The Union Divided : Party Conflict in the Civil War North

In 1863, Union soldiers from Illinois threatened to march from the battlefield to their state capital. Springfield had not been seized by the Rebels--but the state government was in danger of being captured by the Democrats. In The Union Divided, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Mark E. Neely, Jr., vividly recounts the surprising story of political conflict in the North during the Civil War. Examining party conflict as viewed through the lens of the developing war, the excesses of party patronage, the impact of wartime elections, the highly partisan press, and the role of the loyal opposition, Neely deftly dismantles the argument long established in Civil War scholarship that the survival of the party system in the North contributed to its victory. The many positive effects attributed to the party system were in fact the result of the fundamental operation of the Constitution, in particular a four-year president who was commander in chief. In several ways, the party system actually undermined the Northern war effort; Americans uneasy about normal party operations in the abnormal circumstances of civil war saw near-treason in the loyal opposition. Engagingly written and brilliantly argued, The Union Divided is an insightful and original contribution to Civil War studies and American political history.

in 1863, Union Soldiers From Illinois Threatened To March From The Battlefield To Their State Capital. Springfield Had Not Been Seized By The Rebels—but The State Government Was In Danger Of Being Captured By The Democrats.

in the Union Divided, Pulitzer Prize-winning Historian Mark E. Neely, Jr., Vividly Recounts The Surprising Story Of Political Conflict In The North During The Civil War. Examining Party Conflict As Viewed Through The Lens Of The Developing War, The Excesses Of Party Patronage, The Impact Of Wartime Elections, The Highly Partisan Press, And The Role Of The Loyal Opposition, Neely Deftly Dismantles The Argument Long Established In Civil War Scholarship That The Survival Of The Party System In The North Contributed To Its Victory.

the Many Positive Effects Attributed To The Party System Were In Fact The Result Of The Fundamental Operation Of The Constitution, In Particular A Four-year President Who Was Commander In Chief. In Several Ways, The Party System Actually Undermined The Northern War Effort; Americans Uneasy About Normal Party Operations In The Abnormal Circumstances Of Civil War Saw Near-treason In The Loyal Opposition.

engagingly Written And Brilliantly Argued, the Union Divided Is An Insightful And Original Contribution To Civil War Studies And American Political History.

publishers Weekly

how Did The Constitution Shape The Union's Conduct In The Civil War, And How Did Electoral Competition (and Shifting Public Sentiment) In The Northern States Affect The Rhetorical Strategies And Military Calculations Of Both Union And Confederate Leaders? Pulitzer Prize-winning Penn State Historian Neely (the Fate Of Liberty: Abraham Lincoln And Civil Liberties), Asserting That The Political History Of The War Years Has Been Sadly Neglected By Scholars, Addresses These Questions And Others In This Engaging Volume. Challenging The Generally Accepted View That The Two-party System Was An Unalloyed Advantage The North Held Over The South, Neely Clearly And Deftly Demonstrates That The System And All That Came With It The Waste Associated With Party Patronage And The Diatribes Of The Partisan Press, For Example Did Little To Help The Union's Cause And Much To Delay Victory. He Shows How Election-year Cycles Affected Lincoln's Military Planning: Maneuvering To Avoid Large Numbers Of Casualties Before Crucial Public Votes, He Did Not Always Deploy His Armies To Best Advantage. Neely Also Explores The Way In Which The Concept Of A Loyal Opposition Was Essentially Abandoned During The War Years, With Republicans Routinely Branding Their Democratic Opponents As (at Best) Unwitting Confederate Fifth-columnists And (at Worst) Outright Traitors. Though His Book Is Designed To Be Tentative And Suggestive In Other Words, To Replace The Accepted Wisdom With Thoughtful Queries And To Provoke Debate Neely Provides A Bold And Informed Reappraisal Of Northern Party And Factional Discord And Its Impact On The Conduct And Outcome Of The Civil War. (apr.) Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

"In 1863, Union soldiers from Illinois threatened to march from the battlefield to their state capital. Springfield had not been seized by the Rebels - but the state government was in danger of being captured by the Democrats.". "In The Union Divided, Mark E. Neely, Jr., recounts the story of political conflict in the North during the Civil War. Examining party conflict as viewed through the lens of the developing war, the excesses of party patronage, the impact of wartime elections, the highly partisan press, and the role of the loyal opposition, Neely dismantles the argument long established in Civil War scholarship that the survival of the party system in the North contributed to its victory.". "The many positive effects attributed to the party system were in fact the result of the fundamental operation of the Constitution, in particular a four-year president who was commander in chief. In several ways, the party system actually undermined the Northern war effort; Americans uneasy about normal party operations in the abnormal circumstances of civil war saw near treason in the loyal opposition."--BOOK JACKET. Examining party conflict as seen through the lens of the developing war, the excesses of party patronage, the impact of wartime elections, the highly partisan press, and the role of the loyal opposition, Neely dismantles the longstanding argument in Civil War scholarship that the survival of the party system in the North contributed to its victory.