[October 31, 2024] About one week before the end of the war, Abraham Lincoln, our sixteenth president, gave his second inaugural address. The purpose of this commentary is to inform the reader of the circumstances which prevailed at the time he gave this particular speech.
Our country was ending its fourth year of a truly bloody Civil War. The number of men killed from both sides exceeded 600,000. That does not include those who were wounded. All the casualties were virtually Americans whether they fought for the North or for the South.
There were Unionist and Confederate villages throughout the country who did not have a single marriageable-age male available to the women of their respective towns. Many of these towns and their surrounding farms were decimated by the widespread and fierce fighting.
Lincoln in the first four paragraphs describes how the war is going, how both sides did not want the war, and how similar they were in many respects. Yet the war came. In the fifth paragraph, tells the American people that they may not have suffered enough to pay for the sin of slavery.
His own words:
“The Almighty has his own purposes. “Woe unto the world because of offenses! for it must needs be that offenses come; but woe to that man by whom the offense cometh.” If we shall suppose that American slavery is one of those offenses which, in the providence of God, must needs come, but which, having continued through his appointed time, he now wills to remove, and that he gives to both North and South this terrible war, as the woe due to those by whom the offense came, shall we discern therein any departure from those divine attributes which the believers in a living God always ascribe to him? Fondly do we hope—fervently do we pray—that this mighty scourge of war may speedily pass away. Yet, if God wills that it continue until all the wealth piled by the bondman’s two hundred and fifty years of unrequited toil shall be sunk, and until every drop of blood drawn with the lash shall be paid by another drawn with the sword, as was said three thousand years ago, so still it must be said, ‘The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.’”
I enjoy reading about history. To my knowledge, in the annals of all human history, there has never been a political leader who tells his people that they may have not yet fully paid for their sins… In this case, slavery.
One of the reasons that Lincoln is so highly regarded as a political leader is that he always told the American people the true circumstances of what they faced and how he felt regarding that particular topic. Another reason that he is so highly regarded was his compassionate humanity. This sentiment is demonstrated in the last paragraph of his Second Inaugural which became literally the written mission statement of the Veterans Administration.
Again, in Lincoln’s own words:
“With malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation’s wounds; to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan—to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves, and with all nations.”
I believe that Lincoln’s reign as our sixteenth president is a testament to the fact that our country is truly blessed.
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Please read my books:
Thank you, Mr. Bocher for your historical insight.
Nice. 😎
This is an unexpected but pleasant article.
Major Bocher sir, well written post, so thank you for putting Lincoln’s words into the context = the times at which he was writing and what Lincoln surely had in the back of his mind. This is rare and a talent very few historians possess. I also plan to read your book; Gen. Satterfield would not have mentioned it if he didn’t want us to consider reading it. “STORMRIDER” great title, BTW. Sir, if you look at this website, you’ll see that books are often summarized and discussed. I included a link for your reference and recommend you take a look at the top books he sees us reading to make ourselves better.
https://www.theleadermaker.com/reading-list/
YES, we are a truly blessed country. And that is so even when we have terrible leadership – like Joe Biden’s horrible comments about us being “garbage” – and yet we remain a Christian nation and are able to forgive. But we do not forget. Remember Rule 51.… “ Rule 51: Show Your Respect”
https://www.theleadermaker.com/rule-51-show-your-respect/
Yusaf, I do agree ✝︎ 100%
Gen. Satterfield, we very much appreciate you having guests on occasionally and when they are Vietnam War veterans, all the better. Mr. Gordon L. Bocher, WELCOME HOME. And, God Bless you and your family. 🙏
For some reason, my blog did not post Gordon’s biography. Here it is:
Bio: Gordon Bocher is a retired USAF Major who flew 177 combat rides as a Fire Control Officer (FCO) aboard the AC-130A Gunship in Vietnam. As a rescue navigator, he participated in the abortive attempt to rescue the 53 hostages held in Iran. He was awarded two Distinguished Flying Cross medals, two Purple Hearts, and various other medals. He is also the author of “Stormrider: a Historical Novel Based on True Events” (2020).
Wow, very good. I salute you, Major Bocher. And thank you for your service and I mean it with all my heart. ❤️
“177 combat rides.” IMPRESSIVE… Gen. Satterfield doesn’t let just anyone post an article on his website. There has to be some reason and in this case, it’s rather obvious. The fact that Pres. Lincoln gave this speech during the height of the killing of the US Civil War says alot about him and we are privileged to have those words passed down to us. In another way, and on a similar vein, Gen. S. is passing along his words in his long-running series “Letters To My Granddaughter.” when we have something important to say, then we are morally obligated to say it. Much like Gen. Grant’s great generalship during the war helped bring it to an end wicker, ultimately saving more lives. Whenever we pussyfoot around in war, more destruction and death will inevitably happen.
Yes, indeed, very impressive. Let’s not overlook the courage that it took.
👍👍👍 COURAGE means much to those of us never have been in war. 👍👍👍
Excellent article. Mr.Bocher, well done.
Gen. Satterfield told me he had a special guest article this week regarding President Lincoln. But what I couldn’t imagine was this take on the “context “ of his second inaugural address. The address itsek was a masterpiece yet in this view of what was happening, makes it even greater than any of us could imagine. Special thanks to you, sir! ✌️
Yep. Love it.