Lord Charnwood published Abraham Lincoln in 1916. In order
to get a clearer perspective of the Civil War, it helps to read books from
multiple viewpoints. Lord Charnwood wrote only fifty years after the war,
bringing an almost contemporaneous perspective to his depictions. His biography
has the advantage of proximity but with enough time elapsed to dampen the
passions of the moment. More important, as an English depiction, it is a
simultaneously a distant point of view. It is a distance of more than nautical
miles. Lord Charnwood also brings the bias of English nobility to his
descriptions. This is exceptionally important in gaining an understanding of
the diplomatic imperative for both sides. The Confederacy desperately sought
European recognition of their legitimacy, while Lincoln did everything in his
power to deny international recognition and suppress arms and funding from
abroad. Lincoln’s success was arguably pivotal to eventually making victory
possible.
Abraham Lincoln, by Lord Charnwood can be a tough read. A
simple, declarative sentence is beyond the baron. This is partly due to the
style of the times and partly the way of academics who feel a need to qualify
every utterance. Once the reader adjusts to the wordily writing, nuggets of
rare perspective make the effort well worthwhile. For example, Thomas Jefferson
is not one of my favorite Founders and Lord Charnwood seems to have shared some
of my reservations. He also makes other political observations that an American
might be reluctant to express.
If you have an interest in the mid-nineteenth century,
Abraham Lincoln by Lord Charnwood can be an enlightening read.