United States presidential election, 1864
Encyclopedia
In the United States Presidential election of 1864, Abraham Lincoln
was re-elected as president. The election was held during the Civil War. Lincoln ran under the National Union
ticket against Democratic
candidate George B. McClellan
, his former top general. McClellan ran as the "peace candidate", but he did not personally believe in his party's platform. Although the only votes counted were those cast in states that had not attempted to secede from the Union, elections were held in the Union-occupied states of Louisiana and Tennessee, with Lincoln carrying both.
In opposition to a group of Republican dissidents who nominated John C. Frémont
, Republicans loyal to Lincoln joined with a number of War Democrats to form the National Union Party
. The new political party was formed to accommodate the War Democrats.
On November 8, Lincoln won by over 400,000 popular votes and easily secured an electoral majority. Several states allowed their citizens serving as soldiers in the field to cast ballots, a first in United States history. Soldiers in the Army
gave Lincoln more than 70% of their vote.
This was the first election since 1832
in which an incumbent president won re-election. However, Lincoln's second term ended just 6 weeks after his inauguration, as he was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth
.
progressed, political opinions within the Republican Party
began to diverge. Senators Charles Sumner
and Henry Wilson
of Massachusetts wanted the Republican Party to advocate constitutional amendments to prohibit slavery and to guarantee racial equality before the law. These bills were not yet supported by all northern Republicans.
Democratic leaders hoped that the radical Republicans would put forth a ticket in the election. The New York World
was particularly interested in undermining the National Union Party
and ran a series of articles setting forth John C. Frémont
’s qualifications. The New York World hoped that the National Union Convention
would be delayed until late in 1864 to allow Frémont time to collect delegates to win the nomination. Frémont supporters in New York City established a newspaper called the New Nation, which declared in one of its initial issues that the National Union Convention would be a “nonentity.”
The Radical Democracy Convention assembled in Ohio with delegates arriving on May 29, 1864. The New York Times
reported that the hall which the convention organizers had planned to use had been double-booked by an opera troupe. Almost all delegates were instructed to support Frémont, with a major exception being the New York delegation, which was composed of War Democrats
who supported Ulysses S. Grant
. Various estimates of the number of delegates were reported in the press; the New York Times reported 156 delegates, but the number generally reported elsewhere was 350 delegates. The delegates came from 15 states and the District of Columbia. They adopted the name "Radical Democracy Party."
A supporter of Grant was appointed chairman. The platform was passed with little discussion, and a series of resolutions that bogged down the convention proceedings were voted down decisively. The convention nominated Frémont for President. Frémont accepted the nomination on June 4, 1864. In his letter, he stated that he would step aside if the National Union Convention would nominate someone other than Lincoln. John Cochrane
was nominated for vice-president.
Before the election, the War Democrats
joined the Republicans
to form the National Union Party
. With the outcome of the Civil War still in doubt, some political leaders, including Salmon P. Chase
, Benjamin Wade
, and Horace Greeley
, opposed Lincoln's renomination on the ground that he could not win. But Lincoln was still popular with most members of the Republican party and the National Union Party nominated him for a second term as president at their convention in Baltimore, Maryland, on June 7-8, 1864.
Lincoln, dissatisfied with Republican Vice-President Hannibal Hamlin
, had the convention nominate Military-Governor Andrew Johnson
of Tennessee, a War Democrat, as his running mate. Johnson was ideally suited to run as a vice- presidential candidate with Lincoln in 1864. He had strongly supported the Union, he was a Southerner, and he was a leading member of the War Democrats. Andrew Johnson was nominated over three other War Democrats: former New York Senator Daniel S. Dickinson
, Buchanan cabinet member Joseph Holt
, and General Benjamin F. Butler
.
Source: US President - R Convention. Our Campaigns. (April 2, 2009).
Source: US Vice President - R Convention. Our Campaigns. (April 2, 2009).
The Democratic Party
was bitterly split between the War Democrats and the Peace Democrats, who were further divided among competing factions. Moderate Peace Democrats who supported the war against the Confederacy, such as Horatio Seymour
, were preaching the wisdom of a negotiated peace. After Gettysburg, when it was clear the South could no longer win the war, moderate Peace Democrats proposed a negotiated peace that would secure Union victory. They believed this was the best course of action because an armistice could finish the war without finishing the South. Radical Peace Democrats known as Copperheads, such as Thomas H. Seymour, declared the war to be a failure and favored an immediate end to hostilities without securing Union victory.
George B. McClellan
and former Connecticut Governor Thomas H. Seymour vied for the presidential nomination. In addition, friends of Horatio Seymour insisted on placing his name before the convention, which was held in Chicago
, Illinois, on August 29-31, 1864. But on the day before the organization of that body, Horatio Seymour announced positively that he would not be a candidate.
Since the Democrats were divided by issues of war and peace, they sought a strong candidate who could unify the party. The compromise was to nominate pro-war General George B. McClellan for president and anti-war Representative George H. Pendleton
for vice-president. McClellan, a War Democrat, was nominated over Thomas H. Seymour, a Copperhead. The convention then adopted a peace platform — a platform McClellan personally rejected. McClellan supported the continuation of the war and restoration of the Union, but the party platform, written by Copperhead Clement Vallandigham
, opposed this position.
The 1864 election was the first time since 1812
that a presidential election took place during a war.
For much of 1864, Lincoln himself believed he had little chance of being re-elected. Confederate forces had triumphed at the Battle of Mansfield
, the Battle of the Crater
, and the Battle of Cold Harbor
. In addition, the war was continuing to take a very high toll. The prospect of a long and bloody war started to make the idea of "peace at all cost" offered by the Copperheads
look more desirable. Because of this, McClellan was thought to be a heavy favorite to win the election. Unfortunately for Lincoln, Frémont’s campaign got off to a good start.
However, several political and military events made Lincoln's re-election inevitable. In the first place, the Democrats had to confront the severe internal strains within their party at the Democratic National Convention
. The political compromises made at the Democratic National Convention were contradictory and made McClellan's campaign inconsistent and difficult.
Secondly, the Democratic National Convention influenced Frémont’s campaign. Frémont was appalled at the Democratic platform, which he described as “union with slavery.” After three weeks of discussions with Cochrane and his supporters, Frémont withdrew from the race in September 1864. In his statement, Frémont declared that winning the Civil War was too important to divide the Republican vote. Although he still felt that Lincoln was not going far enough, the defeat of McClellan was of the greatest necessity. General Cochrane, who was a War Democrat, agreed and withdrew with Frémont. Frémont also brokered a political deal in which Lincoln removed U.S. Postmaster General Montgomery Blair
from office. McClellan's chances of victory faded after Frémont withdrew from the presidential race.
Lastly, with the fall of Atlanta
on September 2, there no longer was any question that a Union military victory was inevitable and close at hand.
In the end, the Union Party mobilized the full strength of both the Republicans and the War Democrats under the its slogan "Don't change horses in the middle of a stream." It was energized as Lincoln made emancipation the central issue, and state Republican parties stressed the perfidy of the Copperheads. Lincoln was highly popular with soldiers; he carried 78% of the Union soldiers' vote, and they in turn recommended him to their folks back home.
. Three new states participated for the first time: Nevada, West Virginia, and Kansas. The reconstructed portions of Tennessee and Louisiana chose presidential Electors, although Congress did not count their votes. McClellan won just three states: Kentucky, Delaware, and his home state of New Jersey.
Source (Popular Vote):
Source (Electoral Vote):
(a) The states in rebellion did not participate in the election of 1864.
(b) One Elector from Nevada did not vote
States where the margin of victory was under 5% (68 electoral votes)
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
was re-elected as president. The election was held during the Civil War. Lincoln ran under the National Union
National Union Party (United States)
The National Union Party was the name used by the Republican Party for the national ticket in the 1864 presidential election, held during the Civil War. State Republican parties did not usually change their name....
ticket against Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
candidate George B. McClellan
George B. McClellan
George Brinton McClellan was a major general during the American Civil War. He organized the famous Army of the Potomac and served briefly as the general-in-chief of the Union Army. Early in the war, McClellan played an important role in raising a well-trained and organized army for the Union...
, his former top general. McClellan ran as the "peace candidate", but he did not personally believe in his party's platform. Although the only votes counted were those cast in states that had not attempted to secede from the Union, elections were held in the Union-occupied states of Louisiana and Tennessee, with Lincoln carrying both.
In opposition to a group of Republican dissidents who nominated John C. Frémont
John C. Frémont
John Charles Frémont , was an American military officer, explorer, and the first candidate of the anti-slavery Republican Party for the office of President of the United States. During the 1840s, that era's penny press accorded Frémont the sobriquet The Pathfinder...
, Republicans loyal to Lincoln joined with a number of War Democrats to form the National Union Party
National Union Party (United States)
The National Union Party was the name used by the Republican Party for the national ticket in the 1864 presidential election, held during the Civil War. State Republican parties did not usually change their name....
. The new political party was formed to accommodate the War Democrats.
On November 8, Lincoln won by over 400,000 popular votes and easily secured an electoral majority. Several states allowed their citizens serving as soldiers in the field to cast ballots, a first in United States history. Soldiers in the Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
gave Lincoln more than 70% of their vote.
This was the first election since 1832
United States presidential election, 1832
The United States presidential election of 1832 saw incumbent President Andrew Jackson, candidate of the Democratic Party, easily win re-election against Henry Clay of Kentucky. Jackson won 219 of the 286 electoral votes cast, defeating Clay, the candidate of the National Republican Party, and...
in which an incumbent president won re-election. However, Lincoln's second term ended just 6 weeks after his inauguration, as he was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth
John Wilkes Booth
John Wilkes Booth was an American stage actor who assassinated President Abraham Lincoln at Ford's Theatre, in Washington, D.C., on April 14, 1865. Booth was a member of the prominent 19th century Booth theatrical family from Maryland and, by the 1860s, was a well-known actor...
.
Radical Republican Party nomination
Candidate:- John C. FremontJohn C. FrémontJohn Charles Frémont , was an American military officer, explorer, and the first candidate of the anti-slavery Republican Party for the office of President of the United States. During the 1840s, that era's penny press accorded Frémont the sobriquet The Pathfinder...
, former U.S. senator from CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
Candidates gallery
As the Civil WarAmerican Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
progressed, political opinions within the Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
began to diverge. Senators Charles Sumner
Charles Sumner
Charles Sumner was an American politician and senator from Massachusetts. An academic lawyer and a powerful orator, Sumner was the leader of the antislavery forces in Massachusetts and a leader of the Radical Republicans in the United States Senate during the American Civil War and Reconstruction,...
and Henry Wilson
Henry Wilson
Henry Wilson was the 18th Vice President of the United States and a Senator from Massachusetts...
of Massachusetts wanted the Republican Party to advocate constitutional amendments to prohibit slavery and to guarantee racial equality before the law. These bills were not yet supported by all northern Republicans.
Democratic leaders hoped that the radical Republicans would put forth a ticket in the election. The New York World
New York World
The New York World was a newspaper published in New York City from 1860 until 1931. The paper played a major role in the history of American newspapers...
was particularly interested in undermining the National Union Party
National Union Party (United States)
The National Union Party was the name used by the Republican Party for the national ticket in the 1864 presidential election, held during the Civil War. State Republican parties did not usually change their name....
and ran a series of articles setting forth John C. Frémont
John C. Frémont
John Charles Frémont , was an American military officer, explorer, and the first candidate of the anti-slavery Republican Party for the office of President of the United States. During the 1840s, that era's penny press accorded Frémont the sobriquet The Pathfinder...
’s qualifications. The New York World hoped that the National Union Convention
1864 National Union National Convention
The 1864 National Union National Convention was the United States presidential nominating conventions of the National Union Party, which was a name temporarily adopted by the main faction of the Republican Party in a coalition with some War Democrats that year....
would be delayed until late in 1864 to allow Frémont time to collect delegates to win the nomination. Frémont supporters in New York City established a newspaper called the New Nation, which declared in one of its initial issues that the National Union Convention would be a “nonentity.”
The Radical Democracy Convention assembled in Ohio with delegates arriving on May 29, 1864. The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
reported that the hall which the convention organizers had planned to use had been double-booked by an opera troupe. Almost all delegates were instructed to support Frémont, with a major exception being the New York delegation, which was composed of War Democrats
War Democrats
War Democrats in American politics of the 1860s were adherents of the Democratic Party who rejected the Copperheads/Peace Democrats who controlled the party...
who supported Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...
. Various estimates of the number of delegates were reported in the press; the New York Times reported 156 delegates, but the number generally reported elsewhere was 350 delegates. The delegates came from 15 states and the District of Columbia. They adopted the name "Radical Democracy Party."
A supporter of Grant was appointed chairman. The platform was passed with little discussion, and a series of resolutions that bogged down the convention proceedings were voted down decisively. The convention nominated Frémont for President. Frémont accepted the nomination on June 4, 1864. In his letter, he stated that he would step aside if the National Union Convention would nominate someone other than Lincoln. John Cochrane
John Cochrane (general)
John Cochrane was an American lawyer, Union Army general and politician.-Life:He was the grandson of John Cochran, Surgeon General of the Continental Army....
was nominated for vice-president.
National Union Party nomination
National Union candidate:- Abraham LincolnAbraham LincolnAbraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
, President of the United States from IllinoisIllinoisIllinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
Candidates gallery
War Democrats
War Democrats in American politics of the 1860s were adherents of the Democratic Party who rejected the Copperheads/Peace Democrats who controlled the party...
joined the Republicans
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
to form the National Union Party
National Union Party (United States)
The National Union Party was the name used by the Republican Party for the national ticket in the 1864 presidential election, held during the Civil War. State Republican parties did not usually change their name....
. With the outcome of the Civil War still in doubt, some political leaders, including Salmon P. Chase
Salmon P. Chase
Salmon Portland Chase was an American politician and jurist who served as U.S. Senator from Ohio and the 23rd Governor of Ohio; as U.S. Treasury Secretary under President Abraham Lincoln; and as the sixth Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court.Chase was one of the most prominent members...
, Benjamin Wade
Benjamin Wade
Benjamin Franklin "Bluff" Wade was a U.S. lawyer and United States Senator. In the Senate, he was associated with the Radical Republicans of that time.-Early life:...
, and Horace Greeley
Horace Greeley
Horace Greeley was an American newspaper editor, a founder of the Liberal Republican Party, a reformer, a politician, and an outspoken opponent of slavery...
, opposed Lincoln's renomination on the ground that he could not win. But Lincoln was still popular with most members of the Republican party and the National Union Party nominated him for a second term as president at their convention in Baltimore, Maryland, on June 7-8, 1864.
Lincoln, dissatisfied with Republican Vice-President Hannibal Hamlin
Hannibal Hamlin
Hannibal Hamlin was the 15th Vice President of the United States , serving under President Abraham Lincoln during the American Civil War...
, had the convention nominate Military-Governor Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson was the 17th President of the United States . As Vice-President of the United States in 1865, he succeeded Abraham Lincoln following the latter's assassination. Johnson then presided over the initial and contentious Reconstruction era of the United States following the American...
of Tennessee, a War Democrat, as his running mate. Johnson was ideally suited to run as a vice- presidential candidate with Lincoln in 1864. He had strongly supported the Union, he was a Southerner, and he was a leading member of the War Democrats. Andrew Johnson was nominated over three other War Democrats: former New York Senator Daniel S. Dickinson
Daniel S. Dickinson
Daniel Stevens Dickinson was a New York politician, most notable as a United States Senator from 1844 to 1851.-Biography:...
, Buchanan cabinet member Joseph Holt
Joseph Holt
General Joseph Holt was a leading member of the Buchanan administration and was Judge Advocate General of the United States Army, most notably during the Lincoln assassination trials.-Early life:...
, and General Benjamin F. Butler
Benjamin Franklin Butler (politician)
Benjamin Franklin Butler was an American lawyer and politician who represented Massachusetts in the United States House of Representatives and later served as the 33rd Governor of Massachusetts....
.
| Presidential Ballot | ||
| Ballot | 1st Before Shifts | 1st After Shifts |
|---|---|---|
| Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and... | 494 | 516 |
| Ulysses S. Grant Ulysses S. Grant Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America... | 22 | 0 |
| Not Voting | 3 | 3 |
Source: US President - R Convention. Our Campaigns. (April 2, 2009).
| Vice Presidential Ballot | ||
| Ballot | 1st | 2nd |
|---|---|---|
| Andrew Johnson Andrew Johnson Andrew Johnson was the 17th President of the United States . As Vice-President of the United States in 1865, he succeeded Abraham Lincoln following the latter's assassination. Johnson then presided over the initial and contentious Reconstruction era of the United States following the American... | 200 | 492 |
| Hannibal Hamlin Hannibal Hamlin Hannibal Hamlin was the 15th Vice President of the United States , serving under President Abraham Lincoln during the American Civil War... | 150 | 9 |
| Daniel S. Dickinson Daniel S. Dickinson Daniel Stevens Dickinson was a New York politician, most notable as a United States Senator from 1844 to 1851.-Biography:... | 108 | 17 |
| Benjamin Butler Benjamin Franklin Butler (politician) Benjamin Franklin Butler was an American lawyer and politician who represented Massachusetts in the United States House of Representatives and later served as the 33rd Governor of Massachusetts.... | 28 | 0 |
| Lovell Rousseau Lovell Rousseau Lovell Harrison Rousseau was a general in the United States and Union Armies during the American Civil War and a lawyer and politician in both Kentucky and Indiana.-Early life and career:... | 21 | 0 |
| Schuyler Colfax Schuyler Colfax Schuyler Colfax, Jr. was a United States Representative from Indiana , Speaker of the House of Representatives , and the 17th Vice President of the United States . To date, he is one of only two Americans to have served as both House speaker and vice president.President Ulysses S... | 6 | 0 |
| Ambrose Burnside Ambrose Burnside Ambrose Everett Burnside was an American soldier, railroad executive, inventor, industrialist, and politician from Rhode Island, serving as governor and a U.S. Senator... | 2 | 0 |
| Joseph Holt Joseph Holt General Joseph Holt was a leading member of the Buchanan administration and was Judge Advocate General of the United States Army, most notably during the Lincoln assassination trials.-Early life:... | 2 | 0 |
| Preston King Preston King Preston King was a United States Representative and Senator from New York.- Biography :Born in Ogdensburg, New York, he pursued classical studies and graduated from Union College in 1827, where he was an early member of The Kappa Alpha Society. He studied law and was admitted to the bar. He... | 1 | 0 |
| David Tod David Tod David Tod was a politician and industrialist from the U.S. state of Ohio. As the 25th Governor of Ohio, Tod gained recognition for his forceful and energetic leadership during the American Civil War.... | 1 | 1 |
Source: US Vice President - R Convention. Our Campaigns. (April 2, 2009).
Democratic Party nomination
Democratic candidates:- George B. McClellanGeorge B. McClellanGeorge Brinton McClellan was a major general during the American Civil War. He organized the famous Army of the Potomac and served briefly as the general-in-chief of the Union Army. Early in the war, McClellan played an important role in raising a well-trained and organized army for the Union...
, Army major general from New JerseyNew JerseyNew Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware... - Thomas H. Seymour, former U.S. representative from ConnecticutConnecticutConnecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
- Horatio SeymourHoratio SeymourHoratio Seymour was an American politician. He was the 18th Governor of New York from 1853 to 1854 and from 1863 to 1864. He was the Democratic Party nominee for president of the United States in the presidential election of 1868, but lost the election to Republican and former Union General of...
, U.S. governor of New YorkNew YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
Candidates gallery
History of the United States Democratic Party
The history of the Democratic Party of the United States is an account of the oldest political party in the United States and arguably the oldest democratic party in the world....
was bitterly split between the War Democrats and the Peace Democrats, who were further divided among competing factions. Moderate Peace Democrats who supported the war against the Confederacy, such as Horatio Seymour
Horatio Seymour
Horatio Seymour was an American politician. He was the 18th Governor of New York from 1853 to 1854 and from 1863 to 1864. He was the Democratic Party nominee for president of the United States in the presidential election of 1868, but lost the election to Republican and former Union General of...
, were preaching the wisdom of a negotiated peace. After Gettysburg, when it was clear the South could no longer win the war, moderate Peace Democrats proposed a negotiated peace that would secure Union victory. They believed this was the best course of action because an armistice could finish the war without finishing the South. Radical Peace Democrats known as Copperheads, such as Thomas H. Seymour, declared the war to be a failure and favored an immediate end to hostilities without securing Union victory.
George B. McClellan
George B. McClellan
George Brinton McClellan was a major general during the American Civil War. He organized the famous Army of the Potomac and served briefly as the general-in-chief of the Union Army. Early in the war, McClellan played an important role in raising a well-trained and organized army for the Union...
and former Connecticut Governor Thomas H. Seymour vied for the presidential nomination. In addition, friends of Horatio Seymour insisted on placing his name before the convention, which was held in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois, on August 29-31, 1864. But on the day before the organization of that body, Horatio Seymour announced positively that he would not be a candidate.
Since the Democrats were divided by issues of war and peace, they sought a strong candidate who could unify the party. The compromise was to nominate pro-war General George B. McClellan for president and anti-war Representative George H. Pendleton
George H. Pendleton
George Hunt Pendleton was a Representative and a Senator from Ohio. Nicknamed "Gentleman George" for his demeanor, he was the Democratic nominee for Vice President of the United States during the Civil War in 1864, running as a peace Democrat with war Democrat George B. McClellan; they lost to...
for vice-president. McClellan, a War Democrat, was nominated over Thomas H. Seymour, a Copperhead. The convention then adopted a peace platform — a platform McClellan personally rejected. McClellan supported the continuation of the war and restoration of the Union, but the party platform, written by Copperhead Clement Vallandigham
Clement Vallandigham
Clement Laird Vallandigham was an Ohio resident of the Copperhead faction of anti-war Democrats during the American Civil War. He served two terms in the United States House of Representatives.-Biography:...
, opposed this position.
| Presidential Ballot | ||
| Ballot | 1st Before Shifts | 1st After Shifts |
|---|---|---|
| George B. McClellan George B. McClellan George Brinton McClellan was a major general during the American Civil War. He organized the famous Army of the Potomac and served briefly as the general-in-chief of the Union Army. Early in the war, McClellan played an important role in raising a well-trained and organized army for the Union... | 174 | 202.5 |
| Thomas H. Seymour | 38 | 23.5 |
| Horatio Seymour Horatio Seymour Horatio Seymour was an American politician. He was the 18th Governor of New York from 1853 to 1854 and from 1863 to 1864. He was the Democratic Party nominee for president of the United States in the presidential election of 1868, but lost the election to Republican and former Union General of... | 12 | 0 |
| Abstaining | 1.5 | 0 |
| Charles O'Conor Charles O'Conor Charles O'Conor was an American lawyer who ran in the U.S. presidential election, 1872.-Biography:... | 0.5 | 0 |
| Vice Presidential Ballot | ||
| Ballot | 1st Before Shifts | 1st After Shifts |
|---|---|---|
| George H. Pendleton George H. Pendleton George Hunt Pendleton was a Representative and a Senator from Ohio. Nicknamed "Gentleman George" for his demeanor, he was the Democratic nominee for Vice President of the United States during the Civil War in 1864, running as a peace Democrat with war Democrat George B. McClellan; they lost to... | 55.5 | 226 |
| James Guthrie | 65.5 | 0 |
| Lazarus W. Powell Lazarus W. Powell Lazarus Whitehead Powell was the 19th Governor of Kentucky, serving from 1851 to 1855. He was later elected to represent Kentucky in the U.S. Senate from 1859 to 1865.... | 32.5 | 0 |
| George W. Cass George Washington Cass George Washington Cass was an American industrialist and president of the Northern Pacific Railway.- Family :George Washington Cass was born near Dresden, Ohio, March 12, 1810, to George W. and Sophia Cass... | 26 | 0 |
| John D. Caton | 16 | 0 |
| Daniel W. Voorhees Daniel W. Voorhees Daniel Wolsey Voorhees was a lawyer and United States Senator from Indiana, who was leader of the Democratic party and an anti-war Copperhead during the American Civil War.-Biography:... | 13 | 0 |
| Augustus C. Dodge Augustus C. Dodge Augustus Caesar Dodge was one of the first set of United States Senators to represent the state of Iowa after it was admitted to the Union as a state in 1846. Dodge, a Democrat, had also represented Iowa Territory in Congress as its delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives from 1840 to... | 9 | 0 |
| John S. Phelps John S. Phelps John Smith Phelps was a politician, soldier during the American Civil War, and the 23rd Governor of Missouri.-Early life and career:... | 8 | 0 |
| Abstaining | 0.5 | 0 |
General election
United States presidential election, 1812
The United States presidential election of 1812 took place in the shadow of the War of 1812. It featured an intriguing competition between incumbent Democratic-Republican President James Madison and a dissident Democratic-Republican, DeWitt Clinton, nephew of Madison's late Vice President. The...
that a presidential election took place during a war.
For much of 1864, Lincoln himself believed he had little chance of being re-elected. Confederate forces had triumphed at the Battle of Mansfield
Battle of Mansfield
The Battle of Mansfield, also known as the Battle of Sabine Crossroads, occurred on April 8, 1864, in De Soto Parish, Louisiana. Confederate forces commanded by Richard Taylor attacked a Union army commanded by Nathaniel Banks a few miles outside the town of Mansfield, near Sabine Crossroads...
, the Battle of the Crater
Battle of the Crater
The Battle of the Crater was a battle of the American Civil War, part of the Siege of Petersburg. It took place on July 30, 1864, between the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, commanded by General Robert E. Lee and the Union Army of the Potomac, commanded by Major General George G. Meade The...
, and the Battle of Cold Harbor
Battle of Cold Harbor
The Battle of Cold Harbor was fought from May 31 to June 12, 1864 . It was one of the final battles of Union Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's Overland Campaign during the American Civil War, and is remembered as one of American history's bloodiest, most lopsided battles...
. In addition, the war was continuing to take a very high toll. The prospect of a long and bloody war started to make the idea of "peace at all cost" offered by the Copperheads
Copperheads (politics)
The Copperheads were a vocal group of Democrats in the Northern United States who opposed the American Civil War, wanting an immediate peace settlement with the Confederates. Republicans started calling anti-war Democrats "Copperheads," likening them to the venomous snake...
look more desirable. Because of this, McClellan was thought to be a heavy favorite to win the election. Unfortunately for Lincoln, Frémont’s campaign got off to a good start.
However, several political and military events made Lincoln's re-election inevitable. In the first place, the Democrats had to confront the severe internal strains within their party at the Democratic National Convention
1864 Democratic National Convention
The 1864 Democratic National Convention was held at The Amphitheatre in Chicago, Illinois. The Convention nominated General George B. McClellan for the Presidency, and Representative George H. Pendleton for the Vice-Presidency. McClellan, age 37 at the time of the convention and Pendleton, age 39,...
. The political compromises made at the Democratic National Convention were contradictory and made McClellan's campaign inconsistent and difficult.
Secondly, the Democratic National Convention influenced Frémont’s campaign. Frémont was appalled at the Democratic platform, which he described as “union with slavery.” After three weeks of discussions with Cochrane and his supporters, Frémont withdrew from the race in September 1864. In his statement, Frémont declared that winning the Civil War was too important to divide the Republican vote. Although he still felt that Lincoln was not going far enough, the defeat of McClellan was of the greatest necessity. General Cochrane, who was a War Democrat, agreed and withdrew with Frémont. Frémont also brokered a political deal in which Lincoln removed U.S. Postmaster General Montgomery Blair
Montgomery Blair
Montgomery Blair , the son of Francis Preston Blair, elder brother of Francis Preston Blair, Jr. and cousin of B. Gratz Brown, was a politician and lawyer from Maryland...
from office. McClellan's chances of victory faded after Frémont withdrew from the presidential race.
Lastly, with the fall of Atlanta
Atlanta Campaign
The Atlanta Campaign was a series of battles fought in the Western Theater of the American Civil War throughout northwest Georgia and the area around Atlanta during the summer of 1864. Union Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman invaded Georgia from the vicinity of Chattanooga, Tennessee, beginning in May...
on September 2, there no longer was any question that a Union military victory was inevitable and close at hand.
In the end, the Union Party mobilized the full strength of both the Republicans and the War Democrats under the its slogan "Don't change horses in the middle of a stream." It was energized as Lincoln made emancipation the central issue, and state Republican parties stressed the perfidy of the Copperheads. Lincoln was highly popular with soldiers; he carried 78% of the Union soldiers' vote, and they in turn recommended him to their folks back home.
Results
Only 25 states participated, because 11 had declared secession from the Union to formed the Confederate States of AmericaConfederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
. Three new states participated for the first time: Nevada, West Virginia, and Kansas. The reconstructed portions of Tennessee and Louisiana chose presidential Electors, although Congress did not count their votes. McClellan won just three states: Kentucky, Delaware, and his home state of New Jersey.
Source (Popular Vote):
Source (Electoral Vote):
(a) The states in rebellion did not participate in the election of 1864.
(b) One Elector from Nevada did not vote
Results by state
| Abraham Lincoln National Union |
George B. McClellan Democratic |
State Total | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | electoral votes |
# | % | electoral votes |
# | % | electoral votes |
# | ||||||
| California | 5 | 62,053 | 58.6 | 5 | 43,837 | 41.4 | ||||||||
| 105,890 | 100 | |||||||||||||
| Connecticut | 6 | 44,673 | 51.4 | 6 | 42,285 | 48.6 | ||||||||
| 86,958 | 100 | |||||||||||||
| Delaware | 3 | 8,155 | 48.2 | |||||||||||
| 8,767 | 51.8 | 3 | 16,922 | 100 | ||||||||||
| Illinois | 16 | 189,512 | 54.4 | 16 | 158,724 | 45.6 | ||||||||
| 348,236 | 100 | |||||||||||||
| Indiana | 13 | 149,887 | 53.5 | 13 | 130,230 | 46.5 | ||||||||
| 280,117 | 100 | |||||||||||||
| Iowa | 8 | 83,858 | 63.1 | 8 | 49,089 | 36.9 | ||||||||
| 132,947 | 100 | |||||||||||||
| Kansas | 3 | 17,089 | 79.2 | 3 | 3,836 | 17.8 | ||||||||
| 20,925 | 100 | |||||||||||||
| Kentucky | 11 | 27,787 | 30.2 | |||||||||||
| 64,301 | 69.8 | 11 | 92,088 | 100 | ||||||||||
| Maine | 7 | 67,805 | 59.1 | 7 | 46,992 | 40.9 | ||||||||
| 114,797 | 100 | |||||||||||||
| Maryland | 8 | 40,153 | 55.1 | 8 | 32,739 | 44.9 | ||||||||
| 72,892 | 100 | |||||||||||||
| Massachusetts | 12 | 126,742 | 72.2 | 12 | 48,745 | 27.8 | ||||||||
| 175,487 | 100 | |||||||||||||
| Michigan | 8 | 91,133 | 55.1 | 8 | 74,146 | 44.9 | ||||||||
| 165,279 | 100 | |||||||||||||
| Minnesota | 4 | 25,031 | 59 | 9 | 17,376 | 41 | ||||||||
| 42,407 | 100 | |||||||||||||
| Missouri | 11 | 72,750 | 69.7 | 11 | 31,596 | 30.3 | ||||||||
| 104,346 | 100 | |||||||||||||
| Nevada | 2 | 9,826 | 59.7 | 2 | 6,594 | 40.2 | ||||||||
| 16,420 | 100 | |||||||||||||
| New Hampshire | 5 | 36,596 | 52.6 | 5 | 33,034 | 47.4 | ||||||||
| 69,630 | 100 | |||||||||||||
| New Jersey | 7 | 60,724 | 47.2 | |||||||||||
| 68,020 | 52.8 | 7 | 128,744 | 100 | ||||||||||
| New York | 33 | 368,735 | 50.5 | 33 | 361,986 | 49.5 | ||||||||
| 730,721 | 100 | |||||||||||||
| Ohio | 21 | 265,674 | 56.4 | 21 | 205,609 | 43.6 | ||||||||
| 471,283 | 100 | |||||||||||||
| Oregon | 3 | 9,888 | 53.9 | 3 | 8,457 | 46.1 | ||||||||
| 18,345 | 100 | |||||||||||||
| Pennsylvania | 26 | 296,292 | 51.6 | 26 | 277,443 | 48.4 | ||||||||
| 573,735 | 100 | |||||||||||||
| Rhode Island | 4 | 14,349 | 62.2 | 4 | 8,718 | 37.8 | ||||||||
| 23,067 | 100 | |||||||||||||
| Vermont | 5 | 42,419 | 76.1 | 5 | 13,321 | 23.9 | ||||||||
| 55,750 | 100 | |||||||||||||
| West Virginia | 5 | 23,799 | 68.2 | 5 | 11,078 | 31.8 | ||||||||
| 34,877 | 100 | |||||||||||||
| Wisconsin | 8 | 83,458 | 55.9 | 8 | 65,884 | 44.1 | ||||||||
| 149,342 | 100 | |||||||||||||
| TOTALS: | 233 | 2,218,388 | 55 | 221 | 1,812,807 | 45 | 21 | 4,031,887 | 100 | |||||
Close states
Red font color denotes states won by Republican Abraham Lincoln; blue denotes those won by Democrat George B. McClellan.States where the margin of victory was under 5% (68 electoral votes)
- New York 0.92% (33 electoral votes)
- Connecticut 2.76% (6 e.v.)
- Pennsylvania 3.51% (26 e.v.)
- Delaware 3.62% (3 e.v.)
See also
- American election campaigns in the 19th centuryAmerican election campaigns in the 19th CenturyIn the 19th century, a number of new methods for conducting American Election Campaigns developed in the United States. For the most part the techniques were original, not copied from Europe or anywhere else...
- Electoral history of Abraham LincolnElectoral history of Abraham LincolnElectoral history of Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States.-Illinois House of Representatives:1832 - Lost1834 - Won1836 - Won1838 - Won1840 - Won-United States House of Representatives:...
- History of the United States (1849–1865)History of the United States (1849–1865)Industrialization went forward in the Northeast and a rail network linked the nation economically, opening up new markets. Immigration brought millions of European workers and farmers to the North...
- Third Party SystemThird Party SystemThe Third Party System is a term of periodization used by historians and political scientists to describe a period in American political history from about 1854 to the mid-1890s that featured profound developments in issues of nationalism, modernization, and race...
- United States House elections, 1864
External links
- 1864 popular vote by counties
- 1864 State-by-state popular results
- Transcript of the 1864 Democratic Party Platform
- Harper's Weekly - Overview
- more from Harper's Weekly
- How close was the 1864 election? — Michael Sheppard, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Abraham Lincoln: A Resource Guide from the Library of Congress
- Presidential Election of 1864: A Resource Guide from the Library of Congress