Abraham Lincoln Won Reelection on this Day 150 Years Ago

On this day 150 years ago, November 8, 1864, Abraham Lincoln was reelected President of the United States.

No president had been reelected for 32 years and many thought it could never happen again. And many more, including Lincoln himself, as recently as August thought he would not be reelected.

His opponent was the former leader of all U.S. armies in the Civil War, Major General George B. McClellan. McClellan was very popular with his troops but virtually every historian agrees that he was an awful general, afraid to fight, fearing his enemy always had more troops than he did and always wrong, and meddling in politics which military officers should avoid.

McClellan didn't even resign from his military office when he was nominated for president or when he was a candidate for many months. He only resigned on November 8, the day he lost the election, by telegram to Abraham Lincoln.

Lincoln won all the Union states except three, and won resoundingly in the military vote. The soldiers who had loved McClellan voted instead for Abraham Lincoln, to complete the job they had begun.