Lincoln and his Cabinet A study of the American Civil War must include a look at the men who made the policies that drove armies in the field. Lincoln and his Cabinet is an account of the life of Abraham Lincoln. It is also a multiple biography of the entire team of personal and political competitors that he put together to lead the country through its greatest crisis. This biographical book about President Lincoln and the men in his Cabinet fills a void in Civil War literature. It provides a new and easy reference to the lifes of the politicians who pulled the levers behind the curtain and who are themselves as important as the Generals in the field. President Lincoln's cabinet included all of his major rivals for the Republican nomination for President in 1860 including William H. Seward, Salmon P. Chase, Simon Cameron and Edward Bates. Lincoln did not shy away from surrounding himself with strong-minded men, even those whose credentials for office appeared to be much more impressive than his own. Lincoln attempted to reach out to every faction of his party with a special emphasis on balancing anti-slavery former Whigs with former free-soil Democrats. It seems clear that his goal was not to create a "War Cabinet" (because he did not expect war), but to create a cabinet that would unite the party: a team of rivals. Before the War ended, of the four leading vote-getters for the 1860 Republican presidential nomination that Lincoln placed on his original team, three left during his first term. Only Seward endured throughout the Civil War. The biographies of Lincoln and the fifteen men who served in his Administration provide a fascinating look at the men and the politics of the Civil War. About the Editor Joe Mieczkowski is a Civil War living historian and educator. Having received his Bachelor's Degree from Salem College and his Master's Degree from Pennsylvania State University, Joe's education provided the foundation to support his 37 year career with the Social Security Administration. He retired from federal service as the Area Director in Harrisburg, PA. Joe is an Adjunct Professor for local community colleges, teaching courses in various aspects of American History, including Rival Teams, The Lincoln and Davis Administration. While doing research for a battlefield program Joe realized there were few succinct sources of information concerning the Civil War Cabinets and decided to create a book on the topic. He is a Licensed Battlefield and Town Guide for the Gettysburg National Military Park, and is a Past President of the Gettysburg Civil War Roundtable. Joe is a resident of Fairfield, PA, where he lives with his wife, Chris. About Wikipedia in Print Book Series The Wikipedia in Print Book Series represents a novel and innovative approach to publishing. It focusses on distinctive niche topics that were not covered by the traditional book market before. Expert editors from a wide variety of backgrounds compile the titles from mindfully selected and thoroughly reviewed Wikipedia articles. This careful curation results in a series that reflects the vibrant and diverse agendas which characterize the contemporary public discourse as well as the ongoing and fruitful efforts to build a system that will allow every human being to share in the sum of all knowledge.