Meanwhile, Lincoln dealt harshly with “the enemy in the rear”—with what he called “a most efficient corps of spies, informers, supplyers, and aiders and abettors” of the rebellion who took advantage of “Liberty of speech, Liberty of the press and Habeas corpus” to disrupt the Union war effort. Consequently he suspended the writ of habeas corpus and authorized army commanders to declare martial law in various areas behind the lines and to try civilians in military courts. Lincoln steadfastly defended such an invasion of civil liberties, contending that strict measures were imperative if the
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Precursor to the Patriot Act?
