Lincoln of KentuckyYoung Abraham Lincoln and his family joined the migration over the Ohio River, but it was Kentucky—the state of his birth—that shaped his personality and continued to affect his life. His wife was from the commonwealth, as were each of the other women with whom he had romantic relationships. Henry Clay was his political idol; Joshua Speed of Farmington, near Louisville, was his lifelong best friend; and all three of his law partners were Kentuckians. During the Civil War, Lincoln is reputed to have said, "I hope to have God on my side, but I must have Kentucky." He recognized Kentucky's importance as the bellwether of the four loyal slave states and accepted the commonwealth's illegal neutrality until Unionists secured firm control of the state government. Lowell Harrison emphasizes the particular skill and delicacy with which Lincoln handled the problems of a loyal slave state populated by a large number of Confederate sympathizers. It was not until decades later that Kentuckians fully recognized Lincoln's greatness and paid homage to their native son. |
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... Union . When Kentucky , divided in sentiment over the crisis , declared neu- trality in the spring of 1861 , the president accepted that unique status until the Unionists were able to secure firm control of the state . Two major ...
... Union but bitterly opposed to many of Lincoln's policies , and that stance helps explain why after the war Kentucky became a part of the Solid South for many years . When the president was assassinated on April 14 , 1865 , the Civil War ...
... Union as quickly as pos- sible . Although only Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia had surrendered by then , the long war was practically over . Lincoln remarked that it would be good " to reanimate the States and get their ...
... union with the eastern members of his party . He was also a poet , publishing in the Journal a considerable amount of his own verses and the works of others . This may have been another reason why Lin- coln was so fond of the Louisville ...
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Contents
1 | |
16 | |
26 | |
40 | |
59 | |
6 Lincoln and Slavery to 1854 | 78 |
7 The Gathering Storm | 93 |
8 An Election a War and Kentuckys Neutrality | 111 |
Illustrations follow page | 150 |
10 Lincoln and Military Operations in Kentucky | 155 |
11 Wartime Politics in Kentucky | 176 |
12 Lincoln and Wartime Issues in Kentucky | 194 |
13 Lincoln Slavery and Kentucky | 221 |
Notes | 247 |
Bibliographical Essay | 277 |
Index | 287 |