History of America - Who was Abrahim Lincoln Part 2

Part 2

On February 11, 1861, US President-elect Abraham Lincoln addressed his supporters at Springfield. He said this was where I lived for a quarter of a century, My children were born here and one of them is buried in the same land. He said that he didn't know if he ever would return to this place again because he had a big challenge in Washington.

Abraham Lincoln was speaking at a time when America was falling apart. He was on his way to Washington to take the oath of office. He had to save his country and his reputation. He was an inexperienced president, and he was fully aware of it.

How did Lincoln meet the greatest challenge in American history?

I am Muhammad Ahmed and You are Reading the second part of the series Who Was Lincoln.

By February 20, 1861, in nine days, President-elect Abraham Lincoln's train had reached Philadelphia. Along the way, he also addressed his supporters. Washington, D.C., where he was to be sworn in was not very far. But he had to pass through Baltimore. This city was a stronghold of the supporters of slavery. So, Lincoln's security in-charge told him that the rebels had planned to attack him with knives in Baltimore. The alleged attackers planned to stab Lincoln during his address from the window of the train. So to protect the president-elect, Lincoln's train was changed so quietly that no one knew.

Lincoln arrived in Washington quietly on another train. But the scheduled train carrying Lincoln was not attacked in Baltimore. Therefore, it is said that Lincoln's security in-charge was over-cautious. These moves did not impress Lincoln, but his reputation was damaged. When the first train arrived in Baltimore, a large crowd was waiting for him.

Journalists were also among them. But when Lincoln did not get off the train, his supporters were disappointed. But when the press learned that Lincoln had changed trains out of fear of death threats. So they got a story. With the help of this story, pro-rebel newspapers began to portray Abraham Lincoln as cowardly and timid. They started publishing cartoons and making stories about how the elected president was a cowardly leader. They said that just because of one threat he changed the train and hid in the seat. Someone showed him peeking out of the train in a cowardly manner. Someone showed him galloping with his long legs as if he was running away in fear of death.

The press was vehemently attacking him. Remember that newspapers were also divided in those days, those who opposed slavery had a soft corner for Lincoln. And those who supported slavery did not miss a single chance to ridicule him. So these were the circumstances in which Lincoln was sworn in on March 4, 1861, in Washington DC.

The oath-taking ceremony was not without its dangers. So cannons were installed at important places. Snipers were positioned on the rooftops, and Lincoln's first inauguration took place under tight security. Here was Lincoln's first inaugural speech. His supporters hoped he would announce a strategy to end slavery today. That is what Lincoln himself wanted. But when he took out a handwritten speech and began to read, there were no words about ending slavery.

On the contrary, he said this,

"I have no intention of interfering in the system of slavery," he said.

"Because legally I have no authority to interfere in the internal affairs of states. "

But then he also threatened the southern states in soft words.

"My angry compatriots, the issue of civil war is now in your hands," he said.

"The government will never attack you first."

"But if you attack, there will be war."

"The promise you made to destroy the government is not a divine scripture."

"But the commitment I have made to save America is very strong and I will keep it."

Then Lincoln came to his office and sat down.

But those who came to see him began to think that he was not serious. Because he was sitting in his office telling jokes. People who came to see him were disappointed by his lack of seriousness. He seemed to have forgotten the challenge and the promise for which the people had voted for him. But it was not the case. Because the rebel states situated right in front of him.

The White House window overlooked Virginia, the rebel stronghold across the river. Virginia's capital Richmond was also the rebel capital. Colonel Jefferson, president of the Rebel Confederate States of America, lived in the same city.

Now it was a matter that Lincoln could never ignore. His voters and supporters insisted that the Potomac River be crossed and that Virginia be attacked and destroyed.

The Americans thought that defeating the insurgents was a piece of cake for the Union Army. But Lincoln did not want to start the war first. He was waiting for the rebels to make a mistake. So the rebels soon made this mistake. they attacked Fort Sumter, a key Union stronghold, Lincoln ordered his troops to prepare for war. Note that the United States at that time did not have a big regular army like the countries today. There was no large active regular army.

At that time, many countries, including the United States, recruited young people when needed. So at Lincoln's order, 75,000 young people were recruited for three months. They were quickly trained. Now the build-up for war had started. From the beginning of the war, it was clear that Lincoln had more power in the northern states. Because the northern states were twenty-three and their area was large. The southern states, on the other hand, numbered only eleven.

There were so many factories in the northern states that they could make as many weapons as they wanted. But the rebels did not have lot of factories. The northern states also had a population of 22 million. That's why they could recruit more people for the army. But the total population of the rebel states was nine million, including four million black slaves. Who hated their masters and could be a threat to the southern states. Yes, there was one thing in which the rebels had some advantage over Lincoln. That was their president being an expert soldier. This is very important in war situations.

Jefferson Davis, president of the Confederates of the Southern States, was an expert military officer. He had fought in the Mexican War and won battles.

So in this situation, July 21, 1861, was a historic day. Lincoln ordered his general, Irwin McDowell, to attack the rebel-held state of Virginia. For the Americans, the order of the attack was like a spectacle. Since Virginia was in front of Washington, there was only one river separating them. So on the day of the battle when the Union troops were going to invade Virginia, the citizens of Washington gathered on a high place to watch the war. They were rich people, they came there in chariots, they even brought food and drinks, It seemed as though they were not going to see a battle but were camping for a picnic. Something similar happened to young American soldiers.

They were proud and going to the battlefield feeling like heroes. Because 90% of them had no idea of ​​the horrors of war. So when the young American army led by General Irwin McDowell crossed the Potomac River, they encountered real ammunition on the battlefield, the young army lost its morale. The roar of the battle, blazing cannons, the blood flowing from the corpses, and the screams of the wounded were enough to blow their minds.

So first these young men ran away from the battlefield and then there was a stampede among the picnickers. They all ran towards their chariots, which caused many of the chariots to break down. They left their picnic stuff there and barely escaped and hid in their homes. This battle is known as the Battle of the Bull Run. Lincoln could not sleep that night. He was questioning the returnees in detail.

It was an unexpected surprise defeat. That is why he ordered three of his commanders to attack the enemy to show the Union's strength. The commanders said OK, but it took months to prepare for the attack.

During all this, Lincoln was beginning to think that his generals, though they looked good in their uniforms, had no special skills in fighting. He understood that the war could not be left to the generals only. Just as a new man is needed for every challenge, so Lincoln also changed his personality. He ordered several books on military strategy from the library and studied them one by one.

After all, he used to do the same in his youth. That's how he learned advocacy, and that's how he read Shakespeare. So he became a general in theory. He now sat down with his commanders to plan for the coming wars. Commanders followed his orders otherwise they were fired.

First, he retired his commander-in-chief, Winfield Scott. Because he had lost his fighting spirit. He then fired General Irwin McDowell who had lost the Battle of the Bull Run.

In addition, he fired or retired several commanders during the war.

Now, with each passing day, the war was intensifying. Sometimes the Union Army attacked key locations in the southern states and sometimes defended. There were days when tens of thousands of Americans lost their lives in just one day. The blood was flowing like water.

Now Lincoln felt he needed powers like a dictator. So that he did not have to get the approval of the Congress every time for any important decision. Congress gave him these powers.

Under those powers, he ordered the arrest without trial of those who were supporting the rebels. In those areas where supporters of slavery created problems, martial law was declared. Even newspapers that were propagating in support of the Confederate rebels were temporarily shut down. Now Lincoln had gathered the commanders of his own choice around him. On his instructions, the US navy laid siege to the southern states.

So that these states were unable to export anything to Europe or seek help from Britain or France. Lincoln's policies were succeeding. The Union Army was winning and the United States was retaking territory from the rebels. It seemed that the southern states would soon be on their knees.

But then in 1862 came two great changes. Lincoln, who had witnessed the death of his three-year-old son in Springfield, now Lincoln's 11-year-old son William Wallace died of typhoid fever while the war was raging. When Lincoln buried his son, he locked himself in his room and wept for hours. Then he wiped away his tears, went out, and took over his responsibilities. The second major event was the appointment of general Robert Lee as commander of the rebels.

General Robert Lee stopped the Union army in Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. He also advanced into the northern states. In many places, he brought Lincoln's Union Army to a defensive position. Under general Lee's command, the rebel army of the southern states began to gain victories. The tide of war could turn. But Lincoln still had a trump card in his pocket. That Lincoln should announce the abolition of slavery in the southern states.

Lincoln hoped that the four million black slaves in the southern states would revolt against their white masters. And would join his army. He wanted to announce it but there was a problem. The problem was that his army was losing at that time. Any announcement at this stage was a sign of weakness for the Union. So he restrained himself and waited for a victory.

On September 17, 1862, when General Lee was attacking Washington, Lincoln himself jumped into the battlefield to save the capital. Lincoln handed over command of the Union Army to General McClellan to stop General Lee. But due to the sensitivity of the issue, he himself reached the battlefield. He pitched a tent near the battlefield and sat there to watch the battle and issue orders. This war was a matter of life and death for him. Because if General Lee had taken over Washington, the central government of the northern states would have collapsed.

The great powers of that time, Britain and France were waiting for General Lee to arrive in Washington. They were eager to officially recognise the rebel government. So now America's fate was to be decided by this war. The battle took place near the town of Sharpsburg, also known as the Battle of Sharpsburg or Battle of Antietam.

At the time of the battle, General Lee's position was very weak. The army was exhausted and the stockpile of weapons was scarce. Now there could be no fighting with empty guns. So after some fighting, General Lee began to retreat to save his army. And with great skill, he crossed the Potomac River and returned to Virginia. He saved most of his army, but his plan to conquer the northern states especially Washington had failed. The last day of this battle was the bloodiest day of the American Civil War. More than 10,000 rebels and more than 12,000 Union Army soldiers were killed or wounded that day. And it was the last day for General McLellan, who followed Lincoln's orders in that battle

Abraham Lincoln was annoyed by the slowness of his general. Because General Lee's army was much smaller and was lacking in weapons. Even then, General McLellan could not crush it completely. Despite Lincoln's repeated orders, he did not completely pursue and destroy the rebel army.

However, if he had done so, the civil war could have ended much earlier. So Lincoln called this lazy general into his tent and fired him from the command. However, the rebel forces in the Battle of Antietam were not completely crushed. But Lincoln and his army had managed to oust General Lee from their areas. So it was still a success that could be celebrated in public. And that was exactly what Abraham Lincoln had been waiting for.

So six days after that victory, Lincoln, through the media, gave the rebels a deadline of January 1, 1863. He warned that if the rebel states did not surrender until January 1, 1863, then he would abolish slavery. Cartoons were also printed on it in newspapers. But the rebel states did not heed the warning.

January 1, 1863, is a memorable day in American history. That evening, Lincoln signed the Declaration of the Abolition of Slavery and, for the first time, signed his full name, Abraham Lincoln. Otherwise, he would usually only write A. Lincoln. At the time, he also said that if my name ever became part of history, it would be because of the Slavery Abolition Act. The act also allowed the Union Army to recruit blacks into the army. Hundreds of thousands of black slaves began to enlist in the Union Army.

Although slaves did not revolt in the southern states, But even in these states there was a social unrest and everyone feared of a slave revolt. After this announcement, the Union Army got many victories. General Lee's dream of occupying Washington was unfulfilled, but Lincoln's army was also... unable to capture the rebel headquarters. And you know that as long as the headquarter is safe there is no decisive defeat. So the rebel headquarters in Richmond, not far from Washington, was attacked.

Lincoln's trusted general, General Grant, was leading the campaign. Richmond's defense was General Lee's responsibility. The resistance of General Lee and his army was fierce. It was a battle in which the blood of American soldiers was flowing like water. Fighting was still going on and 54,000 Union soldiers were killed.

At this stage, the American people's war frenzy had completely subsided. Now the Americans, who saw the war as a spectacle, were enduring its horrors. That is why in the midst of the war, the demand for an end to the war began to gain momentum. Meanwhile, new presidential elections were also near. The war had reached a point where Lincoln could not stop it. Stopping the war meant giving rebel states more time to prepare, which Lincoln obviously did not want. But as the people began to speak out against the war,

Lincoln felt he was about to lose elections and being ousted from the White House. And friends, do you know who stood against him in the election? 

It was General George McLellan, who was fired by Lincoln after the Battle of Antietam. He was too slow that he took weeks and sometimes months to start an attack.

The general had now entered politics and the Democrats had made him their presidential candidate. He was now urging the general public to vote for him. He promised that after taking office he will not only end the war but also restore slavery. Lincoln had only one chance to respond to such a powerful slogan. He had to win the war before November 1864. Only this way he could satisfy his voters about his policies.

Then there was no need for a new president. Lincoln was lucky, his army conquered the capital of the rebel state of Georgia. It also tightened the siege of the rebel stronghold of Richmond, Virginia. The last and the strongest stronghold of the rebels was also beginning to falter. This was the news of Lincoln's victory. US public opinion once again favored Lincoln before the election. The general who proved to be slow in the war also lagged behind Lincoln in politics. 212 electoral votes were cast for Lincoln and 21 for General McLellan.

After winning the election, Lincoln abolished slavery throughout the United States through a constitutional amendment. His dream came true in January 1865, 37 years after his first visit to New Orleans. Back then he was a minor employee of a small boat. That is why it is said that dreams must be seen because the problem with dreams is that they come true. Within a month of Lincoln being sworn in for the second time, the rebel power had died down. One by one, the American flag began to fly again over the rebel states. But it was important to conquer their center, Richmond. Without conquering Richmond the victory was incomplete.

On the 3rd of April, 1865, Richmond was also restored to the Union. 6 days after this, on 9th of April, 1865, general Lee surrendered to general Grant. President of the rebel government Jefferson Davis was also arrested a month later. The US civil war had ended after 4 years, 600, 000 people died fighting this war. But now Lincoln had to make another difficult decision. He had to decide how to treat the rebels? It was decided on the 11th of April, that day Lincoln was addressing a crowd from the balcony of the White House.

He had small notes in his hands. He had written the important points of his speech on these notes.He threw down every note after reading it. His 12-years-old son was sitting near his feet and caught every note. A voice arose among the crowd.

How the rebels should be treated?

There was another voice that answered it.

"Hang them, Hang them."

Lincoln was about to say something. But his son suddenly rose and shouted.

He said, "No we must hang on to them." Means we should keep them with us.

Lincoln's son Ted had represented his father well.

Abraham Lincoln also wanted amnesty for all the rebels.

He wanted to control bitterness between states. So all the rebel soldiers and politicians were pardoned. Even brave rebels were given thier due honour. The southern states were allowed to build their memorials and monuments. The war was over but this war has destroyed Lincoln's health.

The death of his 11-years-old son was also painful for him. Death of two sons had also made his wife a psycho patient. Her behaviour with Lincoln and the other staff of the White House was so rude. But Lincoln always remained silent on this issue. A photograph of Abraham Lincoln was taken at the end of the war. The photograph showed that he had grown much older during the 4 years of war. It was coincidence that the camera glass cracked while taking the picture. Then its negative was also broken. These were the days when Lincoln had a dream. He saw that people were crying in the White House.

What was this dream?

Who murdered Lincoln and why?

What happened to his killers.

Why could Lincoln's bodyguards not save him?

Why was Lincoln's body moved from his grave?

Is Lincoln really buried in his tomb?

We will show you all this in the next and final Part, who was Abrahim Lincoln?