
Abraham Lincoln: A History (Volume 3)
'Abraham Lincoln: A History (Volume 3)' Summary
Early in his presidency, Hay and Nicolay requested and received permission from Lincoln to write his biography. In the first years after Lincoln's death, Hay and Nicolay were not encouraged to publish such a work—Representative Isaac Newton Arnold, a Lincoln supporter, had quickly published a substantial Lincoln biography, and publishers were not eager for another. Further, the permission of Robert Lincoln, who controlled his father's papers, would have to be gained. Lincoln's former secretaries decided to wait until they had sufficient time and money.
The often-dormant proposal to write the biography was given new impetus as they came to believe Lincoln's historical image was being distorted. Ward Hill Lamon in 1872 published a biography of Lincoln based on research by William Herndon, Lincoln's law partner. Lamon's book first made widely known many of the early accounts of Lincoln's life, such as those regarding Ann Rutledge, whom Lamon related Lincoln had loved and whose death devastated him. Without access to his papers, these early biographers focused on these episodes told of the young Lincoln, that fascinated the public. The Lincoln family believed some of these distorted or untrue, and in any event disrespectful. Also becoming popular were interpretations of the war that minimized Southern blame, with the bravery of the soldiers stressed in the name of sectional reconciliation. Popular fiction, such as that by Joel Chandler Harris, pressed a nostalgic view of the Old South.
By 1872, Hay was "convinced that we ought to be at work on our 'Lincoln.' I don't think the time for publication has come, but the time for preparation is slipping away." Robert Lincoln, Lincoln's surviving child, in 1874 formally agreed to let Hay and Nicolay use his father's papers; by 1875, they were engaged in research. Hay and Nicolay enjoyed exclusive access to Lincoln's papers, which were not opened to other researchers until 1947. They gathered documents written by others, as well as many of the Civil War books already being published. They at rare times relied on memory, such as Nicolay's recollection of the moment at the 1860 Republican convention when Lincoln was nominated, but for much of the rest relied on research. The research was so extensive that in their published work, Hay and Nicolay sometimes wrote that no records exist on certain points—statements that later proved to be premature.
Book Details
Language
EnglishOriginal Language
EnglishPublished In
1890Genre/Category
Tags/Keywords
Authors
Download eBooks
Listen/Download Audiobook
- Select Speed
Related books

Abraham Lincoln's Inaugural Addresses by Abraham Lincoln
Lincoln's first inaugural address was delivered on March 4th, 1861, as the North and South were sliding towards separation and Civil War. His second i...

They Who Knock at Our Gates by Mary Antin
In "They Who Knock at Our Gates," Mary Antin, a Jewish immigrant who successfully assimilated into American society, tackles the complex issue of immi...

Phylactery by John Hay
A collection of poems by John Milton Hay, an American statesman and diplomat. Hay's poems often reflect his experiences in politics and diplomacy, and...

Sherman's March To The Sea, And The Burning Of Columbia, South Carolina, From His Memoirs by William Tecumseh Sherman
This selection from William Tecumseh Sherman's memoirs focuses on his pivotal 'March to the Sea' campaign during the American Civil War. It details th...

Life and Lillian Gish by Albert Bigelow Pain
An authorized biography of Lillian Gish, the renowned silent film star known in her heyday as the First Lady of American Cinema. Albert Bigelow Paine...

What Think You I Take my Pen in Hand? by Walt Whitman
LibriVox volunteers bring you 15 different recordings of What think you I take my pen in hand? by Walt Whitman. This was the weekly poetry project for...

National Geographic Magazine Vol. 08 - 07-08. July-August 1897 by National Geographic Society
This volume of the National Geographic Magazine from July-August 1897 delves into a variety of geographical topics. The articles explore the work of...

Montcalm and Wolfe, Volume 2 by Francis Parkman
Montcalm and Wolfe is the sixth volume in Francis Parkman's seven-volume history, France and England in North America, originally published in 1884. I...

Viaje a América (Tomo 1 de 2) by Rafael Puig y Valls
En "Viaje a América", Rafael Puig y Valls, un periodista español, relata su viaje a Estados Unidos en 1893 para asistir a la Exposición Universal de C...

Anti-slavery in America from the Introduction of African Slaves to the Prohibition of the Slave Trade (1619-1808) by Mary S. Locke
In the gripping narrative, a haunting truth unfolds—a truth that transcends time and demands reckoning. Step into the shadows of America's darkest hi...
Reviews for Abraham Lincoln: A History (Volume 3)
No reviews posted or approved, yet...