11 Responses to Question of the Week: What was the most important speech of the Civil War?
Either Lincoln’s first inaugural address, which he states the Government will not accept secession and the war is on or the Second Inaugural Address, where he states clearly that slavery caused seccession, slavery was wrong, and that such a prolonged and exploitative practice(slavery) ended in war, is many things, but not unjust. He identifies it as “American slavery” both because he considered the southern states to have not actually left the Union, so they are American, and because the entire nation participated in one way or the other in the practice of slavery. He ends with a note of grace, reinforcing his go easy policy on the south.
If you are meaning a speech in the literal sense, then Lincoln’s 2nd Inaugural Speech. While the results of the war, thus far so long and bloody, were not yet realized, the reunification of the country was coming nearer.
If you include “a few appropriate remarks” in that meaning, then, far and away, the most important and powerful were those President Lincoln shared with the dedication audience, and the entire world, in his Gettysburg Address. Little did he realize that the world still does remember what he said there. Undoubtedly, they are perhaps the most enduring and powerful “few appropriate comments” ever rendered.
I offer Lincoln’s April 11, 1865 evening speech read to a crowd outside the White House as the most important Civil War speech, for two reasons.
First, Lincoln addressed two key post-War subjects – black suffrage and whether the CSA states ever had been out of the Union – providing historians valuable insight into what his Reconstruction policies might have been. Second, Lincoln’s statement that he was in favor of conferral of at least limited black suffrage “on the very intelligent, and on those who serve our cause as soldiers,” purportedly enraged one member of the audience, John Wilkes Booth, who vowed, “That is the last speech he will make.” Booth carried through on his pledge three days later.
It is hard to argue against the importance of a speech the led to the murder of the speaker, changing the course of history.
A key component of being important in a historical context is being remembered by a wide range of people. Based on that, I’m going with the Gettysburg Address.
While Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address is a personal favorite of mine, I think the most important speech “award” goes to the Cornerstone Speech by Alexander Stephens. It sets the general tone for the Confederacy’s beliefs, values, and policies for the coming war years.
Lee’s farewell address to the Army of Northern Virginia scores honorable mention points for setting a postwar tone for his steadfast soldiers and influence on other still active Confederate units.
Albert Sydney Johnston on the eve of Shiloh, to first his troops, as to why they were fighting, then to his squabbling Corps and Division commanders, Bragg, Polk, Beauregard, Cheatham, Breckinridge, who were full of bravado and decision until it was time to fight, and then turned into frightened, squabbling hens and began arguing for withdrawal to Corinth because they were convinced Grant’s army vastly outnumbered them.
To his lieutenants, Johnston, evoking Leonidas at Thermopylae with his “Come and take them,” stated, “Gentleman, we attack at dawn. I would fight them if they were a million.”
To his troops, he issued a brilliant speech:
Soldiers of the Army of the Mississippi:
I have put you in motion to offer battle to the invaders of your country. With the resolution and discipline and valor becoming men fighting, as you are, for all worth living or dying for, you can but march to a decisive victory over the agrarian mercenaries sent to subjugate you and despoil you of your liberties, your property and your honor. Remember the precious stake involved; remember the dependence of your mothers, your wives, your sisters, and your children on the result; remember the fair, broad, abounding land, and the happy homes that would be desolated by your defeat.
The eyes and hopes of eight millions of people rest upon you; you are expected to show yourselves worthy of your lineage; worthy of the women of the South, whose noble devotion in this war has never been exceeded in any time. With such incentives to brave deeds, and with the trust that God is with us, your generals will lead you confidently to the combat – assured of success.
A. S. Johnston, General commanding
The next morning, the entire Confederate high command were responsible for bungling the attack, which caught Sherman and Grant literally with their pants down and hung over, but they still came within a hair’s breadth of destroying the Federal army. Had this happened, it would have set back Federal efforts in the West more than a year – and may well have discouraged thousands of men from enlisting to make up Grant’s losses – and Grant and Sherman would have been cashiered from the service. So close came Johnston, who did not survive the battle, from evoking a spectacular turning point in the war. It very well could have been his words that brought the Confederacy so close to success…
What was the most important speech given by a politician during the Civil War?
Either Lincoln’s first inaugural address, which he states the Government will not accept secession and the war is on or the Second Inaugural Address, where he states clearly that slavery caused seccession, slavery was wrong, and that such a prolonged and exploitative practice(slavery) ended in war, is many things, but not unjust. He identifies it as “American slavery” both because he considered the southern states to have not actually left the Union, so they are American, and because the entire nation participated in one way or the other in the practice of slavery. He ends with a note of grace, reinforcing his go easy policy on the south.
If you are meaning a speech in the literal sense, then Lincoln’s 2nd Inaugural Speech. While the results of the war, thus far so long and bloody, were not yet realized, the reunification of the country was coming nearer.
If you include “a few appropriate remarks” in that meaning, then, far and away, the most important and powerful were those President Lincoln shared with the dedication audience, and the entire world, in his Gettysburg Address. Little did he realize that the world still does remember what he said there. Undoubtedly, they are perhaps the most enduring and powerful “few appropriate comments” ever rendered.
I offer Lincoln’s April 11, 1865 evening speech read to a crowd outside the White House as the most important Civil War speech, for two reasons.
First, Lincoln addressed two key post-War subjects – black suffrage and whether the CSA states ever had been out of the Union – providing historians valuable insight into what his Reconstruction policies might have been. Second, Lincoln’s statement that he was in favor of conferral of at least limited black suffrage “on the very intelligent, and on those who serve our cause as soldiers,” purportedly enraged one member of the audience, John Wilkes Booth, who vowed, “That is the last speech he will make.” Booth carried through on his pledge three days later.
It is hard to argue against the importance of a speech the led to the murder of the speaker, changing the course of history.
The Gettysburg Address.
A key component of being important in a historical context is being remembered by a wide range of people. Based on that, I’m going with the Gettysburg Address.
“Four score and seven years ago….”. That speech still gives me goose bumps!
While Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address is a personal favorite of mine, I think the most important speech “award” goes to the Cornerstone Speech by Alexander Stephens. It sets the general tone for the Confederacy’s beliefs, values, and policies for the coming war years.
Lee’s farewell speech at Appomattox which set the precedent for the Lost Cause.
Lee’s farewell address to the Army of Northern Virginia scores honorable mention points for setting a postwar tone for his steadfast soldiers and influence on other still active Confederate units.
The Gettysburg Address
Albert Sydney Johnston on the eve of Shiloh, to first his troops, as to why they were fighting, then to his squabbling Corps and Division commanders, Bragg, Polk, Beauregard, Cheatham, Breckinridge, who were full of bravado and decision until it was time to fight, and then turned into frightened, squabbling hens and began arguing for withdrawal to Corinth because they were convinced Grant’s army vastly outnumbered them.
To his lieutenants, Johnston, evoking Leonidas at Thermopylae with his “Come and take them,” stated, “Gentleman, we attack at dawn. I would fight them if they were a million.”
To his troops, he issued a brilliant speech:
Soldiers of the Army of the Mississippi:
I have put you in motion to offer battle to the invaders of your country. With the resolution and discipline and valor becoming men fighting, as you are, for all worth living or dying for, you can but march to a decisive victory over the agrarian mercenaries sent to subjugate you and despoil you of your liberties, your property and your honor. Remember the precious stake involved; remember the dependence of your mothers, your wives, your sisters, and your children on the result; remember the fair, broad, abounding land, and the happy homes that would be desolated by your defeat.
The eyes and hopes of eight millions of people rest upon you; you are expected to show yourselves worthy of your lineage; worthy of the women of the South, whose noble devotion in this war has never been exceeded in any time. With such incentives to brave deeds, and with the trust that God is with us, your generals will lead you confidently to the combat – assured of success.
A. S. Johnston, General commanding
The next morning, the entire Confederate high command were responsible for bungling the attack, which caught Sherman and Grant literally with their pants down and hung over, but they still came within a hair’s breadth of destroying the Federal army. Had this happened, it would have set back Federal efforts in the West more than a year – and may well have discouraged thousands of men from enlisting to make up Grant’s losses – and Grant and Sherman would have been cashiered from the service. So close came Johnston, who did not survive the battle, from evoking a spectacular turning point in the war. It very well could have been his words that brought the Confederacy so close to success…