as manifested during a critical historical and political period. Lincoln’s views regarding both slavery and racial equality and full integration changed over time as he wrestled with the challenges of the times and circumstances during his lifetime. What brings his character and integrity into even sharper relief was the people with which he had to work as he sought to fulfill his duty to both the US Constitution and to the Union. A novice at governing and conducting military operations, he had to learn quickly how to overcome his deficiencies so obvious at the outset of his presidency. Even though he had little formal education, his exceptionally high intelligence allowed him to be a quick study—even as he continued to struggle with the lesser visions of those persons of authority in the government. The ever present opposition brought to bear as he fought to keep this nation together and to move it forward in its progress produced a refiner’s fire that purged Lincoln of much weakness and sin. It also revealed much weakness and sin in many of those surrounding President Lincoln in the halls of government, as well as in the fields of arms.

Lincoln came to understand that only by totally defeating the Southern rebels could he successfully eradicate the divisive issue of that “peculiar” institution of slavery. Unfortunately, he didn’t have much help on the military front of the conflict. Each of the generals—up until the appointment of Grant—put in charge of prosecuting the war shared little of Lincoln’s vision regarding what the nation truly needed. Of all of these generals, one stood out as prominent in incompetence—George McClellan. McClellan was brilliant! Brilliant in his ability to organize and train, in his capacity for self-aggrandizement, in his willingness to shift blame for his failures to the shoulders of others, in his knack for over-estimating the abilities of the Southern armies, in his avoidance of engaging with the enemy, and in his unwillingness to take risks that might sully his “reputation.” It is safe to presume that our Civil War would have been significantly shortened had McClellan been willing to overcome his reluctance to fight. He did not, and because of this Lincoln was forced to change. And change he did! The Lincoln that emerged from the fire of war was a much wiser, kinder, resilient, persuasive, capable president than what existed previous to his inauguration. True, the potential was always there, but it took significant suffering on his part—and on the part of this nation—for him to become the man that is revered today and always. I am so very thankful that he did, indeed, rise to the occasion!

Amy Dalley

5/11/2017 10:41:06 am

Paul-
The best line written in your blog was, "McClellan was brilliant! Brilliant in his ability to organize and train, in his capacity for self-aggrandizement, in his willingness to shift blame for his failures to the shoulders of others, in his knack for over-estimating the abilities of the Southern armies, in his avoidance of engaging with the enemy, and in his unwillingness to take risks that might sully his “reputation.” You nailed McClellan with fact and humor. I've read this many times! Great post!

LeNina Wimmer

4/30/2017 04:20:40 pm

Blog #4 Lincoln
I am so excited to go to Washington to once again visit the Lincoln Memorial. The life of Lincoln is one that is truly a pivotal American story. The flawed man, the conflicted leader, the frustrated commander, the liberator of slaves and the triumphant winner of the Civil War. Chapter 8 was by far one of my favorites in the book. It shows leadership despite imperfection.

One of my favorite activities in my class is to give the students some early quotes by Lincoln, many of which were included in Chapter 8, of Lincoln’s views on race. When students read these quotes or the chapter in the book that covers the same material, I always ask, “How many of you knew this about Lincoln before you read the book (or the handout). Few students have ever been exposed the idea that Lincoln did not believe in the equality of the races. We then have a great discussion about whether is views diminish his accomplishments. It is one of my favorite days during my Civil War unit.

I appreciated Foner’s conclusion that Lincoln was “anti-slavery but not an abolitionist”. I love that idea and I think it is great discussion point to have with the kids. We always discuss the differences in attitudes between the North and the South and point out that not everyone in the North hated slavery and similarly not everyone in the South agreed with slavery. I like the distinction between anti-slavery and abolition.

I don’t think I fully appreciated before this chapter the political skill of Lincoln in the choice of his words and how and what he said and when he said it (boy could a current leader use that lesson now ). James Oaks’ claim that “It is important to democracy that reformers like Frederick Douglass could say what needed to be said, but it is indispensable to democracy that politicians like Abraham Lincoln could do only what the law and the people allowed them to do” is a great lesson for all student of politics.

Lincoln is certainly remembered for his skill as a party leader and the chief executive, but it is true that his contribution a commander in chief is overlooked. Most history books cover Lincoln’s frustration with McClellan but little give great though to the skill and duty that Lincoln gave to his leadership over the military. I suppose that again goes to the idea that war is still just war, no matter what the cause, the concern or the time. The matters for us today are more about the reasons and the implications and outcomes of the war then the day to day battles (forgive me all military buffs out there).

A favorite rabbit hole to go down is the hypothetical “what if Lincoln hadn’t have been shot?” Would he have become more Johnson-ish and played the political game? Would he have allowed the reconstruction of the South to fail? Would he have gone on to a 3rd or even 4th term to see us through Reconstruction? Would the North have won the final battle of African American rights a century earlier with his leadership? Fun debate and fun thoughts that I look forward to having on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial soon!

Kim Ball

4/30/2017 08:21:16 pm

LeNina -

I LOVE Lincoln's use of the English language. He had such a great sense of humor. I also thought there was a great lesson in the letter he wrote to Meade where he told Meade that Meade was responsible prolonging the war and how distressed it made Lincoln, and then Lincoln did not send it, but filed the letter. I think this is a great lesson - when you need to write a nasty letter to get your frustrations out, do so, but don't send it!
I can't wait to see the Lincoln Memorial and have those discussions on the steps as well!

LeNina Wimmer

5/1/2017 08:39:40 am

I agree! Maybe that is the lesson I need to take away from Lincoln--write it down and file it away!!

Kim Ball

4/30/2017 08:11:27 pm

Blog #4
Lincoln
I think these chapters made me appreciate Abraham Lincoln even more than I did before. I thought there were several interesting tidbits in these chapters.
I knew that Lincoln was born in Kentucky and lived there as a young boy. I also knew that he then lived in Indiana and Illinois. I had not realized that the area in Indiana where he lived was so proslavery (since it was a free state). I had also never thought about Mary Todd’s family being slaveholders. I think I remember reading or hearing it, but it was not until I was reading these chapters that all of that information came together and made me appreciate Lincoln even more. I think that his stance on slavery, “If slavery is not wrong, nothing is wrong. I can not remember when I did not so think, and feel.” is one that you would not suppose an individual from that region would have had.
I also thought it was interesting to read that although Lincoln was opposed to slavery, he was not an abolitionist, initially, until he realized that to end the war, slavery must also be abolished. I thought that it was interesting when the book pointed out that because of the regions of Kentucky, Indiana, and Illinois’ where he had live had been so proslavery, he had some empathy for the South that a lot of Northerners would not have. I feel like he was a practical man with great vision. I liked the statement Frederick Douglass made in 1876, when he said of Lincoln, “Measure him by the sentiment of his country,” a “sentiment he was bound as a statesman to consult.” I took this to mean that we need to judge Lincoln in context. We cannot judge him with 21st century eyes. I think this concept is important to help students understand as we study different aspects of history.
I was also impressed with his military ability and his ability to strategize, even though his war career consisted only of charging wild onions and struggles with mosquitoes. The chapter said he was not a natural strategist, but had to work very hard to learn strategy. I thought that a great “what if” would be to discuss how the war may have changed if McClellan had acted on the orders that Lincoln gave him instead of ignoring or disregarding them. The chapter on McClellan just gave me heartburn and made me angry! He was so mean, especially about Lincoln, who gave him chance after chance to prove himself as a leader and time after time he failed. This is a particularly sad chapter because he is my great-great grandfather’s cousin. To read the family history accounts, they make him out to be a hero, but there are far too many credible accounts that tell a different story!
I think the reason that Lincoln always rises to the top in Presidential rankings is because of his genuine character. I thought Frederick Douglass expressed it so eloquently, “In his company I was never in any way reminded of my humble origin or my unpopular color.” He said he was received, “just as you have seen one gentleman receive another…one of the very few Americans, who could entertain a negro and converse with him without in anywise reminding him of the unpopularity of his color.”

LeeAnn Hyer

5/9/2017 08:41:29 am

Kim,

I guess we can still be friends even though you're related to McClellan. I have enjoyed reading your family connections to some of the players in the Civil War.

Thank you for pointing out that 1876 quote by Frederick Douglas. It would be a great one to use when discussing judging historical figures by their time period and not ours. That is concept I find my students have a difficult time doing - not using our 2017 knowledge to judge historical figures (although Hamilton the musical has helped that a little).

LeeAnn Hyer

5/1/2017 08:26:51 am

Blog #4

Abraham Lincoln has always been one the presidents that I most admire. I appreciate his strength as he battled his own demons while working to maintain the Union. Lincoln, as a self taught man, was not afraid to research to become more informed about a topic, policy or procedure. He was also not afraid to state his opinion as well as change it as situations changed. He was anti-slavery but not an abolitionist. I found it interesting to see how his idea for solving the slavery issue changed from freeing the slaves and having them colonize Liberia or Haiti to freeing the slaves but having the blacks still be lesser citizens to freeing the slaves and having them be political and social equals of whites. And he was well aware of timing when he put off the Emancipation Proclamation at first to keep the border states fighting on the side of the Union.

Lincoln as Commander in Chief was a role that he had to grow into since his only military experience involved "a good many bloody struggles with the Musquetoes." It impressed me that he deferred, at first, to the experts surrounding him while he read and analyzed many military texts to gain understanding of what needed to happen. Once he felt more comfortable with his role, Lincoln was not afraid to tell his generals what he wanted them to do. Numerous times he had to chastise McClellan to act! Telling McClellan that he must fight the enemy; 'if we never try, we shall never succeed."; and my all time favorite, "If you McClellan doesn't want to use the army, I'd like to borrow it for a while".

McClellan and his inaction has always annoyed me. He was excellent at training his troops. He also able to unite the Army of the Potomac and the Army of Virginia. Unfortunately he never seemed to want to attack the enemy and had a wanton disregard for and lack of respect for his Commander in Chief. The things he wrote and said about the President are beyond insubordinate. And I always found it curious that a soldier wouldn't want to fight when given the opportunity to do so. Not that I think they are killing machines, but his country was at war. Why wouldn't McClellan want to do everything he could to defend it and end the war as quickly as possible? It was interesting to read how the procedure for promoting soldiers/generals went from almost purely political promotions until the issue of General Order III that established a professional criterion for promotion.

Lincoln is a man who thought before he acted. A quality that all political leaders should emulate. I loved the story of the scathing letter he wrote George Meade but filed away and never sent it. An action we should all follow. The exchange between John Hay and Lincoln as they left McClellan's house also illustrates this. 'Hay was furious at 'this unparalleled insolence of epaulettes," but Lincoln told him,"that it was better at this time not to be making points of etiquette and person dignity." Lincoln knew his limitations, studied to figure out the best course of action, wasn't afraid to ask others opinions before acting and as is illustrated in the case of emancipating the slaves, waited for the right time to act.

LeNina Wimmer

5/1/2017 08:42:44 am

LeeAnn,

I agree with you that Lincoln has some serious self mastery! The letter he files and his advice to Hay are great examples. Too bad some of our current leaders do not look to history. It would be interesting to see what Lincoln would have done with Twitter! My guess is he would have stayed off it while I think McClellan would have been on it all the time!

Kim Ball

5/1/2017 06:45:47 pm

LeeAnn -

I also thought that Lincoln's position on slavery and his ability to change his view as he realized some of the unintended consequences of his initial plans were another remarkable aspect of the man! Too often we get set in our opinions and are reluctant to any change, even if the change in plans would actually be better. Another lesson from Lincoln!

Melinda Reay

5/1/2017 06:02:34 pm

Blog 4 - The War That Forged a Nation, Chapters 8, 9, 10
Melinda Reay - Field Study 2017

Chapter 8: Although I had previously understood Lincoln’s thoughts on race, this chapter created a bit of a buzz in me to understand more about his views. It was true that he had empathy for the Southern people, and acknowledged that southerners’ ideologies that “they are no responsible for the origin of slavery than we; [he] acknowledges the fact.” (p. 110) In fact, Lincoln’s original plans were not necessarily his plans that came to pass. I enjoyed the author’s view that part of the acceptance of blacks was due to the need for more soldiers in the war. He acknowledged the importance of these soldiers, stating that “you say you will not fight to free negroes. Some of them seem willing to fight for you.” (p. 113) However, the truth is that many of his motives came from a political, not a morale standpoint. He acknowledged that freedom of slaves was politically important to the preservation of the union, and that he could only do what the law allowed him to do.

Chapter 9: I was fascinated to learn that Lincoln’s military experience was taught from study, not from experience. I suppose that in the past, I have thought about what it would be like to be the commander in chief. It reminds me of the photo of Obama and Hillary Clinton in the boardroom awaiting the news on Osama bin Laden’s capture or death. When you become president, you instantly are in charge of decisions to protect and serve the country. Imagine Lincoln being thrust into a war involving every person in the nation, and suddenly, you must make the decisions to be successful (ahem: like still trusting McClellan by saying it is better to trust someone with experience). I loved that Lincoln said that his only military experience came from “charges upon the wild onions” and “a good many bloody struggles with the Musquetoes.” (p. 123) However, he took this opportunity and went with it. Through hard work and diligence, he was able to learn how to be a great commander.

Chapter 10: This was one of my favorite chapters of the entire book. As an AP US History student, I vividly remember our history club making plans and everyone could not agree on when to meet. A student responded “I don’t really care when we meet since I’m going to be McClellan and never show up.” This chapter explained this well. I cannot imagine being Lincoln and having to deal with McClellan on a daily basis. It is like being a boss and not wanting to fire someone. He truly gave McClellan every chance he could, but obviously it did not work out for him. Lincoln soon learned that he could not always trust a professional. Sometimes, common sense and ability will trump the need for professionalism.

Kim Ball

5/1/2017 06:49:19 pm

Melinda -

I also thought it was interesting to read how Lincoln was not a natural military strategist. Even when I was reading about the suggestions he was offering to McClellan (to no avail), I thought they sounded like plans of someone who had some real war experience. I think it gives us even more to love about Lincoln!

Andrew Spratt

5/1/2017 08:46:46 pm

In reading through these chapters the thing that struck me most was Lincoln's unyielding conviction. He was absolutely committed to his own moral values, but even more so to preserving the values of the United States. He despised slavery, but acknowledged that the Constitution allowed it. Therefore he didn't initially seek to end slavery, but rather to prevent its further spread. Yet he was consistent in speaking out against it, and would not compromise on the issue of slavery when it was politically convenient--an attribute that many of his political opponents did not share. Lincoln also seemed gifted in his willingness to learn and adapt. We often get the impression that Lincoln was an unflappable genius who never made tactical mistakes or second-guessed himself, but he really had to learn through trial and error. This image of Lincoln as a student of military tactics, receiving the most rigorous on-the-job training is fascinating. Lincoln's interactions with McClellan also reveal an interesting side to Lincoln's character. Although McClellan was proving ruinous to the war effort, Lincoln kept him on as leader of the Army. Lincoln's hope in the institutions of the US military created something of a blind spot, which it seems McClellan took advantage of. Ultimately Lincoln did what he had to in order to preserve the Union, but he certainly wanted to give the people he worked with every chance to succeed. I enjoyed reading through these sections and getting a better idea of Lincoln's character and attributes.

Daron Gatherum

5/1/2017 09:53:15 pm

Few, if any, Americans would argue with the statement that Abraham Lincoln ranks among the greatest, if not the greatest, Presidents in the history of the United States. Most would say that he deserves that ranking because of his efforts in bringing an end to the institution of slavery. From these chapters I have come to realize that he did so much more. He became great throughout his life. His life experiences shaped him into who he became. Lincoln was always opposed to slavery stating in 1858 that, "if slavery is not wrong, nothing is wrong." According to Eric Foner, "Lincoln was antislavery, not an abolitionist." Early in his political career he did not call for the immediate abolition of slavery. I was not aware of some of his possible plans as to what to do with the former slaves, namely to free all of the slaves and send them to Liberia. As the war continued so did Lincoln's opinions regarding slavery. In 1837 Lincoln describe slavery as an injustice. In 1862 he stated that the blacks were"suffering ...the greatest wrong inflicted on any people." One factor that greatly contributed to Lincoln's ever evolving opinions towards slavery was the valiant efforts of the black soldiers and their contributions of the war effort. In response to draft rioters in New York Lincoln said, " You say you will not fight to free negroes. Some of them seem willing to fight for you." I agree with Eric Foner who stated the Lincoln changed during the Civil War and the "he developed a deep sense of compassion for the slaves he had helped liberate., and a concern for their fate."

President Lincoln assumed the role of Commander in Chief with nearly no military experience. This would be a enormous challenge for any president but even more so for Lincoln whose entire presidency was engulfed in war. Lincoln gained as much information has he could from reading books on military history and strategy. Although not solely responsible for all decisions related to the war effort the president does shoulder a great deal of responsibility. He is responsible for the appointment of generals. Lincoln often deferred to his generals.With no military or experience Lincoln recognized teh need to rely on professionals. Due to his relationship with George McClellan, and McClellan's inability, or unwillingness to act Lincoln had to become a more learned and skilled commander in chief. Lincoln was incredibly patient with McClellan. I was somewhat surprised at McClellan's comments about Lincoln-that he "was nothing more than a well meaning baboon...'the original gorilla'" Lincoln was frustrated with McClellan of multiple occasions telling him "But you must act." and if we never try, we shall never succeed." McClellan seemed to have an talent at blaming his shortcomings on others and his failures were not his fault and felt that he should not fight until he was ready-and he was never quite ready to fight. At one point when visiting with Brigadier General Irvin McDowell, Lincoln said "if General McClellan did not want to use the army, he would like to borrow it."

Abraham Lincoln was truly the right individual to see our nation through the Civil War. His ability to see the big picture and willingness to grow and learn in his role as Commander in Chief, and the political leader of the nation set him apart as one of the greatest presidents of all time.

Melinda Reay

5/7/2017 03:12:06 pm

Daron,

I completely agree with your analysis that the book provided more proof to the greatness of Lincoln. If anything, it made me appreciate his skills as a military strategist, a mediator between various parties, and a guy trying to preserve the Union to the best of his abilities. I too was surprised at many of his ideas on what to do with the slaves. I agree that he was not a die-hard abolitionist as some may claim. Instead, he agreed it needed to end but did not necessarily have a clear view on what to do with them. I think he had a great understanding that it isn't as simply as saying that all slaves are free. There is far more to the story than a blanket statement.

LeNina Wimmer

5/9/2017 07:06:39 pm

Melinda,

What a great lesson we can all learn that something that in our 2017 minds seems so simple (slavery is wrong) was actually quite complex. I think it is a great thing to point out to our students that even the "great emancipator" struggled with the issue! Another lesson to learn from Lincoln that nothing is as simple as it seems!

Daron Gatherum

5/13/2017 07:11:06 pm

Melinda,

As I continue to read and complete assignments for this course I feel more and more like I have done my students a disservice to President Lincoln and to my students. Since I only teach U.S. History II I only provide a brief review of the Civil War. There is so much about Lincoln's abilities and accomplishments that I fail to cover. I feel that in the interest of time and trying to cram as much content in that we (I) oversimplify the facts just to fit it in, like you said just giving a blanket statement such as "Slavery was wrong and Lincoln ended it. The end.". I think there are many valuable lessons from these three chapters that should be included in my curriculum.

Amy Dalley

5/11/2017 10:38:30 am

This reading portion was my favorite of all. I am not as knowledgeable about Lincoln as I wish I were, I’ve always had great admiration for him, but never really knew cold hard facts about him. Abraham Lincoln was an amazing man and President at a very hard time in history. On paper, it is unbelievable that he was able to accomplish what he did. I loved the Lincoln quote where he mocked his military career: “Did you know I am a military hero? I fought, bled, and came away, after charging upon the wild onions and a good many bloody battles with the Musquetoes” (123). When compared to Jefferson Davis, a West Point graduate, seasoned military commander and former secretary of war, Lincoln’s military resume is very under qualified. Yet, this man is usually regarded as one of the best president’s the United States has ever had. The phrase “out of the pan and into the fire “ describes his presidency perfectly. He was totally defined by the war- from the first day until being assassinated 5 days after the surrender at Appomattox. The truly amazing thing is that he was self taught- he poured over strategy, military history as well as observed and analyzed the failures and successes of those around him (123). In 1952, T. Harry Williams called Lincoln a “natural strategist” which we now know is not true at all; he was a natural observer and a expert analyst (124). There was so much riding on this man- not only the success or failure as a President, but the very survival of the Union (124).
He was a flexible leader- He made a plan and then adjusted it as the need arose. The one change that needed to be done sooner was letting General McClellan go. I was shocked as I read how horrible McClellan was to President Lincoln. The lack of respect was maddening. I just taught how General MacArthur was fired for subordination during the Korean War and his actions and words were minor compared to those of General McClellan. One of my favorite quotes from this reading was when Lincoln said, “If General McClellan did not want to use the army, he would like to borrow it” (152). Abraham Lincoln had a wicked wit, but a bit too much patience for General McClellan.

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