‹ 1860  1868 ›
United States presidential election, 1864
8 November 1864
Nominee		Abraham Lincoln	George B. McClellan
Party		National Union Party	Democratic
Home state		Illinois	Pennsylvania
Running mate		Andrew Johnson	George Hunt Pendleton
Electoral vote		212	21
States carried		22	3
Popular vote		2,218,388	1,812,807
Percentage		55. The United States presidential election of 1860 set the stage for the American Civil War. The United States presidential election of 1868 was the first presidential election to take place during Reconstruction. Events 1519 - Hernán Cortés enters Tenochtitlán and Aztec ruler Moctezuma welcomes him with great a Celebration Year 1864 ( MDCCCLXIV) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap year Abraham Lincoln (February 12 1809 &ndash April 15 1865 the sixteenth President of the United States, successfully led his country through its greatest internal George Brinton McClellan ( December 3 1826 October 29 1885) was a major general during the American Civil War. The National Union Party was a political party in the United States from 1864 to 1868. The Democratic Party is one of two major Political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party. The State of Illinois ( roughly ill-i-NOY is a state of the United States of America, the 21st to be admitted to the Union. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania ( often colloquially referred to as PA (its abbreviation by natives and Northeasterners is a state located in the Northeastern Andrew Johnson (December 29 1808 – July 31 1875 was the seventeenth President of the United States (1865-69 succeeding to the Presidency upon the assassination George Hunt Pendleton ( July 19, 1825 &ndash November 24, 1889) was a Representative and a Senator from Ohio 0%	45. 0%
Presidential election results map. Red denotes states won by Lincoln/Johnson, Blue denotes those won by McClellan/Pendleton, Brown denotes Confederate States. Numbers indicate the number of electoral votes allotted to each state.
Incumbent President Abraham Lincoln Republican President-Elect Abraham Lincoln National Union Party

In the United States Presidential election of 1864, Abraham Lincoln, was re-elected as president. Abraham Lincoln (February 12 1809 &ndash April 15 1865 the sixteenth President of the United States, successfully led his country through its greatest internal Abraham Lincoln (February 12 1809 &ndash April 15 1865 the sixteenth President of the United States, successfully led his country through its greatest internal The National Union Party was a political party in the United States from 1864 to 1868. Abraham Lincoln (February 12 1809 &ndash April 15 1865 the sixteenth President of the United States, successfully led his country through its greatest internal Lincoln was a Republican but he ran against his former top Civil War general, the Democratic candidate, George B. McClellan, and the Radical Republican Party candidate, John C. Frémont. The Democratic Party is one of two major Political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party. George Brinton McClellan ( December 3 1826 October 29 1885) was a major general during the American Civil War. The Radical Republicans is a term applied to a loose faction of American politicians within the Republican party from about 1854 (before the American Civil War John Charles Frémont ( January 21, 1813 July 13, 1890) was an American military officer, explorer, the McClellan was the "peace candidate" but did not personally believe in his party's platform. Frémont abandoned his political campaign in September 1864, after he brokered a political deal in which Lincoln removed U. S. Postmaster General Montgomery Blair from office. Montgomery Blair ( May 10, 1813 &ndash July 27, 1883) the son of Francis Preston Blair, elder brother of Francis Preston

The election of 1864 was conducted during the Civil War, and as such, none of the states which made up the Confederate states participated. Causes of the war See also Origins of the American Civil War, Timeline of events leading to the American Civil War The coexistence of a slave-owning South The Confederate States of America (also called the Confederacy, the Confederate States, and CSA) formed as the government set up from 1861

Republicans across the country were jittery during the summer of 1864. Confederate forces had triumphed at the Battle of Mansfield and the Battle of the Crater. The Battle of Mansfield, also known as the Battle of Sabine Crossroads or Pleasant Grove, on April 8, 1864, in De Soto Parish Louisiana The Battle of the Crater was a battle of the American Civil War, part of the Siege of Petersburg. In addition, the war was continuing to take a very high toll. The prospect of a long, never-ending war started to make the "negotiated peace" offered by the Democrats look more desirable. But then the Democrats had to confront the severe internal strains within their party at the Democratic National Convention. The 1864 Democratic National Convention was held at The Amphitheatre in Chicago Illinois. Finally, with William Tecumseh Sherman marching inexorably toward Atlanta and Ulysses S. Grant pushing Lee into the outer defenses of Richmond, it became increasingly obvious that a Union military victory was inevitable and close at hand. Ulysses S Grant, born Hiram Ulysses Grant (April 27 1822 &ndash July 23 1885 was an American general and the eighteenth President of the United States This article is about the city of Richmond the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia.

The Lincoln/Johnson ticket ran with the slogan “Don't change horses in the middle of a stream. ” The Republican party name was changed to Union, to appeal to War Democrats; the new name vanished after the election. Johnson, however, never became a Republican.

The Republican/Union party made an all-out effort to depict the Democrats in the worse way possible. They ridiculed McClellan for his pacifist platform and denounced Democrats as traitorous Copperheads. The Copperheads were a vocal group of Democrats in the Northern United States (see also Union (American Civil War) who opposed the American Civil On November 8, Lincoln won by over 400,000 popular votes and easily clinched an electoral majority. Events 1519 - Hernán Cortés enters Tenochtitlán and Aztec ruler Moctezuma welcomes him with great a Celebration Several states allowed their citizens serving as soldiers in the field to cast ballots, a first in United States history. Soldiers in the Army gave Lincoln more than 70% of their vote. The Union Army was the army that fought for the Union during the American Civil War.

Nominations

National Union (Republican) Party poster for Pennsylvania in 1864

"National Union Party" nomination

Abraham Lincoln was nominated by the Republican Party, which changed its name for the 1864 election to the "National Union Party”. The National Union Party was a political party in the United States from 1864 to 1868. Lincoln's nomination was not unanimous, however, as 22 disgruntled opponents of Lincoln voted for Ulysses S. Grant, who was not a candidate. Ulysses S Grant, born Hiram Ulysses Grant (April 27 1822 &ndash July 23 1885 was an American general and the eighteenth President of the United States Seeing an opportunity to work with the War Democrats under the Union banner, the convention nominated Military-Governor Andrew Johnson of Tennessee, a War Democrat, as Lincoln's running mate over incumbent Vice President Hannibal Hamlin and three other War Democrats - former New York Senator Daniel S. Dickinson, Buchanan cabinet member Joseph Holt and General Ben Butler. War Democrats were those who broke with the majority of the Democratic Party and supported the military policies of President Abraham Lincoln during the Andrew Johnson (December 29 1808 – July 31 1875 was the seventeenth President of the United States (1865-69 succeeding to the Presidency upon the assassination Hannibal Hamlin (August 27 1809 July 4 1891 was the fifteenth Vice President of the United States, serving under President Abraham Lincoln from Daniel Stevens Dickinson ( September 11, 1800 - April 12 1866) was a New York politician most notable as a United States Senator General Joseph Holt ( January 6, 1807 &ndash August 1, 1894) was a leading member of the Buchanan administration and was Benjamin Franklin Butler (November 5 1818 January 11 1893 was an American Lawyer and Politician who represented Massachusetts in the United States

Democratic Party nomination

Democratic candidates

• George B. McClellan, Army major general from New Jersey
• Charles O'Conor, lawyer from New York
• Horatio Seymour, Governor of New York and candidate for the 1860 nomination
• Thomas H. Seymour, former U. George Brinton McClellan ( December 3 1826 October 29 1885) was a major general during the American Civil War. New Jersey ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. Charles O'Conor ( January 22, 1804 &ndash May 12, 1884) was an American Lawyer who ran in the U New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous Horatio Seymour ( May 31, 1810 February 12, 1886) was an American Politician. The Governor of New York is the head of the Executive branch of New York 's government and the Commander-in-chief of the state's military Thomas Hart Seymour ( September 29, 1807 September 3, 1868) was a Democratic politician and lawyer from Connecticut S. representative from Connecticut

General George B. McClellan of New Jersey

Charles O'Conor of New York

Governor Horatio Seymour of New York

Former Congressman Thomas H. Seymour of Connecticut

The Democratic Party was bitterly split between the War Democrats and the anti-war Copperheads. Connecticut ( is a state located in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. In the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, general is a four-star General officer rank George Brinton McClellan ( December 3 1826 October 29 1885) was a major general during the American Civil War. New Jersey ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. Charles O'Conor ( January 22, 1804 &ndash May 12, 1884) was an American Lawyer who ran in the U New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous The Governor of New York is the head of the Executive branch of New York 's government and the Commander-in-chief of the state's military Horatio Seymour ( May 31, 1810 February 12, 1886) was an American Politician. New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous The United States House of Representatives is one of the two chambers of the United States Congress; the other is the Senate. Thomas Hart Seymour ( September 29, 1807 September 3, 1868) was a Democratic politician and lawyer from Connecticut Connecticut ( is a state located in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The History of the United States Democratic Party is an account of the oldest Political party in the United States and arguably TalkDemocratic The compromise was to nominate pro-war General George B. McClellan along with an anti-war platform. George Brinton McClellan ( December 3 1826 October 29 1885) was a major general during the American Civil War. McClellan defeated Horatio Seymour and others for the nomination; he and ticketmate George H. Pendleton were nominated on a peace platform^[1] — a platform McClellan personally rejected. Horatio Seymour ( May 31, 1810 February 12, 1886) was an American Politician. George Hunt Pendleton ( July 19, 1825 &ndash November 24, 1889) was a Representative and a Senator from Ohio ^[2]

General election

The 1864 election was the first time since 1812 that a presidential election took place during a war. McClellan's chances of victory faded after Union victories in Georgia and Virginia, followed by the withdrawal of John C. Frémont's Radical Republican Party candidacy. John Charles Frémont ( January 21, 1813 July 13, 1890) was an American military officer, explorer, the

A foretaste of the national election came in the state elections held in the months prior to the presidential election. In these six state elections (Oregon on 6/5, Vermont on 9/6, Maine on 9/11, Ohio and Pennsylvania on 10/10, and West Virginia on 10/26), the Union Republican Party won a sweeping victory. These six states elected 44 Union Republicans in U. S. House races, compared to just 10 Democrats, for a net gain of 18 seats for the Union Republicans. The stage had been set for Lincoln.

Results

Only 24 states participated, because 11 had seceded from the Union and claimed to have formed their own nation: the Confederate States of America (CSA). Three new states participated for the first time: Nevada, West Virginia, and Kansas. Nevada ( is a state located in the western region of the United States of America. West Virginia ( is a state in the Appalachian Upland South, and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States, bordered by Kansas ( is a Midwestern state in the central region of the United States of America, an area often referred to as the American " The reconstructed portions of Tennessee and Louisiana elected presidential Electors, although Congress did not count their votes.

Source (Popular Vote): Leip, David. 1864 Presidential Election Results. Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections (July 27, 2005). Events 1214 - Battle of Bouvines: In France, Philip II of France defeats John of England. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Source (Electoral Vote): Electoral College Box Scores 1789–1996. Official website of the National Archives. (July 31, 2005). Events 30 BC - Battle of Alexandria: Mark Antony achieves a minor victory over Octavian 's forces but most of his army subsequently Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

^(a) The states in rebellion did not participate in the election of 1864.
^(b) One Elector from Nevada did not vote
^(c) Andrew Johnson had been a Democrat, and after 1869 was a Democrat. The Republicans did not run a presidential candidate in 1864 but formed the National Union Party to accommodate the War Democrats.

See also

• American election campaigns in the 19th century
• History of the United States (1849–1865)
• Third Party System
• United States House elections, 1864

References

• Harold M. In the 19th century, the United States invented or developed a number of new methods for conducting American Election Campaigns. The History of the United States (1849-1865 included the American Civil War and the turbulent years leading up to it which included many events that were critical in its The Third Party System is a term of Periodization used by some historians and political scientists to describe a period in American political history from about 1854 to the mid-1890s The US House election 1864 was an election for the United States House of Representatives in 1864 which coincided with the re-election of President Abraham Dudley. "The Election of 1864," Mississippi Valley Historical Review, Vol. 18, No. 4 (Mar. , 1932), pp. 500-518 full text in JSTOR
• David E. Long. Jewel of Liberty: Abraham Lincoln's Re-election and the End of Slavery (1994)
• Merrill, Louis Taylor. "General Benjamin F. Butler in the Presidential Campaign of 1864. " Mississippi Valley Historical Review 33 (March 1947): 537-70 full text in JSTOR
• Nelson, Larry E. Bullets, Ballots, and Rhetoric: Confederate Policy for the United States Presidential Contest of 1864 University of Alabama Press, 1980.
• Nevins, Allan. Ordeal of the Union: The War for the Union vol 8 (1971)
• Randall, James G. and Richard N. Current. Lincoln the President: Last Full Measure. Vol. 4 of Lincoln the President. 1955.
• Vorenberg, Michael. "'The Deformed Child': Slavery and the Election of 1864" Civil War History 2001 47(3): 240-257. ISSN 0009-8078 full text in JSTOR
• Jack Waugh Reelecting Lincoln: The Battle for the 1864 Presidency (1998), a popular study
• White, Jonathan W. "Canvassing the Troops: the Federal Government and the Soldiers' Right to Vote" Civil War History 2004 50(3): 291-317. ISSN 0009-8078

Notes

External links

• 1864 popular vote by counties
• 1864 State-by-state popular results
• Transcript of the 1864 Democratic Party Platform
• Harper Weekly - Overview
• more from Harper Weekly
• How close was the 1864 election? - Michael Sheppard, Michigan State University
• Abraham Lincoln: A Resource Guide from the Library of Congress

Navigation