Mr. Lincoln's T-Mails: How Abraham Lincoln Used the Telegraph to Win the Civil War
Tom Wheeler
Language: English
Pages: 256
ISBN: 0061129801
Format: PDF / Kindle (mobi) / ePub
Abraham Lincoln's two great legacies to history—his extraordinary power as a writer and his leadership during the Civil War—come together in this close study of the President's use of the telegraph. Invented less than two decades before he entered office, the telegraph came into its own during the Civil War. In a jewel–box of historical writing, Wheeler captures Lincoln as he adapted his folksy rhetorical style to the telegraph, creating an intimate bond with his generals that would ultimately help win the war.
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with the army. To a nation hungry for victory and searching for heroes, these reporters delivered stories singing McClellan’s praises and dubbing him the “Young Napoleon.” The technology that had helped make George McClellan victorious also made him famous. It was no surprise, therefore, that after the disaster at First Manassas (Bull Run), President Lincoln’s search for someone to head his army led him to George B. McClellan. When he came to Washington, General McClellan imported his
McClellan. First Magruder extended the Rebel line across the peninsula at its narrowest point near the Revolutionary War battlefield of Yorktown. There his men erected earthworks, flooded fields, placed black-painted logs on wagon wheels to make them appear to be cannon, and marched back and forth in a manner that suggested a larger force than was actually present. George McClellan bought the ruse. Instead of advancing his mighty force, McClellan decided the Confederates were too strong and the
allowed him to successfully practice. The telegraph would allow the president to observe whether his new management was delivering results. If necessary, it would also enable him to step in and provide the ultimate management decision making. ON MAY 4, 1864, the Army of the Potomac crossed the Rapidan River and proceeded against General Lee’s Confederates. At the same time, at Hampton Roads, General Benjamin Butler put his Army of the James on board ships to sail up the peninsula and pick up
Wills, Garry. Lincoln at Gettysburg: The Words that Remade America. New York, NY: Touchstone, 1992. Winkler, H. Donald. The Women in Lincoln’s Life. Nashville, TN: Rutledge Hill Press, 2001. Wilson, Douglas L. Honor’s Voice: The Transformation of Abraham Lincoln. New York, NY: Alfred A. Knopf, 1998. SEARCHABLE TERMS Acton, Ill. American Telegraph Company Antietam (Sharpsburg), Battle of AP (Associated Press) Appomattox, Va. Army, Confederate battles won by disbanding of
Foundation for the National Archives, the nonprofit organization dedicated to telling the American story through its documents, and a director of the Public Broadcasting Service. www.mrlincolnstmails.com Visit www.AuthorTracker.com for exclusive information on your favorite HarperCollins authors. Credits Jacket design by Becky Berkheimer for Mucca Design Jacket photographs © Index Stock/Alamy Copyright MR. LINCOLN’S T-MAILS. © 2006 by Tom Wheeler. All rights reserved under