Abraham Lincoln and the Union: A Chronicle of the Embattled North

The author traces the political and social origins of the Civil War and analyzes how Lincoln's administration managed to preserve the Union. The narrative examines sectional divisions and party conflicts that produced secession, recounts debates over war policy and finance, and profiles leading political factions that shaped Northern and Southern strategy. It treats military conduct, the functioning of Lincoln's government, the effects of the conflict on Northern life, diplomatic and side episodes, and the wartime electoral contest, concluding with an assessment of Lincoln's aims and leadership as central to the Northern government's eventual success.