Politics was not a frequent topic for soldiers in their letters home during the Civil War. The 1864 U.S. presidential election , however, proved the exception. President Abraham Lincoln - running for re-election under the National Union Party - faced Democratic nominee George B. McClellan, a former Union general. Lincoln's platform focused on continuing the war until the Confederacy surrendered, while McClellan's platform advocated for peace, even if it meant allowing the Confederacy to remain separate.
For the first time ever, active duty soldiers were given the opportunity to vote. Their votes played a crucial role in Lincoln's re-election, but many states had to create new laws to allow absentee voting for soldiers who were away from home.
These letter excerpts discuss the candidates, the variety of new voting methods, and - as always - some humorous views of army procedures.
In his letter to the folks back home two months before the election, Corporal J. Andrew Morlan offered an excellent perception of the personalities of both candidates, and how he felt the Confederacy would deal with each.
September 9, 1864 - I thought as I had time I would say a word in regard to the probable issue of the coming Election. I am at the present time a Lincolnite & unless things take another aspect I will vote for him if we get a chance to vote. I think his reelection would close the war sooner than the election of Mc. for the Rebs know just what Lincoln’s terms are & what they always will be. But if Mc. was to be elected they might think he would try to coax them back & then prolong the war another yr or more. But if it was certain that he would conduct the war on the same plan that is now going on and would be as stanch with the rebs as Abe is & it would have any tendency to unite the North any the more firmly & cause them to act with any more unity of feeling I would be decidedly in favor of the change. For a determined & zealous leader & a united & confiding people will surely crush this most terrible & gigantic rebellion.“[1]
Corporal J. Andrew Morlan, Company D, 107th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment
On the other hand, Hazard Stevens, 1st Regiment Loyal Eastern Virginia Volunteers (a Union Army regiment), was decidedly less analytical. His reason for being a “Lincolnite” was actually his scathing opinion of McClellan - as person and as a leader. In a letter to his mother, he opined:
Sept. 18, 1864 – As for McClellan, he will make a worse failure as a politician than as a soldier. I think his army strength is all gone. Few are left of his old army and they have changed in their feelings towards him to some extent . . . MacClellan, a miserable conceited, cold blooded puppy, one of those who are all ambition without the brains and daring that make ambition glorious. And “let I dare not, wait upon I would”[2]
Yet, at the same time, another Union soldier, young Barney A. Morrow of the 1st New Hampshire Heavy Artillery - stationed at Ft. Slocum - waxed ecstatic about McClellan. However, it appears the exciting rally the Democrats staged in support of 'Little Mac' - and not the candidate or the issues - won Morrow's vote. In a letter to his friend, Morrow described the fun.
October 4, 1864 – I am down to Washington about every day. There is great political excitement here. Last night there was a very great McClellan Meeting and there was a great demonstration—such cannons being fired & a large torchlight procession—and if nothing very great turns up between now and [the] 8th [of November], we will have Little Mac for our next President & I hope to God he will be as I have no doubt you do.[3]
Regardless of the candidates, however, the Union needed a way for soldiers stationed far from their homes to vote. To this end – and for the first time in the history of American elections – many northern states passed new laws allowing soldiers to send absentee votes home from their military camps. Benjamin Hagenbuch expressed a prevailing concern that still exists today:
Nov 6th, 1864 – I sent you a vote for “Old Abe” which I hope you will get in time. I directed it to Bald Mount.[4]
Benjamin Hagenbuch, 210th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry Regiment
But regardless of how many options there were to cast a ballot in this election, not everyone - like the 2024 election - was “gung-ho” about either of the candidates. Corporal Vandermark felt his "no vote" was the best path to protest.
October 29th, 1864 – everyman hear has sent his vote home but me and no man get my vote this fall for I think the men the[y] hold up for office are not deserving any vote from me.[5]
Corporal Hiram Vandermark, 50th New York Regiment of Engineers
There were some partisan attempts to suppress absentee voting in 1864. For instance, some state legislatures did not allow soldiers from their state to vote via absentee ballots. The War Department then encouraged commanders with units from those states to let the soldiers go home on furlough so they could vote.
But there was some confusion about which states, which units, and furlough lengths. Corporal Vandermark – the soldier who wouldn’t cast his vote – appeared to waver on his resolve as he discussed these confusing new orders from the War Department in a letter to his father.
father, the New York Soldiers from others Hospital are oll goin Home to Vote . . . thire is an Order issued that oll Soldiers that are Around Washington not fit for Duty can go Home to Vote . . . five Hundred leaves the Lincoln Hospital to day for Home so I have heard, and I guess it is [true] . . . for my part I have not got money enough to carry me home, but they say they [the Army] find them free Transportashion thire and back. if they dont, I dont care anything about goin to vote, though they they give them quite a long furlough. Some are for 15 days and some for 30, but most oll in this ward [of the hospital] have voted but me and one or two others, and I will [not] vote unless they Send me home to vote, and then it would be very doutfull if I voted.[5]
Corporal Hiram Vandermark, 50th New York Regiment of Engineers
In the end, Vandermark did get to go home. But whether he actually cast a vote or whether he stubbornly stuck with his earlier vow to abstain is not known. In his first letter to the family after returning to his unit, however, Vandermark provided some interesting details about “voting-furlough” problems. It appears that not everybody was on the same page regarding this ‘home to vote‘ process.
Nov 23rd, 1864 – father, some of the Boys that went home whin I did came in this Morning. so you see I was in time and those that came hear this morning are [also] in time for General Angner says that they [the hospital administration] had no right to date thire furlough untill they were ready to start for home, and he says every man that went home to vote was intitled to 15 days. So the Boys are all right, but some of them are [not] back yet, and if they don’t return to day, they will be reported as Deserters.[5]
His last remarks on the subject of voting furloughs came a few days later.
Some of our Furlough Boys came in this morning but they are Reported as Deserters and will be delt with as such.[5]
American elections – whether in 1864 or now – always seem to have some sort of drama.
There are millions of stories from the Irrepressible Conflict. This was just one of them.
Mac
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