War and Politics:
Lincoln, Virginia and the Election of 1864
How did the bloody military stalemate in Virginia affect the presidential election of 1864?
Also, how did candidates and generals respond to events during that long summer?
British Newspaper References to the Virginia Campaign
and the 1864 Election
Click on the image link to be connected to each document.
GLASGOW HERALD (Glasgow, Scotland)
February 6, 1864: Issue 7513
Article: MR. LINCOLN'S MOVE TO SECURE RE-ELECTION
The article discusses the upcoming presidential campaign season and the possible threats to Lincoln's party renomination (by Chase and Hamlin), as well as threats to reelection in the fall (by McClellan). Campaign strategy is also theorized and comparisons are made to the Election of 1860.
THE MORNING POST (London, England)
May 23, 1864; page 5: Issue 28216
Article: LATEST FROM AMERICA
The article discusses the Overland Campaign's Battles of the Wilderness and Spotsylvania Court House. Approximate Union casualty numbers are given, as is Secretary of War Stanton's comments that the battles favored Grant.
THE HUDDERSFIELD CHRONICLE & WEST YORKSHIRE ADVERTISER (West Yorkshire, England)
June 4, 1864; page 10: Issue 742
Article: THE WAR IN AMERICA
The article discusses the successes and failures of Grant and the Army of the Potomac in the Overland Campaign. It also mentions the severity of the situation and how northerners have wrongly discounted the rebel army as being demoralized and ready to concede.
THE BLACKBURN STANDARD (Blackburn, England)
November 23, 1864: Issue 1556
Article: RE-ELECTION OF PRESIDENT LINCOLN
The article discusses the negative implications of Lincoln's continued leadership in America; it is viewed poorly because of the National Union Party's pledge of unconditional surrender, in a war which many in Europe want to see quickly end.
THE DERBY MERCURY (Derby, England)
November 23, 1864: Issue 6921
Article: PRESIDENT LINCOLN'S RE-ELECTION
A scathing editorial on the folly of the American people in re-electing Abraham Lincoln to the Presidency.
Go Back to Newspapers Main Page
Go Back to Newspapers Main Page