Lincoln's Re-election

What happened

Running on the National Union ticket against former Union general George McClellan, who ran on a peace platform, Lincoln won re-election decisively, aided by the recent fall of Atlanta and a strong soldier vote.

Why it matters

Lincoln's re-election guaranteed the war would be fought to unconditional Union victory and to the abolition of slavery through the Thirteenth Amendment.

Sources

• National Park Service. The Elections of 1860 and 1864 · Reputable source