Under intense pressure, with Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia still in fighting form, after a nearly disastrous loss at Gettysburg, President Abraham Lincoln was reticent at the start of 1864. On February 6, 1864, Lincoln met with friend, and Illinois political colleague, Owen Lovejoy. With Lovejoy dying from cancer, Lincoln was sympathetic to his friend. He would go on to make the following quote.
“This war is eating my life out. I have a strong impression that I shall not live to see the end.” – Abraham Lincoln – February 6, 1864(i)
This was not conjecture. Lincoln was visibly suffering from the stress of war, and by this time his features were gaunt.
The pictures below, taken by Matthew Brady, after Lincoln’s First Inauguration and in February 1864, clearly show President Lincoln aging.
(i) Flood, Charles Bracelen, 1864: Lincoln at the Gates of History, published by Simon & Schuster 2009, Pg. 43.
About Michael Noirot
I grew up in the Central Illinois farming community, of Dunlap. Growing up, I played sports, tinkered with cars and enjoyed photography. While I did well in school, I did not become passionate about history until my early 30's.
I have built a large library, of books on early America, politics and the Civil War. I am an avid reader. Fortunately, I have had plenty of opportunities to travel, over the years, and have been to most of the Civil War battlefields. I work while I travel, so more often than not, I am up, in the middle of the night, to get sunrise pictures, or I will be out until well after dark, exploring Civil War battlefields.
I have other hobbies, and passions, that I really enjoy. Number one on the list would be guitar. I play my guitars on a regular basis, and enjoy the Bluegrass, and Contemporary Christian (CCM) genres. I play a style of guitar, called FLATPICKING, where using a flat pick, you play lead solos, similar to the way a fiddle would have been played during the 19th and early 20th Centuries.
Laura, my wife, and I also enjoy scuba diving, travel and spending time at our property, in the country. Lastly, we spend as much time with our families, as possible. Thanks for stopping by.
