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The Lincoln Miracle: Inside the Republican Convention That Changed History
The vivid, behind-the-scenes story of perhaps the most consequential political moment in American history—Abraham Lincoln’s history-changing nomination to the lead the Republican Party in the 1860 presidential election
Illinois lawyer Abraham Lincoln had a record of political failure. In 1858, he had lost a celebrated Senate bid against incumbent Stephen Douglas, his second failed Senate run, and had not held public office since one term in Congress a decade earlier. As the Republican National Convention opened in mid-May 1860 in Chicago, powerful New York Senator William Seward was the overwhelming favorite for the presidential nomination, with notables like Salmon Chase and Edward Bates in the running. Few thought Lincoln stood a chance—though stubborn Illinois circuit Judge David Davis had come to fight for his friend anyway.
Such was the political landscape as Edward Achorn’s The Lincoln Miracle opens on Saturday, May 12, 1860. Chronicling the tense political drama as it unfolded over the next six days, Achorn explores the genius of Lincoln’s quiet strategy, the vicious partisanship tearing apart America, the fierce battles raging over racism and slavery, and booming Chicago as a symbol of the modernization transforming the nation. Closely following the shrewd insiders on hand, from Seward power broker Thurlow Weed to editor Horace Greeley — bent on stopping his former friend, Seward—Achorn brings alive arguably the most consequential political story in America’s history.
From smoky hotel rooms to night marches by the Wide Awakes, the new Republican youth organization, to fiery speeches on the floor of the giant convention center called The Wigwam, Achorn portrays a political climate way more contentious than our own today, out of which the seemingly impossible long shot prevailed, to the nation’s everlasting benefit. As atmospheric and original as Achorn’s previous Every Drop of Blood, The Lincoln Miracle is essential reading for any Lincoln aficionado as it is for anyone who cares about our nation’s history.
Illinois lawyer Abraham Lincoln had a record of political failure. In 1858, he had lost a celebrated Senate bid against incumbent Stephen Douglas, his second failed Senate run, and had not held public office since one term in Congress a decade earlier. As the Republican National Convention opened in mid-May 1860 in Chicago, powerful New York Senator William Seward was the overwhelming favorite for the presidential nomination, with notables like Salmon Chase and Edward Bates in the running. Few thought Lincoln stood a chance—though stubborn Illinois circuit Judge David Davis had come to fight for his friend anyway.
Such was the political landscape as Edward Achorn’s The Lincoln Miracle opens on Saturday, May 12, 1860. Chronicling the tense political drama as it unfolded over the next six days, Achorn explores the genius of Lincoln’s quiet strategy, the vicious partisanship tearing apart America, the fierce battles raging over racism and slavery, and booming Chicago as a symbol of the modernization transforming the nation. Closely following the shrewd insiders on hand, from Seward power broker Thurlow Weed to editor Horace Greeley — bent on stopping his former friend, Seward—Achorn brings alive arguably the most consequential political story in America’s history.
From smoky hotel rooms to night marches by the Wide Awakes, the new Republican youth organization, to fiery speeches on the floor of the giant convention center called The Wigwam, Achorn portrays a political climate way more contentious than our own today, out of which the seemingly impossible long shot prevailed, to the nation’s everlasting benefit. As atmospheric and original as Achorn’s previous Every Drop of Blood, The Lincoln Miracle is essential reading for any Lincoln aficionado as it is for anyone who cares about our nation’s history.
512 pages, Hardcover
First published February 14, 2023
58 people are currently reading
565 people want to read
About the author
Edward Achorn
5 books66 followersEdward Achorn, a Pulitzer Prize finalist for Distinguished Commentary, is an editorial page editor with The Providence Journal. He is also author of Fifty-Nine in ’84: Old Hoss Radbourn, Barehanded Baseball, and the Greatest Season a Pitcher Ever Had. His reviews of books on American history appear frequently in the Weekly Standard. He lives in an 1840 farmhouse outside of Providence, Rhode Island.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
July 27, 2022
What Team of Rivals did in telling the stories of Abraham Lincoln and his opponents for the 1860 Republican presidential nomination, this book does in telling the stories of their handlers and supporters - the ones who did the wheeling and dealing at the convention on behalf of the candidates, and helped make “the Lincoln miracle” happen.
I have read dozens of Lincoln-related books, though I still wouldn’t presume to call myself an expert. But I can certainly appreciate the difference between a book written by a serious historian who has devoted a good deal of research to their subject, and a dilettante writer who decides to dabble in Lincoln but hasn’t really done enough homework to fully grasp what it is they’re writing about. I can cite plenty of examples of both.
Achorn’s professional background is in journalism and commentary, and his first two published books were about baseball history. So I approached this book with a bit of trepidation - it’s nice that he’s a Lincoln fan, and he does have one Lincoln book under his belt already. But what could someone who is not a Lincoln scholar possibly have to offer that’s of any value, in yet another book that focuses in on one small slice of the Lincoln story?
It turns out he’s an excellent writer, a compelling storyteller, and he’s clearly done his homework in producing the best, most comprehensive and colorful modern account of the 1860 Republican convention that I’ve read.
One by one, Achorn introduces us to those who were to be the key players at the Chicago convention, with mini-biographies of the likes of Thurlow Weed, the political power broker who aimed to engineer the nomination of frontrunner William Seward; Horace Greeley, the journalist, political player and erstwhile Seward ally who came to Chicago to prevent his nomination; and David Davis, who served as Lincoln’s chief convention strategist. Along the way, Achorn fills in the background with anecdotes about Lincoln’s political rise, his influential friends and supporters, his party rivals, and the pressing political issues of the day.
Achorn makes good use of contemporary newspaper reports and correspondence from convention goers, to provide engaging details and color about the Chicago of 1860, the construction of the convention hall known as “the Wigwam,” and the long rail journeys that many thousands of people made to get there.
While these details succeed in enhancing, and not distracting from, the main story, I will say that the narrative can seem a little jumbled at times in the first half. Sometimes we get more than one biographical sketch of the same person, or more than one detailed description of what Chicago was like at the time of the convention. It might have been better had these been grouped together instead of parceled out, as it can start to seem a little repetitive, even if the details are different each time.
The book is also structured as a day-by-day account of the convention, with each chapter or group of chapters titled and organized chronologically, from the Saturday before the convention to the subsequent Saturday after it concluded. Not much happened on some of those days early in the week, so several early chapters have little to do with the day under which they’re grouped, instead providing a lot of background that doesn’t really fit the day-by-day approach.
But any concern about the book’s structure fades away once the convention gets under way in earnest. With all of the personalities having been introduced, the issues described and the scene-setting established, the real work of the convention begins. And Achorn ably describes how Lincoln was no passive dark horse, waiting at home indifferently to find out what the convention delegates decided, and his nomination was not some kind of fluke. Nor, however, was it inevitable, as it might seem to be from our vantage point.
So how does one create an engaging and suspenseful narrative about a convention, when we know how it turned out? By showing how Lincoln’s nomination was the result of hard work on the part of the candidate and his supporters, with a smattering of sneakiness and backroom dealmaking, a little bit of luck, and deft efforts to capitalize on the general feeling among many delegates that frontrunner Seward would not be the best choice for the party in the general election.
From courting support among swing states to cement Lincoln’s status as everyone’s second choice, to manipulating the seating arrangements and packing the convention hall to create “the appearance that the delegates were spontaneously swinging behind him,” to Davis’s apparent disregard for Lincoln’s directive not to promise any jobs in exchange for votes, Achorn covers all the angles. “Many who see Lincoln as a cut above grubby politicians still have difficulty regarding him as the beneficiary of shenanigans in Chicago and political trading in smoke-filled rooms," he writes. But the publicly-detached, above-it-all style of office-seeking at the time masked the real behind-the-scenes work and skill that it took to win.
The challenge with any book that focuses on a specific moment in Lincoln’s life and career is where to end the story. Do you stop with the end of the central event, assuming that the reader knows how the rest of Lincoln’s life and career turned out? Or do you continue on to summarize everything that happened afterwards? Achorn does the latter, but in a way that complements his main story instead of needlessly extending it. In addition to providing an epilogue on whatever happened to all the main players and to the Wigwam itself, he describes how the “Team of RIvals” approach Lincoln adopted as president went far beyond just choosing his former convention rivals for his Cabinet - it extended to Lincoln’s willingness and ability to work with all of those who might criticize or slight him, rewarding opponents and winning over skeptics, just as his handlers did on his behalf in Chicago.
I won’t spoil the book’s ending, but the very last paragraph insightfully reveals a double meaning of the book's title - and concludes that the true meaning is not the one you might have thought.
While the book doesn’t offer or promise any new revelations per se, it’s a great work of storytelling that brings to life a momentous political event that could have changed history had any number of things gone differently. And notably, Achorn manages to avoid the trap that other journalists who dabble in history fall into, as he allows the story to stand on its own, without attempting to make strained or facile comparisons to issues or events of today. Achorn may not have spent his entire professional life studying and writing about Lincoln, but with this book, I believe he’s more than earned a place among the most engaging voices in Lincoln literature today.
Thanks to Netgalley and Grove Atlantic for providing an advance copy of this book for review, ahead of its February 14th release.
I have read dozens of Lincoln-related books, though I still wouldn’t presume to call myself an expert. But I can certainly appreciate the difference between a book written by a serious historian who has devoted a good deal of research to their subject, and a dilettante writer who decides to dabble in Lincoln but hasn’t really done enough homework to fully grasp what it is they’re writing about. I can cite plenty of examples of both.
Achorn’s professional background is in journalism and commentary, and his first two published books were about baseball history. So I approached this book with a bit of trepidation - it’s nice that he’s a Lincoln fan, and he does have one Lincoln book under his belt already. But what could someone who is not a Lincoln scholar possibly have to offer that’s of any value, in yet another book that focuses in on one small slice of the Lincoln story?
It turns out he’s an excellent writer, a compelling storyteller, and he’s clearly done his homework in producing the best, most comprehensive and colorful modern account of the 1860 Republican convention that I’ve read.
One by one, Achorn introduces us to those who were to be the key players at the Chicago convention, with mini-biographies of the likes of Thurlow Weed, the political power broker who aimed to engineer the nomination of frontrunner William Seward; Horace Greeley, the journalist, political player and erstwhile Seward ally who came to Chicago to prevent his nomination; and David Davis, who served as Lincoln’s chief convention strategist. Along the way, Achorn fills in the background with anecdotes about Lincoln’s political rise, his influential friends and supporters, his party rivals, and the pressing political issues of the day.
Achorn makes good use of contemporary newspaper reports and correspondence from convention goers, to provide engaging details and color about the Chicago of 1860, the construction of the convention hall known as “the Wigwam,” and the long rail journeys that many thousands of people made to get there.
While these details succeed in enhancing, and not distracting from, the main story, I will say that the narrative can seem a little jumbled at times in the first half. Sometimes we get more than one biographical sketch of the same person, or more than one detailed description of what Chicago was like at the time of the convention. It might have been better had these been grouped together instead of parceled out, as it can start to seem a little repetitive, even if the details are different each time.
The book is also structured as a day-by-day account of the convention, with each chapter or group of chapters titled and organized chronologically, from the Saturday before the convention to the subsequent Saturday after it concluded. Not much happened on some of those days early in the week, so several early chapters have little to do with the day under which they’re grouped, instead providing a lot of background that doesn’t really fit the day-by-day approach.
But any concern about the book’s structure fades away once the convention gets under way in earnest. With all of the personalities having been introduced, the issues described and the scene-setting established, the real work of the convention begins. And Achorn ably describes how Lincoln was no passive dark horse, waiting at home indifferently to find out what the convention delegates decided, and his nomination was not some kind of fluke. Nor, however, was it inevitable, as it might seem to be from our vantage point.
So how does one create an engaging and suspenseful narrative about a convention, when we know how it turned out? By showing how Lincoln’s nomination was the result of hard work on the part of the candidate and his supporters, with a smattering of sneakiness and backroom dealmaking, a little bit of luck, and deft efforts to capitalize on the general feeling among many delegates that frontrunner Seward would not be the best choice for the party in the general election.
From courting support among swing states to cement Lincoln’s status as everyone’s second choice, to manipulating the seating arrangements and packing the convention hall to create “the appearance that the delegates were spontaneously swinging behind him,” to Davis’s apparent disregard for Lincoln’s directive not to promise any jobs in exchange for votes, Achorn covers all the angles. “Many who see Lincoln as a cut above grubby politicians still have difficulty regarding him as the beneficiary of shenanigans in Chicago and political trading in smoke-filled rooms," he writes. But the publicly-detached, above-it-all style of office-seeking at the time masked the real behind-the-scenes work and skill that it took to win.
The challenge with any book that focuses on a specific moment in Lincoln’s life and career is where to end the story. Do you stop with the end of the central event, assuming that the reader knows how the rest of Lincoln’s life and career turned out? Or do you continue on to summarize everything that happened afterwards? Achorn does the latter, but in a way that complements his main story instead of needlessly extending it. In addition to providing an epilogue on whatever happened to all the main players and to the Wigwam itself, he describes how the “Team of RIvals” approach Lincoln adopted as president went far beyond just choosing his former convention rivals for his Cabinet - it extended to Lincoln’s willingness and ability to work with all of those who might criticize or slight him, rewarding opponents and winning over skeptics, just as his handlers did on his behalf in Chicago.
I won’t spoil the book’s ending, but the very last paragraph insightfully reveals a double meaning of the book's title - and concludes that the true meaning is not the one you might have thought.
While the book doesn’t offer or promise any new revelations per se, it’s a great work of storytelling that brings to life a momentous political event that could have changed history had any number of things gone differently. And notably, Achorn manages to avoid the trap that other journalists who dabble in history fall into, as he allows the story to stand on its own, without attempting to make strained or facile comparisons to issues or events of today. Achorn may not have spent his entire professional life studying and writing about Lincoln, but with this book, I believe he’s more than earned a place among the most engaging voices in Lincoln literature today.
Thanks to Netgalley and Grove Atlantic for providing an advance copy of this book for review, ahead of its February 14th release.
August 12, 2022
I've enjoyed reading several books about Abraham Lincoln the past two years, so I was pleased to have the opportunity to review this book. The Lincoln Miracle is a close up and fascinating look at the 1860 nomination process for both the Republicans and to a lesser degree the Democrats. We all learned Lincoln was nominated and elected in 1860 but probably didn't know the details--nor all the drama and suspense leading up to a party nomination.
Author Ed Achorn has done a marvelous job combining numerous sources from the 1860s to tell this story of how Lincoln, at best a dark horse candidate was able to secure the Republican nomination from the front-runner William Seward, known for service as former Governor and at the time Senator from New York. There were other formidable foes including Salmon Chase from Ohio, Edward Bates of Missouri, and Senator Simon Cameron of Pennsylvania. The Republican Convention was held in Chicago, so Lincoln was the "home" state candidate that proved essential to his winning the nomination on the third ballot,
Lincoln's campaign strategy was spearheaded by Illinois Senator/Judge David Davis and a host of other people introduced in the book who worked diligently to lobby, cajole, arm twist and offer patronage to delegates to support Lincoln. The political strategies discussed in the book are very interesting to read.
If anything, the details offered by the author can be a bit tedious at times, but overall they put the reader there as the events unfolded, something that is very challenging to do as a writer. This however is a minor criticism.
Once you read The Lincoln Miracle, and if you understand some history of his life and hard times, one can only surmise that Lincoln was elected by divine intervention. He truly was the right man for the most difficult time in our nation's history and through his efforts was able to save the Union even though the Civil War was upon the horizon immediately after the 1860 election.
If you love history and enjoy reading about Lincoln this book is a must.
I want to thank NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for the opportunity to review this ARC.
Author Ed Achorn has done a marvelous job combining numerous sources from the 1860s to tell this story of how Lincoln, at best a dark horse candidate was able to secure the Republican nomination from the front-runner William Seward, known for service as former Governor and at the time Senator from New York. There were other formidable foes including Salmon Chase from Ohio, Edward Bates of Missouri, and Senator Simon Cameron of Pennsylvania. The Republican Convention was held in Chicago, so Lincoln was the "home" state candidate that proved essential to his winning the nomination on the third ballot,
Lincoln's campaign strategy was spearheaded by Illinois Senator/Judge David Davis and a host of other people introduced in the book who worked diligently to lobby, cajole, arm twist and offer patronage to delegates to support Lincoln. The political strategies discussed in the book are very interesting to read.
If anything, the details offered by the author can be a bit tedious at times, but overall they put the reader there as the events unfolded, something that is very challenging to do as a writer. This however is a minor criticism.
Once you read The Lincoln Miracle, and if you understand some history of his life and hard times, one can only surmise that Lincoln was elected by divine intervention. He truly was the right man for the most difficult time in our nation's history and through his efforts was able to save the Union even though the Civil War was upon the horizon immediately after the 1860 election.
If you love history and enjoy reading about Lincoln this book is a must.
I want to thank NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for the opportunity to review this ARC.
September 10, 2024
The book is good and the history of the republican convention in 1860 is really interesting. But I missed the narrative abilities of some other historical authors I’ve read recently. Sometimes the author used so many segments of quotes in a row in one sentence that it got off putting for me. I’m sure to some that was great to see so many direct quotes, but it wasn’t my style. But the overall book is definitely worth the read if this is an interesting topic to you!
August 6, 2023
Coincidentally, I finished the fascinating "The Lincoln Miracle: Inside the Republican Convention That Changed History” on the same day that my Facebook Memories reminded me of a visit to Abraham Lincoln’s New Salem 11 years earlier. Edward Achorn’s impressively researched book tells how the little-known Lincoln, a country lawyer who had been relatively unsuccessful in politics, became the Republicans’ unexpected nominee for president in 1860. The convention was held in the barn-like “Wigwam,” a wooden firetrap built just a few days before thousands of Republicans arrived by train in fast-growing but muddy Chicago. I was struck by parallels to politics today: “Intense pressure on Republicans to choose a ‘safe’ candidate came from outside as well. A new moderate party had been formed, appealing to Americans who disliked the mounting hatred between Democrats and Republicans . . .” (page 118). “But that gave weight to arguments that the Chicago convention must nominate someone who could appeal to moderates — someone other than Seward” (page 120). Quoting Connecticut newspaper, the Hartford Courant: “The People want one of themselves for President; they are sick of heartless diplomats and politicians by trade, who have grown grey in the corrupting atmosphere of Washington” (page 188). It was interesting that, after winning their parties’ nominations, presidential candidates of that era did not campaign personally. And it was reassuring that Lincoln’s reputation for decency is deserved. Republican leaders initially were concerned that they had nominated a little-known, poorly dressed “railsplitter.” A large delegation visited Lincoln at his home in Springfield, Illinois, immediately after the convention. “He certainly did not present the appearance of a statesman as people usually picture in their imagination,” Carl Schurz wrote of his first impression (page 398). But Lincoln won over his visitors with his friendliness and eloquence. From the Chicago Journal: “Mr. Lincoln bore himself during the evening with dignity and grace. His kindly and sincere manner, frank and honest expression, unaffected, pleasant conversation, soon made everyone feel at ease …” (page 401). This is a book for readers interested in Lincoln, 19th-century politics, and the city of Chicago in the years before its devastating fire.
April 5, 2024
The Lincoln Miracle is Edward Achorn’s account of the 1860 Republican convention. Lincoln’s supporters persuaded the party leaders that Chicago was a neutral locus for the national convocation: It was anything but. The hastily constructed and cavernous Wigwam palace was stuffed with boisterous supporters of the Railsplitter. New York’s Senator William Seward was the overwhelming favorite as delegates descended on the Windy City. But Horace Greeley and swing state Republicans balked at Seward’s perceived radicalism on slavery creating an opportunity for Lincoln. Judge David Davis and his small team out organized NY boss Thurlow Weed, exploiting every opening. Seward led on the first ballot but Lincoln caught up on the second and against all odds prevailed on the third. It was a stunning upset that altered American history. A fascinating piece of American political narrative.
October 16, 2024
The Lincoln Miracle: Inside the Republican convention that changed history by Edward Achorn
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History and time has spoken for the brilliance and political genius that is Abraham Lincoln, and in this work we are provided the amazing and highly unlikely story of his rise to prominence. With the help of many close friends and advisers, Lincoln was lobbied as everyone’s second best choice in a highly crowded field for the republican nominee for president. He was advertised as a great compromise candidate who was a relative unknown who could bring together a greatly divided Republican Party in 1860. The country was on the brink of a hellish war and looked to elect someone who wasn’t too offensive to either side. The field for presidential candidates was a crowded one with Senator William Seward of New York as the leading candidate and republican firebrand who was known for his fierce abolitionist views and his vast intelligence and statesmanlike conduct. Unfortunately for Seward, he was seen as a divisive candidate who was probably not electable countrywide due to his political stances. Amongst the other choices; Salmon Chase, Simon Cameron, Edward Bates, and many more who were all seen as more realistic candidates than Lincoln. The behind the scenes political king making in this book have the most illustrious descriptions that put you right in the overflow crowds of the Wigwam and smokey back rooms of Chicago during the 1860 convention. Proven within the pages, it was divine intervention that Lincoln became the nominee and president to guide our country through its most harrowing hour and maintain the union through the civil war. An inspiring man with a back story to match.
.
.
#abrahamlincoln #illinois #chicago #republican #civilwar #civilwarhistory #abelincoln #history #republicanconvention #thelincolnmiracle #edwardachorn #bookstagram #readersofinstagram
.
.
History and time has spoken for the brilliance and political genius that is Abraham Lincoln, and in this work we are provided the amazing and highly unlikely story of his rise to prominence. With the help of many close friends and advisers, Lincoln was lobbied as everyone’s second best choice in a highly crowded field for the republican nominee for president. He was advertised as a great compromise candidate who was a relative unknown who could bring together a greatly divided Republican Party in 1860. The country was on the brink of a hellish war and looked to elect someone who wasn’t too offensive to either side. The field for presidential candidates was a crowded one with Senator William Seward of New York as the leading candidate and republican firebrand who was known for his fierce abolitionist views and his vast intelligence and statesmanlike conduct. Unfortunately for Seward, he was seen as a divisive candidate who was probably not electable countrywide due to his political stances. Amongst the other choices; Salmon Chase, Simon Cameron, Edward Bates, and many more who were all seen as more realistic candidates than Lincoln. The behind the scenes political king making in this book have the most illustrious descriptions that put you right in the overflow crowds of the Wigwam and smokey back rooms of Chicago during the 1860 convention. Proven within the pages, it was divine intervention that Lincoln became the nominee and president to guide our country through its most harrowing hour and maintain the union through the civil war. An inspiring man with a back story to match.
.
.
#abrahamlincoln #illinois #chicago #republican #civilwar #civilwarhistory #abelincoln #history #republicanconvention #thelincolnmiracle #edwardachorn #bookstagram #readersofinstagram
April 1, 2024
The title sure fits. It is a fascinating account of the week of the 1860 republican convention at The Wigwam in Chicago, and all the events that led Lincoln to the nomination over the favored William Seward.
There is so much written about Lincoln, but this book gives life to those surrounding him in 1860 politics. In particular, Thurlow Weed, Horace Greely, and most of all the primary miracle worker, David Davis, the judge who traveled with Lincoln trying cases in Illinois.
It is only in the egilogue that the author explores the promises that were made by Davis and team to representatives to secure their support. Lincoln had given strict orders to promise nothing. But the author unearthed notes of an interview with Davis: "we lied like hell". They brought home the votes from Pennsylvania that Seward thought he had in his pocket, and those votes swung the nomination.
There is so much written about Lincoln, but this book gives life to those surrounding him in 1860 politics. In particular, Thurlow Weed, Horace Greely, and most of all the primary miracle worker, David Davis, the judge who traveled with Lincoln trying cases in Illinois.
It is only in the egilogue that the author explores the promises that were made by Davis and team to representatives to secure their support. Lincoln had given strict orders to promise nothing. But the author unearthed notes of an interview with Davis: "we lied like hell". They brought home the votes from Pennsylvania that Seward thought he had in his pocket, and those votes swung the nomination.
June 11, 2023
I'm a great admirer of President Lincoln, a deeply complex man. I was looking forward to reading this study of the 1860 Republican Convention to understand how the Illinois underdog defeated Seward and grabbed the nomination. Alas, I felt drowned in detail - 444 pages of it. I left feeling that author Achorn's saga gave the Convention more attention that it really deserved. I concede that I may be wrong.
June 6, 2024
Really 4.5 stars, and since Goodreads' overall rating is above 4.5, I bumped downward.
I'll explain why this didn't quite get an additional quarter- or half-star below.
Anyway, most of the big picture was known to me in advance. The only item I had not heard about was the German-American meeting at the Deutsches Haus. Achorn mentions a straw poll but doesn't list the results, if they were publicized. And Gustave Koerner reported that sentiment was strongest for Seward, so it obviously didn't boost Lincoln.
At the medium level, the one thing not known to me was the debate over the platform, especially Joshua Giddings' brief walkout, his backdoor placation later, and how this may (or may not) have pushed balloting back a day. (If tally sheets were not quite ready by 6 p.m. Thursday, they certainly wouldn't have been ready earlier.)
At the fine level, I had read before about Thurlow Weed's post-convention visit to Lincoln, but not details, and even more, on Seward, and his churlishness toward Lincoln. (Contra Achorn, that probably didn't fully disappear until the Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation.)
==
So, why not a full 5?
As perhaps hinted at above, it's that, while Lincoln's nomination was unlikely, it doesn't totally rely on high-level hindsight to say it was not a "miracle."
Basically, Seward was shaky, in part for being seen as a radical (his "higher law" speech even more than "irrepressible conflict," probably), when "more's the pity" of his career from 1858 on. And, there was Horace Greeley's animus toward Weed, for which Seward took the hit.
Delegates were open to alternatives. Per the story, Bates' nativism put him on the back burner, no matter the effort of Greeley and Francis Blair. Massachusetts Gov. Nathaniel Banks was even more tarred with the brush of nativism. Cameron had no following outside Pennsylvania, and pretty much knew that himself. That left Chase, and he couldn't even lasso all his own delegation, or Lincoln, who had better negotiators than Chase, who basically had none, due to his prim rectitude and other things.
Most this, besides Greeley's years-back letter dissolving the "firm" of Greeley-Weed-Seward, was known at the time of the convention.
The real issue is why was Thurlow Weed not better prepared and why did he get outhustled and outpromised by David Davis, not considered by the author.
Secondly is the issue of what did Lincoln know and when did he know it about dealmaking. Per Achorn's quoting him that Pennsylvania must be made to put its foot down, which came before Davis' hints of a cabinet post for Cameron, and as Achorn notes, Lincoln's own political skill, there was surely some unwritten tacit agreement by Lincoln earlier.
As for the later "make no deals in my name" telegram? It gave Lincoln plausible deniability and let Davis hold him out as a model of probity to other states' delegations and maybe even to fellow Illinois negotiators less knowledgeable of "Honest Abe."
For all I know, it may have been pre-arranged.
This IS the Lincoln, after all, who allegedly got a client acquitted of murder by deliberately using the wrong year's almanac during trial.
Alt-history sidebar: Seward would have been, if not horrible, certainly less than adequate as president. He would have abandoned Fort Sumter, probably found no other casus belli with the South, and let it walk. Sadly, while the author mentions his purchase of Alaska during Andrew Johnson's presidency, he doesn't mention how much a bulwark Seward was for him in resisting Congressional radicals.
Alt-history two: The Chase-Wade rivalry within Ohio, already shown at the convention? Chase's blatant pro-Johnson rulings at Johnson's impeachment trial have long been a source of speculation about his still-running presidential ambitions. As Wade would have replaced Johnson on a guilty verdict, were they maybe also in part ongoing animus?
==
That said, side note:
Once again, what is up with these low star reviewers saying "too much information" in a history book?
Respectfully?
STOP READING!
I'll explain why this didn't quite get an additional quarter- or half-star below.
Anyway, most of the big picture was known to me in advance. The only item I had not heard about was the German-American meeting at the Deutsches Haus. Achorn mentions a straw poll but doesn't list the results, if they were publicized. And Gustave Koerner reported that sentiment was strongest for Seward, so it obviously didn't boost Lincoln.
At the medium level, the one thing not known to me was the debate over the platform, especially Joshua Giddings' brief walkout, his backdoor placation later, and how this may (or may not) have pushed balloting back a day. (If tally sheets were not quite ready by 6 p.m. Thursday, they certainly wouldn't have been ready earlier.)
At the fine level, I had read before about Thurlow Weed's post-convention visit to Lincoln, but not details, and even more, on Seward, and his churlishness toward Lincoln. (Contra Achorn, that probably didn't fully disappear until the Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation.)
==
So, why not a full 5?
As perhaps hinted at above, it's that, while Lincoln's nomination was unlikely, it doesn't totally rely on high-level hindsight to say it was not a "miracle."
Basically, Seward was shaky, in part for being seen as a radical (his "higher law" speech even more than "irrepressible conflict," probably), when "more's the pity" of his career from 1858 on. And, there was Horace Greeley's animus toward Weed, for which Seward took the hit.
Delegates were open to alternatives. Per the story, Bates' nativism put him on the back burner, no matter the effort of Greeley and Francis Blair. Massachusetts Gov. Nathaniel Banks was even more tarred with the brush of nativism. Cameron had no following outside Pennsylvania, and pretty much knew that himself. That left Chase, and he couldn't even lasso all his own delegation, or Lincoln, who had better negotiators than Chase, who basically had none, due to his prim rectitude and other things.
Most this, besides Greeley's years-back letter dissolving the "firm" of Greeley-Weed-Seward, was known at the time of the convention.
The real issue is why was Thurlow Weed not better prepared and why did he get outhustled and outpromised by David Davis, not considered by the author.
Secondly is the issue of what did Lincoln know and when did he know it about dealmaking. Per Achorn's quoting him that Pennsylvania must be made to put its foot down, which came before Davis' hints of a cabinet post for Cameron, and as Achorn notes, Lincoln's own political skill, there was surely some unwritten tacit agreement by Lincoln earlier.
As for the later "make no deals in my name" telegram? It gave Lincoln plausible deniability and let Davis hold him out as a model of probity to other states' delegations and maybe even to fellow Illinois negotiators less knowledgeable of "Honest Abe."
For all I know, it may have been pre-arranged.
This IS the Lincoln, after all, who allegedly got a client acquitted of murder by deliberately using the wrong year's almanac during trial.
Alt-history sidebar: Seward would have been, if not horrible, certainly less than adequate as president. He would have abandoned Fort Sumter, probably found no other casus belli with the South, and let it walk. Sadly, while the author mentions his purchase of Alaska during Andrew Johnson's presidency, he doesn't mention how much a bulwark Seward was for him in resisting Congressional radicals.
Alt-history two: The Chase-Wade rivalry within Ohio, already shown at the convention? Chase's blatant pro-Johnson rulings at Johnson's impeachment trial have long been a source of speculation about his still-running presidential ambitions. As Wade would have replaced Johnson on a guilty verdict, were they maybe also in part ongoing animus?
==
That said, side note:
Once again, what is up with these low star reviewers saying "too much information" in a history book?
Respectfully?
STOP READING!
March 23, 2024
One more book about Abe Lincoln, the lanky railsplitter from the backwoods who has more books written about him than anyone except Jesus.
Don’t be fooled. This is a great book and tells a little-told story about how nearly everything had to go right for Lincoln to win the GOP nomination.
Achorn, a former journalist, obviously researched the heck out of the 1860 convention at the Wigwam in Chicago, and his writing is first rate. You may know the ending, but you’ll be riveted as the game gets decided in the smoky, backrooms by professional power brokers.
Suffice it to say you’ll question the merits of the more democratic, but boring modern conventions. I cannot believe I am really saying this but I wonder if America would be better off with the seedy practices in the backrooms. It got us Abe Lincoln, for example, and probably he would not have survived social media today and, by logic of 1860 politics, should not have won the nomination.
The 1860 convention pitted veteran Senator William Seward against a field of less-experienced, less-well known politicians including Lincoln. Seward had courage and class, brains and experience; it’s hard not to feel sorry for the man from Auburn, New York who lost to a man with a better campaign team.
Nearly everyone thought Seward would coast to an easy win so this is the inside story of the team that put Lincoln’s victory together with the help of a few promises that Lincoln had ordered not be made.
As Achorn puts it: “Many who see Lincoln as a cut above grubby politicians still have difficulty regarding him as the beneficiary of shenanigans in Chicago and political trading in smoke-filled rooms,"
David Davis, a judge who knew and admired Lincoln, was Lincoln’s man in Chicago. He got the telegraph from Lincoln: Make No Deals. And Davis told his team to ignore the message. It was just one pivotal decision Davis made in the weeklong convention.
It’s also the story of Horace Greeley versus Thurlow Weed. While Weed managed Seward’s campaign, Greeley had one petty, personal goal: to make sure Seward never got the nomination.
The book started a little slowly but picked up steam when everyone arrived in Chicago. Achorn did such a good job that even if you know all about the convention battle, this is new and thrilling, a fascinating event that changed history. Well-written, Mr. Achorn.
Don’t be fooled. This is a great book and tells a little-told story about how nearly everything had to go right for Lincoln to win the GOP nomination.
Achorn, a former journalist, obviously researched the heck out of the 1860 convention at the Wigwam in Chicago, and his writing is first rate. You may know the ending, but you’ll be riveted as the game gets decided in the smoky, backrooms by professional power brokers.
Suffice it to say you’ll question the merits of the more democratic, but boring modern conventions. I cannot believe I am really saying this but I wonder if America would be better off with the seedy practices in the backrooms. It got us Abe Lincoln, for example, and probably he would not have survived social media today and, by logic of 1860 politics, should not have won the nomination.
The 1860 convention pitted veteran Senator William Seward against a field of less-experienced, less-well known politicians including Lincoln. Seward had courage and class, brains and experience; it’s hard not to feel sorry for the man from Auburn, New York who lost to a man with a better campaign team.
Nearly everyone thought Seward would coast to an easy win so this is the inside story of the team that put Lincoln’s victory together with the help of a few promises that Lincoln had ordered not be made.
As Achorn puts it: “Many who see Lincoln as a cut above grubby politicians still have difficulty regarding him as the beneficiary of shenanigans in Chicago and political trading in smoke-filled rooms,"
David Davis, a judge who knew and admired Lincoln, was Lincoln’s man in Chicago. He got the telegraph from Lincoln: Make No Deals. And Davis told his team to ignore the message. It was just one pivotal decision Davis made in the weeklong convention.
It’s also the story of Horace Greeley versus Thurlow Weed. While Weed managed Seward’s campaign, Greeley had one petty, personal goal: to make sure Seward never got the nomination.
The book started a little slowly but picked up steam when everyone arrived in Chicago. Achorn did such a good job that even if you know all about the convention battle, this is new and thrilling, a fascinating event that changed history. Well-written, Mr. Achorn.
February 23, 2024
This book entirely about a one week political convention reads like a novel and you're going to learn a lot no matter how many books you have read about Lincoln and the lead up to the Civil War.
As I read the account of how Lincoln moved from a dark horse candidate to nominee I couldn't help but feel sorry for the presumptive nominee, William Seward. He was a great man with great values, his outspoken opposition to slavery and other principled stands cost him as many delegates felt that he was viewed as too radical to win over border and conservative states.
Lincoln comes across as a smart politician. Many delegates had come to the Republican party from the anti-immigrant Know Nothing party. While Lincoln rejected the nativist beliefs he did so while acknowledging the right of Massachusetts to adopt a nativist law. This issue also led into a critical voting block, the German Americans who left their traditional party to become Republicans because of their opposition to slavery. They resisted Horace Greely's efforts to recruit them to support Bates because of his past affiliation with the nativist movement.
The book is full of references to people we have heard of--from contenders Lincoln, Seward, Bates, Cameron and Chase to convention leaders like Greely, Weed, and Schurz. But also those who are not known today
My favorite example was Congressman John Potter. His Bowie knife became a symbol of the convention's spirit to fight back. Southern Pro Slavery Congressmen had bullied Anti-Slavery advocates including physical violence. But when a Southern Congressman tried to bully one of Potter's allies, Potter stepped in. The Southerner challenged Potter to a duel which gave Potter the choice of knives. He chose Bowie knives. The Southerner backed down and that helped mark the end of the Southern bullying
A great book
As I read the account of how Lincoln moved from a dark horse candidate to nominee I couldn't help but feel sorry for the presumptive nominee, William Seward. He was a great man with great values, his outspoken opposition to slavery and other principled stands cost him as many delegates felt that he was viewed as too radical to win over border and conservative states.
Lincoln comes across as a smart politician. Many delegates had come to the Republican party from the anti-immigrant Know Nothing party. While Lincoln rejected the nativist beliefs he did so while acknowledging the right of Massachusetts to adopt a nativist law. This issue also led into a critical voting block, the German Americans who left their traditional party to become Republicans because of their opposition to slavery. They resisted Horace Greely's efforts to recruit them to support Bates because of his past affiliation with the nativist movement.
The book is full of references to people we have heard of--from contenders Lincoln, Seward, Bates, Cameron and Chase to convention leaders like Greely, Weed, and Schurz. But also those who are not known today
My favorite example was Congressman John Potter. His Bowie knife became a symbol of the convention's spirit to fight back. Southern Pro Slavery Congressmen had bullied Anti-Slavery advocates including physical violence. But when a Southern Congressman tried to bully one of Potter's allies, Potter stepped in. The Southerner challenged Potter to a duel which gave Potter the choice of knives. He chose Bowie knives. The Southerner backed down and that helped mark the end of the Southern bullying
A great book
September 5, 2024
For more reviews and bookish posts visit: https://www.ManOfLaBook.com
The Lincoln Miracle: Inside the Republican Convention That Changed History by Edward Achorn tells of the 1860 convention, where Abraham Lincoln was nominated by the Republican Party for president. His nomination was in no means guaranteed, and this consequential decision came as a surprise.
This book tells in great detail, day by day, action by action of the work to maneuver Republican delegates into voting for Lincoln instead of U.S. Sen. William H. Seward. Seward was more qualified than Abraham Lincoln for the position, a prominent figure, former governor of New York, and ally with political boss Thurlow Weed. Seward, however, suggested that there was a “higher law than the Constitution” when it came to slavery.
While a book about a political convention seems like a bore-fest, The Lincoln Miracle by Edward Achorn is exciting as it is informative. The machination and maneuvering of electing a candidate, from the many who ran (which worked in Lincoln’s favor) are electrifying and mesmerizing.
The author puts the Republican convention into the context of the national battle against slavery. The context doesn’t start, or stop, at the convention. Politics are local, and the local disputes shaped the nomination.
By using quotes from respectable and influential people of the era, such as Horace Greely (newspaper editor), and “Long” John Wentworth (Chicago mayor) Mr. Achorn puts the focus on the participants, not just Lincoln. I do wish, however, that he’d trimmed the quotes to their essential meaning.
The book gave me a thorough understanding, and a window to look through, of a crucial week in the history of the United States and the Republican Party. I realized that Lincoln’s nomination was a revolution within the party, but I underestimated how riveting it all was.
The Lincoln Miracle: Inside the Republican Convention That Changed History by Edward Achorn tells of the 1860 convention, where Abraham Lincoln was nominated by the Republican Party for president. His nomination was in no means guaranteed, and this consequential decision came as a surprise.
This book tells in great detail, day by day, action by action of the work to maneuver Republican delegates into voting for Lincoln instead of U.S. Sen. William H. Seward. Seward was more qualified than Abraham Lincoln for the position, a prominent figure, former governor of New York, and ally with political boss Thurlow Weed. Seward, however, suggested that there was a “higher law than the Constitution” when it came to slavery.
While a book about a political convention seems like a bore-fest, The Lincoln Miracle by Edward Achorn is exciting as it is informative. The machination and maneuvering of electing a candidate, from the many who ran (which worked in Lincoln’s favor) are electrifying and mesmerizing.
The author puts the Republican convention into the context of the national battle against slavery. The context doesn’t start, or stop, at the convention. Politics are local, and the local disputes shaped the nomination.
By using quotes from respectable and influential people of the era, such as Horace Greely (newspaper editor), and “Long” John Wentworth (Chicago mayor) Mr. Achorn puts the focus on the participants, not just Lincoln. I do wish, however, that he’d trimmed the quotes to their essential meaning.
The book gave me a thorough understanding, and a window to look through, of a crucial week in the history of the United States and the Republican Party. I realized that Lincoln’s nomination was a revolution within the party, but I underestimated how riveting it all was.
May 25, 2023
Books about Abraham Lincoln can go long...really long. Edward Achorn is earning a place in the Lincoln literary pantheon by going small. His previous book, about the 16th president focused on Lincoln's second inaugural address ("Every Drop of Blood"), is fascinating. "The Lincoln Miracle" details the 1860 Republican Convention during which Lincoln -- to the surprise of just about everyone -- was nominated as the party's presidential candidate. And it's even better.
Micro-history demands great research and storytelling skills. Too much detail can make for laborious reading. Fortunately, Achorn knows he has an amazing story to tell and his eye for the telling detail puts you inside the proverbial smoke-filled suites, the convention's Chicago locales and all the other rooms where it happened.
As a longtime Lincoln buff, this reader found something new on every page. How did a relatively obscure rural lawyer find himself on his way to the presidency, of all things? Achorn shows how a small group of devoted men wheeled, dealed, and sometimes bluffed in pulling off a political miracle. Their efforts changed the course of history, especially the impending Civil War, which could have been led by President William Seward, President Edward Bates, even President Stephen Douglas. Or the war might not have come at all, with the North and South permanently going its separate ways, along with the continuing nightmare of slavery intact.
"The Lincoln Miracle" is a page-turner of the first order. U.S. history fans will love this stuff!
Micro-history demands great research and storytelling skills. Too much detail can make for laborious reading. Fortunately, Achorn knows he has an amazing story to tell and his eye for the telling detail puts you inside the proverbial smoke-filled suites, the convention's Chicago locales and all the other rooms where it happened.
As a longtime Lincoln buff, this reader found something new on every page. How did a relatively obscure rural lawyer find himself on his way to the presidency, of all things? Achorn shows how a small group of devoted men wheeled, dealed, and sometimes bluffed in pulling off a political miracle. Their efforts changed the course of history, especially the impending Civil War, which could have been led by President William Seward, President Edward Bates, even President Stephen Douglas. Or the war might not have come at all, with the North and South permanently going its separate ways, along with the continuing nightmare of slavery intact.
"The Lincoln Miracle" is a page-turner of the first order. U.S. history fans will love this stuff!
September 17, 2024
Using a variety of solid sources, this is an excellently researched account of Lincoln's ascent to the Republican presidential nomination in Chicago, 1860. This book delves into Republican policies and personalities of the day enough so that an interested person would have a good understanding of political mores, and machinations of that time. It is a window on 1860 America showing the reader that politics of then and now are not dissimilar.
Mini-biographies of prominent players, like Lincoln's champion, Judge David Davis, and William Seward, and Steven Douglas, and Horace Greeley, add to the fabric of the story. The cast of characters is unavoidably long, but not, thanks to the author's patient pace, and prose, confusing. A description of Chicago's rise from the prairies from the 1830's to 1860 is well explained and quite interesting in itself, as is the story of the rapid construction of "The Wigwam," the convention building, largest building west of Philadelphia, built of wood in just over thirty days, for $10,000, and seating 11,000 souls.
Several notable scenes, not previously well known to armchair historians light up the pages like the scene in Lincoln's home in Springfield after the nomination. Many in the assembled throng of well wishers and partisans were unfamiliar with the nominee and were relieved, and even elated to hear not a rube rail-splitter speak, but an articulate and intelligent man seemingly well able to undertake the duties that were soon to be his.
Mini-biographies of prominent players, like Lincoln's champion, Judge David Davis, and William Seward, and Steven Douglas, and Horace Greeley, add to the fabric of the story. The cast of characters is unavoidably long, but not, thanks to the author's patient pace, and prose, confusing. A description of Chicago's rise from the prairies from the 1830's to 1860 is well explained and quite interesting in itself, as is the story of the rapid construction of "The Wigwam," the convention building, largest building west of Philadelphia, built of wood in just over thirty days, for $10,000, and seating 11,000 souls.
Several notable scenes, not previously well known to armchair historians light up the pages like the scene in Lincoln's home in Springfield after the nomination. Many in the assembled throng of well wishers and partisans were unfamiliar with the nominee and were relieved, and even elated to hear not a rube rail-splitter speak, but an articulate and intelligent man seemingly well able to undertake the duties that were soon to be his.
July 24, 2024
As we enter the convention season, it is intriguing to examine Edward Achorn's comprehensive look back at the Chicago WigWam Convention that nominated Abraham Lincoln for the president on the Republican ticket. The Lincoln Miracle describes the behind-the-scenes, hard fought battle to upset party favorite Seward from getting the nomination. Judge David Davis, Lincoln friend and judge of the 8th judicial circuit court that Lincoln navigated, worked tirelessly to convince pivotal states such as Indiana, Ohio and Pennsylvania most importantly to cast their ballots for Lincoln.
At the time, nominees did not appear at the convention. Delegates hashed out the party platform. Nor did candidates for either party go out on the trail campaigning for themselves. The other bigwigs of the parties did the politicking for them. How times have changed! Nominees are picked before the convention even begins!
Alas, a lot of the other stuff remains the same. Offices promised or sold for votes. Big money and high stakes palmed off for special interests. Achorn inserts details like the stinky odor of the Chicago River and the muddy streets that added to the atmosphere of the conventioneers who partied hard and kept sight of the Constitution under siege.
For far better reviews, read others on this site.
At the time, nominees did not appear at the convention. Delegates hashed out the party platform. Nor did candidates for either party go out on the trail campaigning for themselves. The other bigwigs of the parties did the politicking for them. How times have changed! Nominees are picked before the convention even begins!
Alas, a lot of the other stuff remains the same. Offices promised or sold for votes. Big money and high stakes palmed off for special interests. Achorn inserts details like the stinky odor of the Chicago River and the muddy streets that added to the atmosphere of the conventioneers who partied hard and kept sight of the Constitution under siege.
For far better reviews, read others on this site.
May 26, 2024
A really interesting look into a corner of history that I (and I suspect many others) had no idea about. I generally knew that Lincoln went from almost unknown to one of our greatest Presidents in a short span, but never stopped to consider the mechanics of how that happened. Achorn gives a blow-by-blow account of the 1860 Republican convention, acquainting readers with both the grand (Cabinet post deals, the convention being held in Illinois partly because no serious contender was from there, etc.) and petty (delegates being hungry, seating charts that let the Lincoln men talk to the wavering delegates while Seward's men were isolated) factors that played in to Lincoln's upset victory over Seward, who was widely seen as the favorite for the nomination. Although the book does a good job of covering the role Lincoln did have, it's fascinating to realize that the main players here were not the candidates themselves but their managers and friends, as candidates did not attend the convention. The book gives readers insights into both the story itself and the atmospherics of a country on the edge of calamity. Just a year later, 25-50% of the men who were carried out that raucous convention were in military uniforms as the deadliest conflict in our nation's history began.
February 15, 2023
When we consider history, it can seem as if everything which preceded us was meant to be that way; that it was inevitable. Edward Achom's new book, "The Lincoln Miracle," shows us that inevitability is overrated and overstated. There was nothing inevitable about Abraham Lincoln's triumph at the 1860 Republican Convention, and this book covers those few, tense days which furnished America with her greatest president.
Abraham Lincoln was not supposed to win the Republican nomination, he was the ultimate dark horse. Did it help that the convention was in Chicago, Lincoln's home state? Probably, because it meant all of his supporters were on the spot. The horse-trading and cigar-filled rooms are extremely well described, so some readers may be overwhelmed. I thought it was interesting.
I never knew all of the details about the convention, so I am so glad I read this book. I learned a great deal, and I was never bored. Highly recommended.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.
Abraham Lincoln was not supposed to win the Republican nomination, he was the ultimate dark horse. Did it help that the convention was in Chicago, Lincoln's home state? Probably, because it meant all of his supporters were on the spot. The horse-trading and cigar-filled rooms are extremely well described, so some readers may be overwhelmed. I thought it was interesting.
I never knew all of the details about the convention, so I am so glad I read this book. I learned a great deal, and I was never bored. Highly recommended.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.
December 16, 2023
This is outstanding narrative history. As the nation was careening toward catastrophic disunion, the fledgling Republican Party convened the most consequential presidential nominating convention in America's history in Chicago's "Wigwam" in May 1860. Achorn gives you a front-row seat to the strategies, intrigues, circus stunts and fateful coincidences that led to the unlikely nomination of a little known and untested Illinois lawyer-- much to the great good fortune of the future generations of the United States. Achorn presents the riveting story of Lincoln's nomination in lucid prose grounded in a masterly selection of contemporary newspaper articles, letters and diaries. Lincoln's nomination was truly a miracle (Deo Gratias as well as to David Davis, Leonard Swett, et al.). Achorn's book will convince you of that. As Frederick Douglass put it: "Without Chicago, we should have no Wigwam; without the Wigwam, we should have no Abraham Lincoln; without a Lincoln we might have today no Government."
May 20, 2025
This is history writing at its finest. The author tells a wonderful story about how Lincoln received the nomination for President. Even though we know the result, it is an exciting story and the author does a great job of explaining how Lincoln came to the convention as a minor candidate, with Seward regarded as being without a doubt the next nominee, and yet Lincoln prevailed.
The author's description of Chicago is wonderfully done and he paints engaging and detailed portraits of all the people who played a part in the events leading up to the convention and those at the convention itself.
I would offer only a slight criticism that I think the last few chapters could have been shortened or dropped since the culminating event in the book is Lincoln's nomination. But that is a minor point and even when the author talks about the events after the convention, his writing and insights are at such a high level.
The author's description of Chicago is wonderfully done and he paints engaging and detailed portraits of all the people who played a part in the events leading up to the convention and those at the convention itself.
I would offer only a slight criticism that I think the last few chapters could have been shortened or dropped since the culminating event in the book is Lincoln's nomination. But that is a minor point and even when the author talks about the events after the convention, his writing and insights are at such a high level.
May 12, 2023
This is an excellent addition to the many Lincoln biographies and histories available. The author covers the historic 1860 Republican National Convention that eventually nominated Abraham Lincoln for president. It is a topic often discussed briefly or in summary in most Lincoln biographies and histories.
And it’s done extremely well. The author goes into much detail about so many aspects of this important event. He discusses the many participants in this story as well as the events leading up to and during the convention. And he does so in a very readable and entertaining manner. I feel like I now have a much better understanding of just how a fairly obscure Illinois politician ended up being his parties nominee for president. I would certainly recommend this book to anyone interested in our 16th president.
And it’s done extremely well. The author goes into much detail about so many aspects of this important event. He discusses the many participants in this story as well as the events leading up to and during the convention. And he does so in a very readable and entertaining manner. I feel like I now have a much better understanding of just how a fairly obscure Illinois politician ended up being his parties nominee for president. I would certainly recommend this book to anyone interested in our 16th president.
September 23, 2023
This amazing, behind-the-scenes account of the Chicago Republican Convention demonstrates how Lincoln achieved the nomination for the 1860 Presidential Candidate in the teeth of the overwhelming favorite, William H. Seward … the tale is revealed day-by-day, from Saturday, May 12, 1860 to Saturday, May 19, 1860 … another riveting Lincoln book from Edward Achorn, famed for his “Every Drop of Blood”
by
Edward Achorn
by
Edward Achorn
January 20, 2023
For other book reviews, visit my website www.bargain-sleuth.com and subscribe to my newsletter.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
I'm not a Lincoln expert but do enjoy Presidential history, so I decided to give this book a try. In short, it's everything you always wanted to know about all the key players who were there to help or thwart Abraham Lincoln's attempt at securing the presidential nomination at the 1860 convention in Chicago.
There's a wealth of background material which made for interesting reading, but I did at times feel bogged down in the minute details. I'm glad I read it, but I don't think I'll be revisiting this book years down the line..
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
I'm not a Lincoln expert but do enjoy Presidential history, so I decided to give this book a try. In short, it's everything you always wanted to know about all the key players who were there to help or thwart Abraham Lincoln's attempt at securing the presidential nomination at the 1860 convention in Chicago.
There's a wealth of background material which made for interesting reading, but I did at times feel bogged down in the minute details. I'm glad I read it, but I don't think I'll be revisiting this book years down the line..
June 18, 2024
I consider myself fairly well read when it comes to our 16th president. I heard Achorn speak about this book at lecture series sponsored by the LBJ Library and the topic was very interesting -- the story of how Lincoln won the fledgling party's nomination at the Republican's 1960 presidential nominating convention in Chicago. So, I ordered the book. It started off with promise but quickly became bogged down in endless digressions into trivia. It seems that the author’s writing methodology consists of summarizing whatever “news” was reported during this week in Chicago in May 1860. A fascinating subject made dreadfully boring. I gave up halfway through. Then I remembered a few years earlier I had read "Every Drop of Blood" (about Lincoln's second inaugural address by the same author. Didn't care much for that one either.
November 12, 2024
Tour de force. Focused on the days of the Republican Convention of 1860 in Chicago, which starts with Lincoln as a distant also ran to becoming the Party’s nominee. Extremely well told. And a case study on how, even in the age of political bosses and insider conventions, bosses cannot be overridden by politicians with an interest in winning.
So much here from how Lincoln position himself against slavery on different grounds than competitors, the meltdown of the Democratic Convention, the critical role and controversy over immigration and competition over political framing of these arrivals, the city of Chicago at the time it was the fastest growing city in the world, and the degree of Lincoln’s love of telling bawdy and dirty jokes, constantly.
Highly recommended.
So much here from how Lincoln position himself against slavery on different grounds than competitors, the meltdown of the Democratic Convention, the critical role and controversy over immigration and competition over political framing of these arrivals, the city of Chicago at the time it was the fastest growing city in the world, and the degree of Lincoln’s love of telling bawdy and dirty jokes, constantly.
Highly recommended.
May 3, 2023
This was a fascinating account of six days in Chicago in May 1860 when the Republicans met to select their candidate for president. Lincoln was the mostly unknown dark horse contender, William Steward the New York senator and former governor who was expected by many to win the contest. There were many other players including half-a-d0zen other candidates, journalists from around the county, part y strategists and many looking for political favors including jobs. The bustling and rapidly growing city of Chicago was the backdrop. Lincoln played is slow and steady, eventually showing that he was a perceptive politician who was far more than a back-county log-splitting lawyer.
March 27, 2024
In 1867, Frederick Douglass visited the city and spoke about the momentous events of seven years earlier. "Without Chicago," Douglass said, "we should have had no Wigwam; without the Wigwam we should have had no Abraham Lincoln; without a Lincoln we might have to day had no Government."
140 years after Douglass spoke these words, Chicago would again serve as the epicenter of the American political landscape and this time it would be a young little known black man announcing his candidacy in the shadow of the old Illinois legislature on the steps where Lincoln gave his House Divided Cannot Stand speech.
History is something else when you know what to look for.
140 years after Douglass spoke these words, Chicago would again serve as the epicenter of the American political landscape and this time it would be a young little known black man announcing his candidacy in the shadow of the old Illinois legislature on the steps where Lincoln gave his House Divided Cannot Stand speech.
History is something else when you know what to look for.
March 25, 2023
I have read or listened with great pleasure to myriad books on the life and service of Abraham Lincoln, but I dont think I have enjoyed any more than this one. The author swept me up in the drama of the 1860 Convention. His descriptions made me visualize the excited delegates and join their anticipation.
The backstories on Lincoln associates were superb and added to my knowledge and enjoyment.
The narrator's voice characterizations also superbly enhanced this audio edition. This book is a great addition to Lincoln lore.
The backstories on Lincoln associates were superb and added to my knowledge and enjoyment.
The narrator's voice characterizations also superbly enhanced this audio edition. This book is a great addition to Lincoln lore.
June 19, 2023
The author provides an excellent and highly readable account of how Lincoln, a long shot dark horse candidate, won the 1860 Republican nomination for president. I cannot help but wonder if this could provide a blueprint from stopping Trump winning the GOP nod next year. In 1860 Lincoln supporters met with 4 representatives of 4 of the other leading candidates. They agreed that Lincoln had the best chance against the front runner and agreed that they would switch to him if the other 3 did likewise.
I suppose the winner take all primaries make this unlikely. But one can still dream,
I suppose the winner take all primaries make this unlikely. But one can still dream,
May 1, 2023
I have read many books about Abraham Lincoln over the years. The ones that stand out are : Lincoln by David Herbert Donald, With Malice Towards None by Stephen B. Oates, Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin. This book is the first one I can remember that focused on how Lincoln emerged as the Republican nominee in 1860. It also distinguishes itself with its vivid and fast-paced prose. I highly recommend it.
October 15, 2023
Edward Achorn's deeply researched "The Lincoln Miracle," is a very good read that illustrates the fragile links in our historical paths. By a certain, tenuous thread, the relatively unknown country lawyer Abe Lincoln was chosen as the Republican presidential candidate over several more famous and experienced persons. The depths of his strengths weer known to but a few admirers but would be essential to the continuation of the union in the tumultuous years to follow. A very good read.
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