How the struggle between Lincoln and his defiant general John C. Frémont shaped the Civil War

The Lincoln Group is proud to present author John Bicknell discussing his book about John C. Fremont and President Lincoln.

In 1856, John C. Frémont—the famed "Pathfinder" of the American West—became the Republican Party's first presidential nominee on an anti-slavery platform. Five years later, now a Union general under President Lincoln, he sparked a national crisis by unilaterally declaring emancipation in Missouri. Drawing from extensive research, John Bicknell masterfully chronicles the volatile relationship between these two leaders as they grappled with slavery, military strategy, and the future of the nation.

•  Reveals how Frémont's radical actions in Missouri influenced Lincoln's own path to the Emancipation Proclamation

•  Explores the complex political and military dimensions of Civil War leadership

•  Illuminates the crucial role of border states in shaping Union strategy

•  Provides fresh insights into the personal dynamics that affected wartime decision-making