Marking the two-hundredth anniversary of Lincoln’s birth, this marvelous short biography by a leading historian offers an illuminating portrait of one of the giants in the American story. It is the best concise introduction to Lincoln in print, a must-have volume for anyone interested in American history or in our greatest president. In the discussion below, noted historian and author of Lincoln and His Admirals, Craig L. Symonds, talks to James M. McPherson about Lincoln’s relationships with his generals, beginning with the controversial commander of the northern army, George McClellan, whose soldiers referred to him as the “the young Napoleon.” Both historians share the prestigious 2009 Lincoln Prize for the year’s best books on Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War. McPherson’s Tried by War: Abraham Lincoln as Commander in Chief and Symonds’s Lincoln and His Admirals were the winning books.
A Conversation Between Two Lincoln Historians: James M. McPherson and Craig L. Symonds
Symonds: George McClellan is clearly a central character in this story. In your view, was Lincoln too patient with Little Mac, not patient enough, or just about right? Would the Lincoln of 1864 have tolerated McClellan as long as the Lincoln of 1862 did?McPherson: In one sense, he was too patient. McClellan deserved to be fired after his failure to reinforce [General] Pope at Second Bull Run, as a majority of the Cabinet wanted Lincoln to do. But in another sense, Lincoln was absolutely right that only McClellan could reorganize the army and restore its morale, and if the president had fired him then, the army might have broken down. In the end, Lincoln’s timing on removing Mac from command–just after the fall elections in 1862–was just right.
Symonds: What about the so-called political generals: did Lincoln appoint and tolerate them out of perceived political necessity or because he believed that some of them, at least, had genuine merit? And, for that matter, did any of them have genuine merit?
McPherson: Lincoln appointed the political generals in order to mobilize their constituencies for the war effort. Northern mobilization for the war in 1861-62 was a from-the-bottom-up process, with important local and state political leaders playing a key part in persuading men to enlist in this all-volunteer army, and political generals were a key part in this process, which increased an army of 16,000 men in April 1861 to an army of 637,000 men in April 1862. And while we are all familiar with the military incompetents among the political generals, some of them were actually pretty good–John Logan and Frank Blair, for example.
Symonds: Why did Lincoln put up with [his chief war advisor] Henry Halleck?
McPherson: Lincoln used Halleck to translate presidential orders and wishes into language that military commanders could understand, and to translate their reports and requests and explanations into language that Lincoln understood. That was what Lincoln meant when he called Halleck a “first-rate clerk.” Of course he had wanted him to be more than a clerk, and that is why Lincoln finally appointed Grant as General in Chief and booted Halleck upstairs into the new office of “chief of staff,” where his clerkly qualities were needed.
Symonds: Lincoln was clearly relieved to turn over military operations to Grant in 1864, but did he also fear Grant as a potential political rival?
McPherson: He had been concerned about Grant as a potential political rival, until Grant let it be known throughout intermediaries that he unequivocally and absolutely had no political ambitions in 1864 and strongly supported Lincoln’s reelection. After that, Lincoln had no more concerns.
Symonds: Now that you will be the owner of two busts of Lincoln by Augustus St. Gaudens, along with your many other prizes, isn’t your house getting pretty full?
McPherson: There is still room in the house, but since my grandchildren are interested in Mr. Lincoln in bronze, I may deposit this bust in their house, where I can visit it whenever I want (they live ten miles away). Read more
User Ratings and Reviews
4 Stars Small is not all
This is a fine small introductory volume on the life and work of Lincoln. It clearly outlines Lincoln’s major achievements as President, preserving the Union, outlawing Slavery, providing the world a model of a democratic republic which could serve as inspiration.. However being small its contains little of the writing and thought of Lincoln himself, somehow does not provide the ‘flavor’ of Lincoln in a full enough way.
5 Stars This is the family Abe Lincoln book
This is a great first book about Abraham Lincoln. When I was 5 or 6, this would be the kind of book I would want my Mother to read to me. I loved history even then thanks to “You Are There!” All the basics are here, and they are easy to read. I would say for reading to yourself, it would be best to wait until you were 11 or 12. It’s an excellent book for any age.
5 Stars A GREAT SHORT BIO OF THE GREAT EMANCIPATOR!
James M. McPherson’s short biography of Abraham Lincoln, written and released to coincide with the Lincoln Bicentennial, is a great book that, while brief, gives great insight into the life of America’s sixteenth President. If you’re interested in learning more about Lincoln, this is a great introduction to the man who will be forever known as “the Great Emancipator.”
Grade: A
2 Stars Very Basic and VERY Short
As the “title” states, this is a very basic work, and VERY short! I read it in an hour. I have a great deal of respect for Mr McPherson, but this is not his best work by any means. With his knowledge, he could have easily written this off the time of his head and in less than a day. There were a FEW tidbits of information that was new to me, but that’s about all. Its probably worth the $10 if you have an hour or so to kill at an airport or doctors waiting room, but it is by no means a detailed biography.
5 Stars The Best Very Brief Introduction to Abraham Lincoln
This is the best very brief introduction to Abraham Lincoln. If you want to quickly learn the story of Abraham Lincoln from arguably the greatest authority of the Civil War and Abraham Lincoln, then read this book.
Also consider reading James McPherson’s masterpiece history of the Civil War called Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era (Oxford History of the United States), which won the Pulitzer Prize. That is the best one-volume history of the Civil War.
Other Lincoln biographies to consider, at regular length, are With Malice Toward None: A Life of Abraham Lincoln by Stephen B. Oates, Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin, Lincoln by David Herbert Donald, and A. Lincoln: A Biography by Ronald C. White.
This biography by McPherson is, by far, the best brief biography of Abraham Lincoln.
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