Download Role of Lincoln in the Union victory in the

Role of Lincoln in the Union victory in the American Civil War
Lincoln’s contribution
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Positives
Personal qualities: resilience,
diligence, tenacity, humour, selfconfidence; not afraid of talents
of others.
Selected well and delegated;
excellent man- management
skills.
Wrote own speeches which
conveyed Union war aims very
clearly.
Shaped strategy: willing to fight to
the finish.
More in favour of racial equality
than were most Northerners.
Worked well with Congress.
Tended to represent the middle
ground.
Used Presidential powers to the
full as Commander in Chief: voted
$2m for military and naval
spending (1861) without
reference to Congress.
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Able to concentrate on wider
military issues, not details.
Encouraged and exhorted his
commanders.
Kept border states in the Union.
Had a balanced, inclusive war
cabinet.
Motivated through speeches.
Negatives
Limited political experience
No military experience
Opposed by many Democrats
Opposed by some Republicans
Often out of touch with military
and political leaders
Democrats accused him of
‘executive tyranny’: suppressed
civil liberties; 1862, suspended
Habeas Corpus- arbitrary arrests
without ref to courts; civilians
were tried by military
commissions.
Other factors
o 4 slave states (Missouri, W Virginia, Kentucky and Maryland) remained
loyal to Union.
 North’s advantages (see year 12 notes):
Population size: N = 22m; S = 9m.;
Great lead in industrial output- 97% US firearms; 93% US cloth; 94%
pig-iron; 90% US boots and shoes.
6x no of factories in S; 10x S’s productive capacity.
More railway track. More skilled workers.
o Most soldiers were loyal to the Union. 1820-1860: 2/3 West Point
graduates were from N.
o High standard of some military commanders, notably Ulysses S Grant.
o N had naval supremacy (Anaconda Plan)
 Emancipation Proclamation gave some in North sense that they were
crusaders: motivational
o 1861: Union banking and financial structures not ready for war- no
national bank; northern systems close to collapse in first winter of
war.
o Treasury Secretary SP Chase did an excellent job holding the
Union’s finances together, raising loans and bonds, encouraging
investment in them, and therefore raising 2/3 revenue of Union in
this way; 1/5 revenues came from taxes inc federal income tax
from Aug 1861 (3% annual incomes over $800) and Internal
Revenue Act (1862) which taxed almost everything and was 10x
more lucrative than income tax.
o Legal Tender Act (1862) authorised printing of notes ultimately to
value of $431m, which allowed Treasury to pay for war effort.
o Reform of banking system: 1863/1864 National Banking Actsattempt to create more uniform currency; 10% tax on state
banknotes kept number in circulation under control.
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May 1862: Congress set up Dept of Agriculture to improve
farming methods.
 May 1862: Homestead Act encouraged westward
expansion and opened up more land for cultivation.
Imposed higher customs dues: protected industry and increased govt
revenues.
Development of infrastructure, esp railways, from govt grants of land and
general encouragement. [1862: transcontinental line approved from
Omaha to San Francisco]
Northern economy coped much better than the southern under pressure of
war: had raw materials, technological expertise and capital.
Demands of war probably stimulated northern economy. 1864: iron prodn
29% higher in North than for whole US in 1856.
Northern economy also able to export food, eg wheat (high demand from
Britain because of successive poor harvests).
BUT trades linked with South, eg N Eng cotton mills, suffered.
 Weaknesses of South:
 Leadership of Davis- some question his ability to hold his ‘side’
together, though gave undivided support to Lee: often categorized
as weak, petty, unable to establish good working relations with his
advisers. NB Supported tough measures and put needs of
Confederacy above states’ rights.
 Economic disadvantages, made worse by disruption to cotton
exports
 Campaign being fought on southern soil: created economic and
infrastructural dislocation.
 Will to fight faded in later stages of war.
 Failed to gain the foreign support needed: Britain in particular not
likely to support rebel states; sought that foreign support too late in
the war.
3. Historiography
 Traditionally viewed as America’s greatest President
 Farmer: Cynics might claim that it was Lincoln’s assassination, rather than
his leadership, which assured his reputation.
 McPherson: The President’s unique blend of firmness and deference, the
iron fist of decision clothed in the velvet glove of humour and tact, enabled
him to dominate his subordinates without the appearance of domination.
 Lincoln: If I could save the Union without freeing any slave, I would do so,
and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves I would do it; and if I could
save it by freeing some and leaving others alone I would also do that. [to
anti-slavery journalist Horace Greeley]
 Wendell Phillips: He is a first rate, second rate man.
 EV: Lincoln’s distinctive style of leadership