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A review by mikezad
Tried by War: Abraham Lincoln as Commander in Chief by James M. McPherson
3.0
This is the second book I've read on Abraham Lincoln and the first I've read which explores more of his actual time as president. Lincoln obviously has his place as one of the greatest presidents in American history, but finishing this book further solidifies Lincoln place among history's greatest leaders. Lincoln's transformation from a relatively inexperienced military strategist at the start of the Civil War to an effective commander who heavily contributed to a Union victory made for a compelling read. I enjoyed how McPherson explored the often tenuous relationship between Lincoln and his generals, including McClellan and Grant.
Reading about Lincoln's efforts in winning the war and preserving the Union also highlights the ultimate tragedy in the failure of post-war reconstruction which is alluded to well in the last line of the book: "And the problem of reconstruction after the Civil War was not that the federal government exercised too much power but that it did not exercise enough."
Reading about Lincoln's efforts in winning the war and preserving the Union also highlights the ultimate tragedy in the failure of post-war reconstruction which is alluded to well in the last line of the book: "And the problem of reconstruction after the Civil War was not that the federal government exercised too much power but that it did not exercise enough."