President Trump Presents American Civil War History Lesson

[David Lockmiller]

(10-14-2018 03:37 PM)AussieMick Wrote:  Antietam was 'not an overwhelming success' according to David Donald.

Antietam was an invasion by General Lee of northern soil. General Lee was stopped and forced to retreat to southern soil. And, as I wrote in my original post to this thread: "it was this event that permitted President Lincoln to issue his preliminary Emancipation Proclamation."

Please recall the point made by Secretary Seward when President Lincoln first introduced his proposed Emancipation Proclamation, as stated by President Lincoln directly to Francis B. Carpenter and published in his book "Six Months at the White House" (pages 21-22):

"Nothing, however, was offered that I had not already fully anticipated and settled in my own mind, until Secretary Seward spoke. He said in substance: 'Mr. President, I approve of the proclamation, but I question the expediency of its issue at this juncture. The depression of the public mind, consequent upon our repeated reverses, is so great that I fear the effect of so important a step. It may be viewed as the last measure of an exhausted government, a cry for help; the government stretching forth its hands to Ethiopia, instead of Ethiopia stretching forth her hands to the government.' His idea," said the President, "was that it would be considered our last shriek, on the retreat. (This was his precise expression.) "'Now, continued Mr. Seward, 'while I approve the measure, I suggest, sir, that you postpone its issue, until you can give it to the country supported by military success, instead of issuing it, as would be the case now, upon the greatest disasters of the war!'" Mr. Lincoln continued: "The wisdom of the view of the Secretary of State struck me with very great force. It was an aspect of the case that, in all my thought upon the subject, I had entirely overlooked. The result was that I put the draft of the proclamation aside, as you do your sketch for a picture, waiting for a victory. From time to time I added or changed a line, touching it up here and there, anxiously watching the progress of events. . . . Finally, came the week of the battle of Antietam. I determined to wait no longer. The news came, I think, on Wednesday, that the advantage was on our side. I was then staying at the Soldiers' Home. Here I finished writing the second draft of the preliminary proclamation; came up on Saturday; called the Cabinet together to hear it, and it was published the following Monday."

As to Grant's alleged "drinking problem," I agree entirely with the statement made here previously by LincolnMan: "No, double no. That is a shame to Grant’s legacy that the “drinking problem” myth be carried on- by a modern day President no less."