Recently I read “1864: Lincoln at the Gates of History,” by Charles Bracelen Flood. Mr. Flood is the author of many historical works including: “Lee: The Last Years” and “Grant and Sherman: The Friendship That Won the Civil War.” Like many of you, I have been reading a lot about Abraham Lincoln this year. There are certainly a lot of great titles available, by some of the most celebrated Lincoln scholars: “Lincoln President-Elect” by Harold Holzer and “A. Lincoln” by Ronald C. White, Jr., come to mind. I became intrigued by this book, when I read the title. Only focusing on 1864, it provides significant detail on this pivotal year. Mr. Flood builds a great case for the importance of this year – a year that he rightfully claims shaped the United States more than any other year - with the possible exception of 1776. As I always do, I read the author recommendations on the dust cover, before reading the book. Here are some excerpts.
“1864 is a masterly re-creation of he last twelve months of Abraham Lincoln’s life. This brilliant book re-creates the tense drama of the final days of the Civil War and presents a moving portrait of the president in his final hours of triumph and tragedy. This is a biography that is also a first-rate history. – David Herbert Donald, author of “Lincoln”
“A gripping and scholarly narrative. No one can again claim to comprehend Lincoln or the final year of the Civil War without reading this essential book.” – Harold Holzer, author of “Lincoln President-Elect”
“It was the crucial year, one that changed everything, and Charles Bracelen Flood has written a captivating history of 1864, and of the vivid characters whose lives shaped the American future. For readers who want to know why we are the way we are, this is a terrific book.” – Jon Meacham, author “American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House”
Pretty impressive endorsements from several of today’s most recognized historians. So I started to read. “1864” is a page turner from the beginning. Mr. Flood’s research is impeccable. With a prose that makes the book easy to read, it is easy to find yourself up way past your 
bedtime. In my opinion, the most impressive aspect of this book is the way the author “blends” the political maneuvering with Lincoln’s management of the Civil War. Flood easily moves from one, to the other, seamlessly tying the events together. The author makes a great case for 1864 being one of the most important, if not the most important, single years in our country’s history. Any number of events could have changed the outcome of the election, or the war, and significantly altered the country we now live in.
I highly recommend this book to anyone that has more than a passing interest in our 16th president. For those that have studied Lincoln, this book offers much new material, that will leave you craving more.
On May 4, I had the opportunity to sit down with Mr. Flood and discuss his newest book. It was a lively discussion that proves very revealing about how he approaches his research, his personal thoughts on Lincoln and other interesting observations about the Civil War. I am sure you will find the interview as interesting as I did. Drop me a line, or a comment, and let me know what you think of this article, and the accompanying interview.
Charles Bracelen Flood Interview – 10 Parts
Total Time: 1 hour, 5 minutes, 27 seconds
Part 1: Charles Bracelen Flood Interview Pt 1 04MAY09
Time: 7:52
Contents: Discussion on previous works | His new book, “1864: Lincoln at the Gates of History” | Upcoming book | Influences on Mr. Flood’s writing
Part 2: Charles Bracelen Flood Interview Pt 2 04MAY09
Time: 7:36
Contents: How Mr. Flood picks book subjects | The impact of the telegraph on the Civil War | Confederate advantages at the beginning of the Civil War
Part 3: Charles Bracelen Flood Interview Pt 3 04MAY09
Time: 7:20
Contents: Why write about 1864? | Weaving political actions with the management of the war | Mr. Flood’s approach to, and methods of, research | Lincoln’s challenges during 1864
Part 4: Charles Bracelen Flood Interview Pt 4 04MAY09
Time: 6:44
Contents: The inner workings of Lincoln’s “Shop” | Mr. Flood on Lincoln’s management style | Researching “1864”
Part 5: Charles Bracelen Flood Interview Pt 5 04MAY09
Time: 8:26
Contents: David Croly’s “Trojan Horse” | Lincoln finds the political goings tough | Lincoln on the parapet of Fort Stevens
Part 6: Charles Bracelen Flood Interview Pt 6 04MAY09
Time: 5:58
Contents: Lincoln’s trust in his generals | Military strategy of Lee and Grant
Part 7: Charles Bracelen Flood Interview Pt 7 04MAY09
Time: 7:46
Contents: Generals leading from the front | The perception of Lincoln’s inflexibility regarding peace negotiations | Lincoln’s position on the United States Colored Troops| Were military events the primary force in re-electing Lincoln? | The soldiers vote and its impact
Part 8: Charles Bracelen Flood Interview Pt 8 04MAY09
Time: 7:07
Contents: Campaigning for Lincoln | Worst case scenarios for Lincoln in 1864 | Handling of the soldier/sailor vote
Part 9: Charles Bracelen Flood Interview Pt 9 04MAY09
Time: 6:38
Included: Handling of the soldier/sailor vote (continued) | Lincoln’s hand in things large, and small | Lincoln’s peace and reconstruction policies – What might reconstruction under Lincoln have looked like?
Part 10: Charles Bracelen Flood Inteview Pt 10 04MAY09
Time: 6:14
Contents: Lincoln’s compassion | Potential Christmas Eve scandal? | Lincoln’s hard-handed war measures | Conclusion
Other great Civil War Titles by Charles Bracelen Flood
Details about “Lee: The Last Years”
Written by: Charles Bracelen Flood
Paperback: 308 pages
Publisher: Mariner Books
Date of First Edition: October 30, 1981
ISBN-10: 0395929741
Details about “Grant and Sherman: The Friendship That Won the Civil War”
Written by: Charles Bracelen Flood
Paperback: 496 pages
Publisher: Harper Perenial
Date of First Edition: September 15, 2005
ISBN-10: 0061148717
