nents of slavery, represented
by Wendell Phillips, not satisfied with the slow, but constitutional
process of emancipation proposed by Lincoln, when compelled to
choose between that plan of abolition and unconditional surrender
to slavery, naturally voted for Lincoln. The great body of patriotic
Democrats in all the states, who supported the war, but were still
attached to their party, quietly voted for Lincoln. In Ohio,
especially, where a year before they voted against Vallandigham
for his disloyalty, they naturally voted against his resolution
for surrender to the rebels.

During the campaign I accompanied Johnson to Indiana where he made
patriotic speeches to great audiences. His arraignment of the
autocracy of slaveholders in the south was very effective. The
current of opinion was all in favor of Lincoln. The result of the
election for Members of Congress in the states voting in October
was a decisive indication of the result in November. All the
central states elected a large majority of Republican Members of
Congress. In Ohio the Union party had a majority of over 50,000
and elected 17 Republican and 2 Democratic Members of the House of
Representatives. In 1862 Ohio elected 14 Democratic and 5 Republican
Members. The presidential election that followed on the 8th of
November, 1864, resulted in an overwhelming victory for Lincoln.
He received 212 and McClellan 21 electoral votes, the latter from
the States of New Jersey, Delaware and Kentucky. This political
victory had a more decisive effect in defeating the rebellion than
many battles. I returned to Washington soon after the election.

I was naturally deeply interested in the movements of General
Sherman's march to the sea. Towards the close of November we had
all sorts of rumors from the south, that General Sherman was
surrounded by Confederate troops, that his supplies were cut off,
that successful attacks had been made upon his scattered forces.
I naturally became uneasy, and went to President Lincoln for
consolation and such news as he could properly give me. He said:
"Oh, no, we have no news from General Sherman. We know what hole
he went in at, but we do not know what hole he will come out of,"
but he expressed his opinion that General Sherman was all right.
Soon after, authentic information came that General Sherman had
arrived at Savannah, that Fort McAllister was taken, and the army
was in communication with the naval forces. The capt