Changes

==Civil War==

==Civil War==

[[Image:Mary Todd Lincoln.jpg|thumb|200px|left|Mary Todd Lincoln]]

 

[[File:Abraham Lincoln 1863 LOC.jpg|thumb|240px|left|Abraham Lincoln at the front.]]

Lincoln’s goal was to preserve the Union; he would have been happy to preserve the peace as well, but he was willing to engage in a war to preserve it as well, a war he thought would be short.  After Fort Sumter he proclaimed a blockade of Southern ports and called for thousands of volunteers to enlist for ninety days.  He also believed that an overland war was inevitable, and he ordered forces on a march on the Virginia front, resulting in the first great defeat for the Union at Bull Run (July 21, 1861).  Shortly afterward, Lincoln issued a set of memorandums for the military, of which his basic thought was that armies in the field must advance concurrently and on several fronts.   

Lincoln’s goal was to preserve the Union; he would have been happy to preserve the peace as well, but he was willing to engage in a war to preserve it as well, a war he thought would be short.  After Fort Sumter he proclaimed a blockade of Southern ports and called for thousands of volunteers to enlist for ninety days.  He also believed that an overland war was inevitable, and he ordered forces on a march on the Virginia front, resulting in the first great defeat for the Union at Bull Run (July 21, 1861).  Shortly afterward, Lincoln issued a set of memorandums for the military, of which his basic thought was that armies in the field must advance concurrently and on several fronts.   

Finding himself as the leader of a country now at war, Lincoln used a description of himself in which he let events control him, and then react to the problem.  It was something of himself that was used with success as a politician.  In this sense he was being practical, ready to employ an action or decision which would help the cause, and ready to abandon it and use another if the first failed.  But his first insight with which he held fast to, that of taking the fight to the enemy’s army, failed many times when successive generals tried to take the fight to the enemy’s capitol and failed, or failed in following up on a rare victory.  He had George McClellan on the Peninsula, but was beaten back during the Seven Days battles.  His replacement, John Pope, lost in a repeat of Bull Run.  McClellan was back again, winning a victory at Antietam, but failed to follow through in capturing the enemy’s army afterwards.  Then Ambrose Burnside, followed by Joseph Hooker, led the Army of the Potomac to massive defeats at Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville, respectively.  Then George Gordon Meade was put in, just in time for the Battle of Gettysburg; Meade would not finish off the enemy either.  Robert E. Lee, the commander of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, commented on the frequent changes in generals.  “I’m afraid they’re going to find a general I cannot understand.”

Finding himself as the leader of a country now at war, Lincoln used a description of himself in which he let events control him, and then react to the problem.  It was something of himself that was used with success as a politician.  In this sense he was being practical, ready to employ an action or decision which would help the cause, and ready to abandon it and use another if the first failed.  But his first insight with which he held fast to, that of taking the fight to the enemy’s army, failed many times when successive generals tried to take the fight to the enemy’s capitol and failed, or failed in following up on a rare victory.  He had George McClellan on the Peninsula, but was beaten back during the Seven Days battles.  His replacement, John Pope, lost in a repeat of Bull Run.  McClellan was back again, winning a victory at Antietam, but failed to follow through in capturing the enemy’s army afterwards.  Then Ambrose Burnside, followed by Joseph Hooker, led the Army of the Potomac to massive defeats at Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville, respectively.  Then George Gordon Meade was put in, just in time for the Battle of Gettysburg; Meade would not finish off the enemy either.  Robert E. Lee, the commander of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, commented on the frequent changes in generals.  “I’m afraid they’re going to find a general I cannot understand.”

==Personal life==

==Personal life==

Ann Rutledge played a part in stories as being the first woman Lincoln may have fallen in love with.  However, evidence is scant, and what surviving letters and documents there are indicate they were close friends.  She died in 1835 at the age of 22, and the entire community grieved with Lincoln.

Ann Rutledge played a part in stories as being the first woman Lincoln may have fallen in love with.  However, evidence is scant, and what surviving letters and documents there are indicate they were close friends.  She died in 1835 at the age of 22, and the entire community grieved with Lincoln.

[[Image:Lincoln and tad.jpg|thumb|200px|left|The irrepressible Tad Lincoln, striking a typical pose next to his father, who could barely restrain a smile.]]

[[Image:Lincoln and tad.jpg|thumb|200px|left|The irrepressible Tad Lincoln, striking a typical pose next to his father, who could barely restrain a smile.]]

The one true love of Lincoln’s life was a well-educated woman with a quick wit, [[Mary Todd]], from a well-to-do family in Springfield.  Lincoln endured a courtship that lasted two years (and was broken once), before they were married on November 4, 1842.  Together they would have four boys: Robert Todd, Edward Baker (“Eddie”, who died at age 4), William Wallace (“Willie”), and Thomas (“Tad”).  Willie and Tad were the first children in the White House, and the halls and gardens were filled with childish romps, especially from the rambunctious, uncontrollable Tad, who once took a group of office seekers there to see the president on a trip through a confusing maze of hanging laundry; drove a herd of goats inside; got into the attic and rang the servants’ bells for hours; and succeeded in getting his doll executed for sleeping on watch.

The one true love of Lincoln’s life was a well-educated woman with a quick wit, [[Mary Todd]], from a well-to-do family in Springfield.  Lincoln endured a courtship that lasted two years (and was broken once), before they were married on November 4, 1842.  Together they would have four boys: Robert Todd, Edward Baker (“Eddie”, who died at age 4), William Wallace (“Willie”), and Thomas (“Tad”).  Willie and Tad were the first children in the White House, and the halls and gardens were filled with childish romps, especially from the rambunctious, uncontrollable Tad, who once took a group of office seekers there to see the president on a trip through a confusing maze of hanging laundry; drove a herd of goats inside; got into the attic and rang the servants’ bells for hours; and succeeded in getting his doll executed for sleeping on watch.

 

The Lincolns also had their share of quarrels, and stories passed through the years tended to exaggerate them, but existing letters between the two indicate they were like any other married couple.  They were devoted to each other’s company, and when apart they missed each other.  "I have fallen in love with her," Lincoln would write to a friend about Mary, "and have never fallen out."  Mary did have fits of temper and a sense of insecurity; while in the White House she had spells of simple jealousy which she staged in front of guests; sometimes the scene would be quite embarrassing.  She also rang up large bills for her personal wardrobe and redecorating the White House; Lincoln, when he found out one such bill which totaled near $20,000 and coupled with a request for Congress to appropriate the money needed to pay for it, displayed a rare occurrence of pure anger:

The Lincolns also had their share of quarrels, and stories passed through the years tended to exaggerate them, but existing letters between the two indicate they were like any other married couple.  They were devoted to each other’s company, and when apart they missed each other.  "I have fallen in love with her," Lincoln would write to a friend about Mary, "and have never fallen out."  Mary did have fits of temper and a sense of insecurity; while in the White House she had spells of simple jealousy which she staged in front of guests; sometimes the scene would be quite embarrassing.  She also rang up large bills for her personal wardrobe and redecorating the White House; Lincoln, when he found out one such bill which totaled near $20,000 and coupled with a request for Congress to appropriate the money needed to pay for it, displayed a rare occurrence of pure anger: