CONTENTS.

CHAPTER 1.

Early Life of Abraham Lincoln.--His Own Record. His Ancestry.-Changes

of Residence.-Death and Funeral of his Mother.—Entrance upon Polit-

ical Life.—A Member of the Legislature and of Congress.--The Mexican

War......

............ Page 17

CHAPTER II.

THE LINCOLN-DOUGLAS DEBATE.

Presidential Campaign of 1856.- Douglas at Springfield.in 1857.—Lincoln's

Reply.--The Great Debate.-Eloquent Defence of the Doctrines of the

Republican Party --Result of the Contest. ............... Page 46

CHAPTER III.

MR. LINCOLN AND THE PRESIDENCY.

The Campaign of 1859 in Ohio.-Mr. Lincoln's Speeches at Columbus and

Cincinnati.—His Visit to the East.--In New York City.--The Great

Speech at Cooper Institute.-Mr. Lincoln dominated for the Presidency.

-His Election..............

.... Page 78

CHAPTER IV.

FROM THE ELECTION, NOVEMBER 6, 1860, TO THE INAUGURATION, MARCI 4,

1861. .

The Presidential Election.-Secession of South Carolina. -Formation of the

Rebel Confederacy.-The Objects of Secession.Secession Movements in

Washington.— Debates in Congress.—The Crittenden Resolutions.-Con-

ciliatory Action of Congress.-The Peace Conference.—Action of Con-

gress.- The Secession Movement unchecked. ................... Page 107

CHAPTER V.

FROM SPRINGFIELD TO WASHINGTON.

Speech at Indianapolis.--Arrival and Speech at Cincinnati.-Speech at Co-

lumbus.--Speech at Pittsburg.- Arrival and Speech at Cleveland.- Arri-

val at Buffalo.-At Rochester and Syracuso.- At Albany.-Speech at

Poughkeepsie.--In New York.-Reply to the Mayor of New York.-13

New Jersey.--Arrival at Philadelphia. -Speech in Philadelphia.–At

Harrisburg.- Arrival and Reception at Washington............. Page 131

CHAPTER VI.

FROM THE INAUGURATION TO THE MEETING OF CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1861.

The Inaugural Address.-Organization of the Government. The Bombard-

munt of Fort Sumter.—Passage of Troops through Baltimore.--Interview

with the Mayor of Baltimore.--The Blockade of Rebel Ports.—The Pres.

ident and the Virginia Commissioners.-Instruction to our Ministers

abroad.-Recognition of the Rebels as Belligerents.-Rights of Neu-

trals...................................................... Page 161

CHAPTER VII.

TIIE EXTRA SESSION OF CONGRESS, AND THE MILITARY EVENTS OF THE SUMMER

OF 1861.

First Annual Message.-Action of Congress.—Slavery and Confiscation.--The

Dofeat at Bull Run.-Treatment of the Slavery Question.-General Fro.

mont and the President.---The Trent Affair.......

nair..................... Page 106

CHAPTER VIII.

THE REGULAR SESSION OF CONGRESS, DECEMBER, 1861.—THE MESSAGE.--

DEBATES, ETO.

Meeting of Congress.—President's Message.—Disposition of Congress.

Slavery in Territories and District of Columbia.- Proposed Aid to Eman-

cipation by Slave States.—The Debate in Congress.-The President and

General Hunter.—The Border State Representatives.-The Border State

Reply.—The Finances. Tho Confiscation Bill. The President's Action

and Opinions.—The President's Message.—Message in Regard to Mr.

Cameron.—The President and his Cabinet.—Close of the Session of Cou-

gress.—The President's Letter to Mr. Greeley.—The President and the

Chicago Convention.—Proclamation of Emancipation............. Page 212

CHAPTER LX.

TIE MILITARY ADMINISTRATION OF 1862.-TAE PRESIDENT AND GENERAL

M'OLELLAN.

General McClellan succeeds McDowell.—The President's Order for an Ad-

vance. The Movement to the Peninsula.—Rebel Evacuation of Manag-

das.--Arrangements for the Peninsular Movement.--The President's

Letter to General McClellan - The Rebel Strength at Yorktown. The

Battlo of Williamsburg.-McClellan's Fear of being Overwhelmed.-The

President to McClellan. Jackson's Raid in the Shenandoah Valley - The

President to McClellan.-Seven Pines and Fair Oaks.—McClellan's Com.

plaints of McDowell.-His Continued Delays.-Prepares for Defeat.-

Calls for more Mon.-His Advice to the President.-- Preparations to Con-

centrate the Army.-General Halleck to McClellan.-Appointment of

General Pope.--Imperative Orders to McClellan.-McClellan's Failure to

aid Pope.-His Excuses for Delay.--Proposes to Leave Pope Unnided.

-Excuses for Franklin's Delay.-His Excuses proved Groundless.-His

kilogel Lack of Sup:»lies.-- Advance into Maryland -The Presider t's

Letter to McClellan.—He Protests against Delay.—McClellan Relieved

from Command.-Speech by the President..................... Page 262

CHAPTER X.

GENERAL CONDUCT OF THE ADMINISTRATION IN 1862.

Successes in the Southwest.—Recognized Objects of the War.-Relations of

the War to Slavery.-Our Foreign Relations.- Proposed Mediation of the

French Emperor. - Reply to the French Proposal.-Secretary Seward's

Dispatch.-The President's Letter to Fernando Wood.-Observance of

the Sabbath.................................................. Page 32-

CHAPTER XI.

THE CONGRESSIONAL SESSION OF 1862-'63.-MESSAGE OF THE PRESIDENT

AND GENERAL ACTION OF THE SESSION.

The President's Message.- Are the Rebel States Aliens ?—The Provision for

a Draft.--Message on the Finances and Currency.--Admission of West

Virginia.—Close of the Session...

....... Page 3 14

CHAPTER XII.

ARBITRARY ARRESTS.—THE SUSPENSION OF THE WRIT OF HABEAS COBPUS.

-TAB DRAFT.

Arbitrary Arrests. First Suspension of the Habeas Corpus.-Aid and Com.

fort to the Rebels.--Executive Order about Arrests.--Appointment of a

Commissioner on Arrests. Opposition to the Government.—The Case of

Vallandigbam.-Governor Seymour on Vallandigham.-President Lin.

coln on Arrests.- President Lincoln on Military Arrests.-The Presi.

dent's Letter to Mr. Corning.–The President to the Ohio Committee:-

The President on Vallandigham's Case. The Habeas Corpus Suspended.

- Proclamation Concerning Alieps.- The Draft --The New York Riots.

Letter to Governor Seymour.- The Draft Resumed and Completed. Page 373
CHAPTER XIII.

MILITARY EVENTS OF 1863.-THE REBEL DEFEAT AT GETTYSBUBG.--FALL

OF VIOKSBURG AND PORT HUDSON.

The Battles at Fredericksburg.-Rebel Raid into Pennsylvania.-Results at

Gettysburg.–Vicksburg and Port Hudson Captured.-Public Rejoicings.

-The President's Speech.--Thanksgiving for Victories.-Battle of Chat-

tanooga.—Thanksgiving Proclamation....... ............. Page 407

CHAPTER XIV.

POLITICAL MOVEMENTS IN MISSOURI.-THE STATE ELECTIONS OF 1863.

General Fremont in Missouri.-The President's Letter to General Hunter.-

Emancipation in Missouri.-Appointment of General Schofieid. --The

Prosident ard the Missouri Radicals.—The President to the Missouri

Committee.—The President and General Schofield.—The President and

the Churches.-Letter to Illinois.--The Elections of 1863. ........ Page 422

CHAPTER XV.

THE CONGRESS OF 1863-'64.-MESSAGE OF THE PRESIDENT.— ACTION Or

The President's Message.—The Proclamation of Amnesty.-Explanatory

Proclamation.—Debate on Slavery.—Call for Troops.-General Blair's

Resignation.—Diplomatic Correspondence.-Our Relations with England.

-France and Mexico.—The President and the Monroe Doctrine... Page 445

CHAPTER XVI.

MOVEMENTS TOWARDS RECONSTRUCTION.

State Governments in Louisiana and Arkansas.-Difference of Views be-

tween the President and Congress.—The Rebellion and Labor. The

President on Benevolent Associations.-Advancing Action concerning

CHAPTER XVII.

MILITARY EVENTS OF THE SPRING AND SUMMER OF 1864.

Battle of the Olustee.:--Kilpatrick's Raid on Richmond. ---The Red River

Expedition.-The Fort Pillow Massacre.-Rebel Atrocities.General

Grant's Advance upon Richmond.-Battles in May.--Sherman's March to

Atlanta.- Rebel Raids in Maryland and Kentucky.-Siege of Petersburg.

- Martial Law iu Kentucky.-Draft for Five hundred thousand Men.-

Capture of Mobile and Atlanta................................ Page 513