W45:D2 - Lessons on the Civil War - The 1864 Election Lincoln vs McClellan and Naval Warfare - ABP

The State of the Union Before the 1864 Election

As the presidential election of 1864 approached, the United States was still deeply embroiled in the Civil War. The war had dragged on for over three years, testing the endurance and morale of both soldiers and civilians. By mid-1864, the conflict had reached a critical turning point, shaping political debates and voter sentiment. The state of the Union, both on the battlefield and the home front, was fraught with uncertainty, exhaustion, and hope.

 

The War on the Battlefield: A Bloody Stalemate or Turning Tide?

By the summer of 1864, the Union Army, under the leadership of General Ulysses S. Grant, was engaged in an aggressive campaign against General Robert E. Lee’s Confederate forces in Virginia. Grant's Overland Campaign, which had begun in May, was marked by some of the bloodiest battles of the war, including the Wilderness, Spotsylvania, and Cold Harbor. Despite heavy Union casualties, Grant remained committed to his strategy of wearing down the Confederate Army through continuous pressure. However, the protracted Siege of Petersburg, which had begun in June, contributed to a sense of stalemate, as the Union struggled to break through the Confederate defenses.

 

In the Western Theater, the Union saw more success. General William Tecumseh Sherman’s forces captured Atlanta in September 1864, a major turning point that bolstered Northern morale and reassured many that the war could be won. Sherman's victory was especially critical for President Abraham Lincoln's re-election campaign, as it dispelled fears that the war was unwinnable and weakened the arguments of Democratic challenger George B. McClellan, who had called for peace negotiations.

 

Despite these victories, casualties were mounting at an alarming rate. Many feared that the war had no clear end in sight, and Lincoln faced immense pressure from both political allies and opponents to justify the continued bloodshed.

 

Union Soldiers: Weary, Determined, and Politically Divided

The soldiers fighting for the Union had endured years of brutal combat, disease, and hardship. Morale among the troops was mixed—many were exhausted and frustrated by the seemingly endless fighting, yet victories like Atlanta gave them renewed hope. The Army had also grown increasingly politicized, with many troops supporting Lincoln and his war policies, believing that an outright victory was the only way to preserve the Union and justify their sacrifices.

 

Lincoln’s administration made efforts to ensure that soldiers could participate in the election. For the first time in U.S. history, absentee voting was permitted, allowing troops to cast ballots while stationed in the field. The results of the soldiers' vote were overwhelmingly in Lincoln’s favor, as many believed that McClellan’s platform for peace could mean that their sacrifices had been in vain.

 

However, not all Union soldiers supported Lincoln. Some, particularly those who had suffered through Grant’s relentless offensives, resented the administration’s war policies and leaned toward McClellan’s call for peace. Still, the majority of Union troops recognized that a negotiated settlement could mean continued Confederate independence and the survival of slavery, both of which many soldiers opposed.

 

Civilians on the Home Front: War Fatigue and Political Tensions

The Union civilian population was deeply divided as the war dragged on. The economy in the North had been strained by wartime inflation, rising taxation, and military conscription. While the industrial sector boomed due to war production, lower-class workers and farmers often struggled with the financial burden of the conflict. Anti-war sentiment had erupted into violent protests, such as the New York City Draft Riots in 1863, and continued unrest threatened Lincoln’s chances for re-election.

 

Many civilians in the North, particularly the families of soldiers, grew weary of the war and feared that Lincoln was leading the nation toward an indefinite conflict. The Democratic Party, particularly the Peace Democrats or "Copperheads," exploited these fears, advocating for an immediate end to the war, even if it meant allowing the Confederacy to secede.

 

At the same time, Republicans and Unionists argued that peace without victory would be meaningless. They pointed to Confederate refusal to negotiate in good faith and highlighted the moral imperative of ending slavery as a key reason to continue fighting. The fall of Atlanta in September 1864 dramatically shifted public opinion, strengthening support for Lincoln and quelling many fears that the war was hopeless.

 

African Americans: Hope, Struggle, and the Fight for Freedom

For African Americans, both free and formerly enslaved, the war was not just about preserving the Union—it was a f