by Walter Stahr
First published 2017
Edwin Stanton commanded the Union war effort as Lincoln's Secretary of War from 1862 to 1869. A former Democrat and trial lawyer who privately opposed slavery, Stanton built and supervised the million-man army that won the Civil War. He organized military operations from his telegraph office, where Lincoln spent countless hours beside him. Stanton arrested thousands of civilians for resisting the draft and calling for peace. His harsh methods made him controversial, with some even accusing him of involvement in Lincoln's murder. On April 14, 1865, Stanton rushed to Lincoln's deathbed and immediately assumed control of the government after Secretary of State Seward was also attacked. He announced the president's death, summoned General Grant to protect the Capitol, and began gathering evidence for the assassination trial. Walter Stahr draws from extensive research to present the first major biography of Stanton in fifty years, revealing how this stubborn and powerful figure became Lincoln's most trusted partner in preserving the Union.
Genres: biography, american-civil-war, historical-fiction, 20th-century, 19th-century, american-history
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: historical-figures
Setting: Union, Capitol
Period: 1862-1869, April 14, 1865
480 pages · Hardcover · Simon & Schuster