Lincoln's Darkest Year: The War in 1862

by William Marvel

A revealing look at Lincoln’s actions in 1862—and a nation in the midst of war

Lincoln’s Darkest Year offers a gripping narrative of 1862, a pivotal year in our country’s Civil War. Marvel continues the story he began in Mr. Lincoln Goes to War, which focused on Lincoln’s first year in office, again relying on recently unearthed primary sources and little-known accounts to paint a picture of this critical year in newfound detail. Lincoln’s Darkest Year highlights not just the actions but also the deeper motivations of the major figures, including General Ulysses S. Grant, Jefferson Davis, George McClellan, Stonewall Jackson, and, most notably, Lincoln himself. As the action darts from the White House to the battlefields and back, Marvel sheds new light on the hardships endured by everyday citizens and the substantial and sustained public opposition to the war.

The second in a planned four-part series on the Civil War, and the first major reexamination in over fifty years, Lincoln’s Darkest Year stands apart from traditional assumptions and narratives about the early years of the Civil War. Marvel combines fluid prose and scholarship with the skills of an investigative historical detective to unearth the true story of our nation’s greatest crisis.

Genres: History, Civil War, Presidents, Nonfiction, Military Fiction

480 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

William Marvel grew up on Davis Hill in South Conway, New Hampshire where he still lives. He has been writing about nineteenth-century American history for more than three decades.

Reviews

[JW · Rating 4 out of 5]

A history of the Union's war in 1862. The Confederacy is only mentioned when it interacts (in other words, when there's a battle) with the Federals. Marvel gives concise accounts of the year's battles, emphasizing their horrendous carnage. However, the narrative concentrates on the feelings of the common people, both soldiers and civilians. Marvel shows how, after the initial patriotic rush of 1861 (and not even then), many Northern volunteers were motivated by economic factors. The enlistment bonuses were just too enticing. And then, after experiencing the horrors of war, or just the unpleasantness of army life, many soldiers were eager to leave. "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" was far from the reality of 1862. Instead, widespread opposition to Lincoln's war was met by oppression from the government and Republican supporters.

[shane hampton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this book about 5 years ago and I must say it was good. Detailed, researched yet readable

[Mary Chapman · Rating 5 out of 5]

The history of the Civil War the drafting of the soldiers and the different tragedies used to draft the soldiers. Some stories of the Confederate were mention when there was a battle.

[Casey · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book covering the state of the United States in 1862 and very early into 1863. As with other books based mostly on the raw data of contemporary accounts it does lack a sense of variance, giving it a bit of a "gotcha media" sort of edge. But it is healthy to realize a different perspective from the norm; hearing how the soldiers in the US Army and civilians across the North viewed Lincoln, the Government, and the war itself (generally not favorably) during the 'annus horribilis' was eye opening. It is easy to believe the role economics played, how the fervor of the Union cause was at times lukewarm if not cold, or the rank amateurism for all military and government leaders. Though to understand these issues in the eyes of American soldiers and citizens gives them greater purchase. It makes the eventual victory of the United States, and the end state of the War, that much more miraculous and amazing.