As the Civil War raged on, things weren’t looking so good for the reelection of Abraham Lincoln. In August 1864 Lincoln asked his entire cabinet to sign the back of what became the “blind memorandum,” essentially a promise to work with whomever wins the November elections to save the Union before the new president would be sworn into office.
And yet Lincoln was reelected, by a wide margin in fact. How did this happen?
Find out on the 150th anniversary of that election, on November 8th, 2014 at the E. Barrett Prettyman District Courthouse in Washington, DC. That’s when the Lincoln Group of DC is sponsoring a full day of expert historians examining The Election of 1864.
At the symposium you’ll find out why Jefferson Davis and Robert E. Lee tried so hard to disrupt the northern elections. You’ll find out how Lincoln prepared for what appeared to be a looming defeat. And you’ll find out what changed all that, from critical military victories to strategic political maneuvering. The result was the reelection of Abraham Lincoln and the saving of the Union.
Join distinguished Lincoln experts Michael Burlingame*, Thomas Horrocks, Elizabeth Varon, Jennifer Weber, and Jonathan W. White as they explore every facet of an election that is without a doubt one of the most important elections in our nation’s history. The very fact that it occurred at all during a Civil War is significant; even more so because a different result would likely have split our nation apart.
It’s not too late to register for the event. Click to go to the Lincoln Group website and join us for what is guaranteed to be a highlight of the 150th anniversary of the Civil War. Also, Like our Facebook page to keep up to date on Lincoln Group events and information on our sixteenth president.
[*Note: Michael Burlingame has graciously agreed to stand in for our scheduled keynote speaker, Dr. Allen Guelzo, who has had to withdraw for personal reasons. Watch for Dr. Guelzo to join us next March at the Lincoln Inaugural reenactment and gala.]
David J. Kent is a lifelong Lincolnophile and is currently working on a book about Abraham Lincoln’s interest in science and technology. His most recent article, “Lincoln and the Rule of Three,” was published in the September 2014 issue of The Lincolnian. He is also the author of Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity and an ebook Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time.
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