Chapter XI

ADMINISTRATIONS OF JACKSON, VAN BUREN, W.H. HARRISON, AND TYLER, 1829-1845.

Andrew Jackson--"To the Victors Belong the Spoils"--The President's Fight with the United States Bank--Presidential Election of 1828--Distribution of the Surplus in the United States Treasury Among the Various States--The Black Hawk War--The Nullification Excitement--The Seminole War--Introduction of the Steam Locomotive--Anthracite Coal, McCormick's Reaper, and Friction Matches--Great Fire in New York--Population of the United States in 1830--Admission of Arkansas and Michigan--Abolitionism --France and Portugal Compelled to Pay their Debts to the United States--The Specie Circular, John Caldwell Calhoun, Henry Clay, and Daniel Webster--Presidential Election of 1836--Martin Van Buren --The Panic of 1837--Rebellion in Canada--Population of the United States in 1840--Presidential Election of 1840--William Henry Harrison --His Death--John Tyler--His Unpopular Course--The Webster-Ashburton Treaty--Civil War in Rhode Island--The Anti-rent War in New York--A Shocking Accident--Admission of Florida--Revolt of Texas Against Mexican Rule--The Alamo--San Jacinto--The Question of the Annexation of Texas--The State Admitted--The Copper Mines of Michigan--Presidential Election of 1844--The Electro-magnetic Telegraph--Professor Morse--His Labors in Bringing the Invention to Perfection 215

CHAPTER XII.

FAMOUS PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGNS PREVIOUS TO 1840.

The Origin of the "Caucus"--The Election of 1792--The First Stormy Election--The Constitution Amended--Improvement of the Method of Nominating Presidential Candidates--The First Presidential Convention--Convention in Baltimore in 1832--Exciting Scenes--The Presidential Campaign of 1820--"Old Hickory"--Andrew Jackson's Popularity--Jackson Nominated--"Old Hickory" Defeated--The "Log-Cabin" and "Hard-Cider" Campaign of 1840--"Tippecanoe and Tyler Too"--Peculiar Feature of the Harrison Campaign 239

CHAPTER XIII.

ADMINISTRATION OF POLK, 1845-1849.

James K. Polk--_The War with Mexico_--The First Conflict--Battle of Resaca de la Palma--Vigorous Action of the United States Government--General Scott's Plan of Campaign--Capture of Monterey--An Armistice--Capture of Saltillo--Of Victoria--Of Tampico--General Kearny's Capture of Santa Fe--Conquest of California--Wonderful March of Colonel Doniphan--Battle of Buena Vista--General Scott's March Toward the City of Mexico--Capture of Vera Cruz--American Victory at Cerro Gordo--Five American Victories in One Day--Santa Anna--Conquest of Mexico Completed--Terms of the Treaty of Peace--The New Territory Gained--The Slavery Dispute --The Wilmot Proviso--"Fifty-Four Forty or Fight"--Adjustment of the Oregon Boundary--Admission of Iowa and Wisconsin--The Smithsonian Institute--Discovery of Gold in California--The Mormons--The Presidential Election of 1848 251

CHAPTER XIV.

ADMINISTRATIONS OF TAYLOR, FILLMORE, PIERCE, AND BUCHANAN, 1849-1857.

Zachary Taylor--The "Irrepressible Conflict" in Congress--The Omnibus Bill--Death of President Taylor--Millard Fillmore--Death of the Old Leaders and Debut of the New--The Census of 1850--Surveys for a Railway to the Pacific--Presidential Election of 1852--Franklin Pierce--Death of Vice-President King--A Commercial Treaty Made with Japan--Filibustering Expeditions--The Ostend Manifesto--The "Know Nothing" Party--The Kansas-Nebraska Bill and Repeal of the Missouri Compromise 269

CHAPTER XV.

ADMINISTRATION OF LINCOLN, 1861-1865 THE WAR FOR THE UNION, 1861.

Abraham Lincoln--Major Anderson's Trying Position--Jefferson Davis--Inauguration of President Lincoln--Bombardment of Fort Sumter--War Preparations North and South--Attack on Union Troops in Baltimore--Situation of the Border States--Unfriendliness of England and France--Friendship of Russia--The States that Composed the Southern Confederacy--Union Disaster at Big Bethel--Success of the Union Campaign in Western Virginia--General George B. McClellan--First Battle of Bull Run--General McClellan Called to the Command of the Army of the Potomac--Union Disaster at Ball's Bluff--Military Operations in Missouri--Battle of Wilson's Creek--Defeat of Colonel Mulligan at Lexington, Mo.--Supersedure of Fremont--Operations on the Coast--The Trent Affair--Summary of the Year's Operations 285

CHAPTER XVI.

ADMINISTRATION OF LINCOLN (CONTINUED), 1861-1865.

WAR FOR THE UNION (CONTINUED), 1862.

Capture of Forts Henry and Donelson--Change in the Confederate Line of Defense--Capture of Island No. 10--Battle of Pittsburg Landing or Shiloh--Capture of Corinth--Narrow Escape of Louisville--Battle of Perryville--Battle of Murfreesboro' or Stone River--Battle of Pea Ridge--Naval Battle Between the _Monitor_ and _Merrimac_--Fate of the Two Vessels--Capture of New Orleans--The Advance Against Richmond--McClellan's Peninsula Campaign--_The First Confederate Invasion of the North_--_Battle of Antietam or Sharpsburg_--_Disastrous Union Repulse at Fredericksburg_--_Summary of the War's Operations_--_The Confederate Privateers_--_The Emancipation Proclamation_--_Greenbacks and Bond Issues_ 301

CHAPTER XVII.

ADMINISTRATION OF LINCOLN (CONTINUED), 1861-1865.

WAR FOR THE UNION (CONTINUED), 1863.

The Military Situation in the West--Siege and Capture of Vicksburg--The Mississippi Opened--Battle of Chickamauga--"The Rock of Chickamauga"--The Battle Above the Clouds--Siege of Knoxville--General Hooker Appointed to the Command of the Army of the Potomac--His Plan of Campaign Against Richmond--Stonewall Jackson's Stampede of the Eleventh Corps--Critical Situation of the Union Army--Death of Jackson--Battle of Chancellorsville--Defeat of Hooker--The Second Confederate Invasion--Battle of Gettysburg--The Decisive Struggle of the War--Lee's Retreat--Subsequent Movements of Lee and Meade--Confederate Privateering--Destruction of the _Nashville_--Failure of the Attacks on Charleston--The Military Raids--Stuart's Narrow Escape--Stoneman's Raid--Morgan's Raid in Indiana and Ohio 333