Born to Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks in Hardin County, Kentucky, Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) was the sixteenth president of the United States. In 1816, Lincoln moved to Pigeon Creek, Indiana, where he worked on his family’s farm. Following his mother’s death two years later, he continued working on farms until moving with his father to New Salem, Illinois, in 1831. He became an avid member of the Whig Party and served in the state legislature from 1834 through 1840. In 1840, Lincoln began practicing law in Springfield and entered into a partnership with Stephen T. Logan. Two years later, he married Mary Todd, with whom he had four children. It was not until 1846 that Lincoln decided to re-enter politics, when he was elected to Congress from 1847 through 1849. After returning to his law practice once again in 1850, he helped establish the Republican Party in Illinois in 1856 and made a bid for the presidency in 1860. The political climate of the U. S. radicalized following Lincoln’s election, culminating in the secession of southern states and the outbreak of hostilities. The Civil War commenced on April 12, 1861, and over the next four years, the Union and Confederate armies engaged in a number of battles, becoming the bloodiest conflict in U. S. history. Despite the high number of casualties, Lincoln was reelected in 1864. He was assassinated on April 14, 1865, shortly after the war ended.
Source:
McPherson, James M.
Composed of a Photostat, the Abraham Lincoln Letter, 1864, to Lydia Bixby discusses the loss of her five sons fighting for the Union Army during the Civil War. The letter expresses Lincoln’s condolences as well as his gratitude for her sacrifice.
This collection is open for research use.
Abraham Lincoln Letter, 1864, Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin.
Basic processing and cataloging of this collection was supported with funds from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) for the Briscoe Center’s