"Follow Lincoln's day-by-day path from peacemaker to war leader as the Union edges toward the Civil War. The months after the inauguration of Abraham Lincoln, between March 4 and May 3, 1961, mark one of the most significant periods in American history. Lincoln's Road to War unpacks each day's events, both personal and political, from Lincoln's inauguration through the attack on Fort Sumter and toward the march to the Battle of Bull Run/Manassas. March 4, 1861: In his inauguration address, President Lincoln did his best to be reconciliatory, advising Southern secessionists that there would be no war unless they were the aggressors. But he also made it clear that the Union was indivisible and that secession meant anarchy. April 12, 1861: During the early morning hours, rebel artillery opened fire on Fort Sumter, situated on a man-made island at the entrance of Charleston Harbor, South Carolina. This move was immediately followed by President Lincoln's call for 75,000 volunteers from state militias, along with hsi order to blockade all Southern ports. From the first days of his presidency to a tacit admission of the real probability of war on May 3, 1861, readers follow alongside Lincoln in this daily journal that captures his evolution from an inexperienced, newly installed president trying desperately to avoid a war, to a reluctant commander-in-chief resolved to defend Fort Sumter against rebel aggression, and finally to a wartime president determined to see the fighting through to the end and to restore the Union. In this revealing and enlightening journey through Lincoln's evolving perspectives and politics, readers glean intimate insights into the president, the man, and the country on the precipice of the Civil War" --

Introduction -- March 4, 1861, Monday: The Most Widely Anticipated Speech -- March 5, 1861, Tuesday: Crisis on the First Day -- March 6, 1861, Wednesday: First Cabinet Meeting -- March 7, 1861, Thursday: Encouraging News from Virginia -- March 8, 1861, Friday: In a Quandry -- March 9, 1861, Saturday: A Tense Cabinet Meeting -- March 10, 1861, Sunday: A Rare Day of Peace and Quiet -- March 11, 1861, Monday: Secret Negotiations -- March 12, 1861, Tuesday: The Pressures of Office -- March 13, 1861, Wednesday: A New Plan -- March 14, 1861, Thursday: Almost Unbearable Tension -- March 15, 1861, Friday: Lincoln Sends a Memo -- March 16 and 17, 1861, Saturday and Sunday: A Quiet Weekend -- March 18, 1861, Monday: Tariffs, Appointments, and a Memo -- March 19, 1861, Tuesday: An Order for Captain Fox -- March 20, 1861, Wednesday: White House Activities -- March 21, 1861, Thursday: Conflicting Opinions -- March 22, 1861, Friday: A Cabinet Meeting and a Reception -- March 23 and 24, 1861, Saturday and Sunday: A Much-Needed Rest -- March 25, 1861, Monday: Waiting for News -- March 26, 1861, Tuesday: Denying a Request -- March 27, 1861, Wednesday: An Upsetting Report -- March 28, Thursday: A Memo from General Scott -- March 29, 1861, Good Friday: The President Orders an Expedition -- March 30, 1861, Saturday: Political Appointments -- March 31, 1861, Easter Sunday: A Vital Decision -- April 1, 1861, Monday: "I Must Do It" -- April 2, 1861, Tuesday: An Unplanned Visit -- April 3, 1861, Wednesday: Increasing War Nerves -- April 4, 1861, Thursday: A Disappointing Meeting -- April 5, 1861, Friday: The President Signs Two Sets of Orders -- April 6, 1861, Saturday: "The Rebellion Was Rapidly Culminating" -- April 7, 1861, Sunday: "A Bleak Day -- April 8, 1861, Monday: Growing Tensions -- April 9, 1861, Tuesday: Deceptive Calm -- April 10, 1861, Wednesday: Waiting for News -- April 11, 1861, Thursday: An Unacceptable Demand -- April 12, 1861, Friday: The Crisis reaches a Climax--A Last Peaceful Day at the White House -- April 13, 1861, Saturday: Visitors -- April 14, 1861, Sunday: More Visitors -- April 15, 1861, Monday: A Depressing Meeting -- April 16, 1861, Tuesday: An Uneventful Day -- April 17, 1861, Wednesday: Increasing Anxieties -- April 18, 1861, Thursday: A Regretted Loss -- April 19, 1861, Friday: A Controversial Proclamation -- April 20, 1861, Saturday: "Practical and Proper" Advice -- April 21, 1861, Sunday: Defusing an Awkward Situation -- April 22, 1861, Monday: The President Speaks His Mind -- April 23, 1861, Tuesday: "Why Don't They Come!" -- April 24, 1861, Wednesday: "There Is No North" -- April 25, 1861, Thursday: The Happiest Man In Town -- April 26, 1861, Friday: Unprepared -- April 27, 1861, Saturday: A Controversial Order -- April 28, 1861, Sunday: No Hope of an Armistice -- April 29, 1861, Monday: The Tension That Came with the Job -- April 30, 1861, Tuesday: An Enjoyable Afternoon -- May 1, 1861, Wednesday: A Therapeutic Letter -- May 2, 1861, Thursday: The President Receives a Warning -- May 3, 1861, Friday: A Tacit Admission -- Epilogue, July 21, 1861, Sunday: "Their Dead Extended for Miles" -- Appendix: Lincoln's First Inaugural Address--Final Text, March 4, 1861 -- Notes -- Index