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Election 5
How important was it that Sheridan avoided a rout of his army? If Sheridan had been driven from the Valley, Confederate commander Robert E. Lee might have stripped troops from Petersburg to reinforce Early to again threaten the capital. With the election three weeks away, Early might have been threatening the capital on Election Day.
Harper's Weekly, Nov. 5, 1864
Sheridan riding to the rescue, from the cover of Harper's Illustrated Weekly. For a larger view of this cover, click here.
Sheridan's stellar performance did more than just avoid that disaster, which surely helped Lincoln's election. Inspired by the torrent of newspaper coverage, Thomas Buchanan Read quickly composed a 63-line poetic tribute to Sheridan and Rienzi titled "Sheridan's Ride." It was read all over the country in the week before the election, adding to the pro-Lincoln tide. As well, three days before the election, Sheridan and Rienzi were featured on the cover of Harper's Illustrated Weekly, with a circulation exceeding 100,000.
Writing in "The American Heritage Picture History of The Civil War," historian Bruce Catton assessed the impact of Sheridan's victory:
Coming on the heels of (victories at) Mobile Bay and Atlanta, Sheridan's conquest was a tonic that checked war weariness and created a new spirit of optimism. No longer could the Democrats make an effective campaign that the war was a failure. The war was visibly being won, and although the price remained high it was obvious that the last crisis had been passed.
Catton added: "[Maj. Gen. William T.] Sherman, [Admiral David G.] Farragut, and Sheridan were winning Lincoln's election for him."
On Election Day, Nov. 8, less than three weeks after Sheridan's exploit, Lincoln rode a groundswell of support to victory, receiving 2,218,388 votes to McClellan's 1,812,807, gaining 212 electoral votes to 21 for his rival. The one-time militia officer handily defeated the warrior McClellan.
Election 5
How important was it that Sheridan avoided a rout of his army? If Sheridan had been driven from the Valley, Confederate commander Robert E. Lee might have stripped troops from Petersburg to reinforce Early to again threaten the capital. With the election three weeks away, Early might have been threatening the capital on Election Day.
Harper's Weekly, Nov. 5, 1864
Sheridan riding to the rescue, from the cover of Harper's Illustrated Weekly. For a larger view of this cover, click here.
Sheridan's stellar performance did more than just avoid that disaster, which surely helped Lincoln's election. Inspired by the torrent of newspaper coverage, Thomas Buchanan Read quickly composed a 63-line poetic tribute to Sheridan and Rienzi titled "Sheridan's Ride." It was read all over the country in the week before the election, adding to the pro-Lincoln tide. As well, three days before the election, Sheridan and Rienzi were featured on the cover of Harper's Illustrated Weekly, with a circulation exceeding 100,000.
Writing in "The American Heritage Picture History of The Civil War," historian Bruce Catton assessed the impact of Sheridan's victory:
Coming on the heels of (victories at) Mobile Bay and Atlanta, Sheridan's conquest was a tonic that checked war weariness and created a new spirit of optimism. No longer could the Democrats make an effective campaign that the war was a failure. The war was visibly being won, and although the price remained high it was obvious that the last crisis had been passed.
Catton added: "[Maj. Gen. William T.] Sherman, [Admiral David G.] Farragut, and Sheridan were winning Lincoln's election for him."
On Election Day, Nov. 8, less than three weeks after Sheridan's exploit, Lincoln rode a groundswell of support to victory, receiving 2,218,388 votes to McClellan's 1,812,807, gaining 212 electoral votes to 21 for his rival. The one-time militia officer handily defeated the warrior McClellan.