The Congressman's Civil War [Paperback]

This book explores important aspects of the American Civil War from the perspective of Capital Hill.Important aspects of the Civil War are explored from the perspective of Capitol Hill to reveal the specific contributions of members of Congress throughout the course of the war.Important aspects of the Civil War are explored from the perspective of Capitol Hill to reveal the specific contributions of members of Congress throughout the course of the war.In the historical literature on the Civil War, the President, the generals, and the cabinet secretaries have won the war of words. Of the hundreds of men who served in the House of Representatives during this great struggle, only a handful typically appear in general discussions of the period. Yet without a deeper understanding of the contributions of the members of the Congress to the successful prosecution of the war, we cannot fully appreciate the desperate nature of that war and its significance in the building of the nation. This book explores important aspects of the Civil War from the perspective of Capitol Hill. It is an effort to survey some of the possibilities for understanding the congressmen, their relations with each other, and their interaction with President Lincoln.Acknowledgments; Introduction; 1. The paths of power: congressional career lines and the coming of war; 2. Lincoln and the 'disorderly schoolboys': a chapter in executive-legislative relations; 3. An 'inquiring disposition': the investigative process in the House of Representatives; 4. 'God alone can guide us': authority structures in the House of Representatives; 5. Conclusion; Appendix; Notes; Index. [This book] explores a world of strong ideology and crucial party decisions in a manner that can serve as a model for future efforts by historians of the Middle Period. Bogue breaks some new ground by skillfully integrating the results of recent historical work into his conclusions. This 'view from Capitol Hill rather than from the White HolÓõ