I went to the movie Lincoln, which is based on the book “Team of Rivals”, by Doris Kearns Goodwin. Having read the book, I had to see the movie. Most Presidents are stressed by the 24/7 pressure, but Lincoln had more on his plate than all the rest. FDR is a close second. Mr. Lincoln kept the country from splitting, forced the 13th amendment abolishing slavery, dealt with arrogant, incompetent generals, and accommodated his grieving depressed wife, Mary Todd (Dolly). Lincoln, with no formal education and a self taught lawyer, was savvy enough to convince the Republican party that he, rather than the favorites Seward and Chase, was a compromise choice. Lincoln won the election of 1860 and then hired his rivals, thus the title of the book, “Team of Rivals”. Lincoln needed Seward for Secretary of State because everyone respected him and would give his presidency legitimacy. Lincoln hired Chase to be Secretary of Treasury because there was a great need for money and Chase was Chase Bank of New York. Stanton, another rival from an important family and a skilled tactician, became the Secretary of War. All were loyal to Lincoln except Chase. Chase did his duties as Treasurer, but undermined the administration in the end to set himself up for another run at the Presidency. The Union had the money, manufacturing, and manpower. The Confederacy had West Point trained Robert E. Lee plus tremendous generals like Jeb Stuart and Stonewall Jackson. With less men and equipment, the South ran circles around the Union until the South ran out of men and supplies. The United States lost more men in the Civil War than all wars combined since. Six hundred thousand perished.
