Part Ten: Mighty Scourge of War Summary and Analysis

Lincoln invited Emilie Helm, Mary's half-sister, and her three children to stay with them at the White House, despite hot accusations that Mary was secretly a Southern sympathizer. Emilie found Mary much changed, haunted by images of dead Willie. Robert, Lincoln's oldest son, wanted to enlist in the army, but Mary said she could not bear losing him. Reconstruction in Louisiana was complicated: Lincoln's 10% plan was hotly debated in Congress, as was Negro suffrage. Lincoln endorsed the all-white government established in Louisiana because he thought it was better than nothing. Sumner was angry with that solution, claiming the President did not care enough about black people. Lincoln wanted to be elected for a second term, though he had a strange feeling he would not live to see the end of the...