How the War Commenced and How Near It Is Ended
- Title:
- How the War Commenced and How Near It Is Ended
- Alternate Title:
- How the War Commenced and How Near It Is Ended
- Collection:
- Persuasive Maps: PJ Mode Collection
- Creator:
- National Union Executive Committee (U.S.)
- Date:
- 1864
- Posted Date:
- 2015-08-25
- ID Number:
- 1069.01
- File Name:
- PJM_1069_01.jpg
- Style/Period:
- 1800 - 1869
- Subject:
- U.S. Civil War
Politics & Government
Unusual Graphics/Text - Measurement:
- 13 x 28, on sheet 47 x 30 (centimeters, height x width)
- Notes:
- During the 1864 Presidential campaign, the "Copperheads" (Northern Democrats opposed to the War) formed a new political party and nominated John Fremont as their candidate. In response, the Republicans rebranded themselves as the "National Union Party" in order to attract the support of Northern War Democrats. Even after Fremont left the race and the Democrats nominated McLellan, the Copperheads continued to attack Lincoln.
This broadside was published by the National Union Executive Committee, responding to two allegations attributed to the Copperheads. First, it rebuts the claim that Lincoln was responsible for commencing the War, with a convincing timeline and contemporaneous statements from the Confederates themselves. "The map at the head of this page shows at a glance how false is the second assertion, that 'the experiment of war' is a failure." The map contrasts the "territory in possession of the rebels" at the time of Fort Sumter with the situation on October 1, 1864, the date the broadside says it was prepared. According to the data presented in text, the North had "conquered" 79 percent of the Confederate territory and "recovered" 63 percent of its population.
One might argue that the 1861 lines on the map gave the Confederacy too much credit (e.g., Arizona? New Mexico?) and the 1864 lines too little (e.g., how far inland did Union control of the Mississippi extend?). Nevertheless the map tells an effective story of progress, and the broadside concludes: "The end cannot be doubtful. They who violated the Divine Law have incurred the penalty, and will inevitably meet the allotted punishment. They who took the sword are perishing by the sword.”
The collection includes four maps from 1863 and 1864 illustrating the progress of the war in this manner: ID #2300 (from the New-York Daily Tribune, August 10, 1863); ID #2152 (from The New York Herald, February 10, 1864); ID #1070 (from Harper's Weekly, March 19, 1864); ID #1069 (Republican campaign broadside, October 1, 1864).
For further information on the Collector’s Notes and a Feedback/Contact Link, see https://persuasivemaps.library.cornell.edu/content/about-collection-personal-statement and https://persuasivemaps.library.cornell.edu/content/feedback-and-contact - Repository:
- Private Collection of PJ Mode
- Format:
- Image
- Rights:
- For important information about copyright and use, see http://persuasivemaps.library.cornell.edu/copyright.