As the Civil War raged on, members of the Republican Party began to disagree about the war. Abraham Lincoln’s popularity was falling. One newspaper of the day proclaimed, “Patriotism is played out”. It didn’t look like Lincoln would win a second term. His re-election was considered unlikely or an “impossibility” against challenger General George B. McClellan. Public opinion changed when the Union army won a major victory in Atlanta; a stronghold for both Southern trade and Democratic power. Lincoln was once again touted as a great leader and won the 1864 Presidential election by more than half a million votes. (28 1/2" x 33 1/2")
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