Every Drop of Blood: Hatred and Healing at Lincoln’s Second Inauguration

Journalist Achorn (The Summer of Beer and Whiskey) meticulously chronicles President Lincoln’s March 1865 inauguration in this kaleidoscopic history. Drawing from diaries, letters, memoirs, and newspaper reports, Achorn frames a poignant yet familiar portrait of Lincoln with the accounts of several historical figures who converged in Washington, D.C., for the inaugural address. Among them are Leaves of Grass author Walt Whitman, covering the event for the New York Times; Union Army brigadier general Selden Connor, rehabilitating his battlefield injuries in an area hospital; abolitionist Frederick Douglass, harboring deep suspicions about the president’s commitment to “the plight of African Americans”; and Supreme Court Chief Justice Salmon P. Chase, who administered the oath of office after having schemed to wrest the 1864 Republican presidential nomination from Lincoln. Achorn also tracks John Wilkes Booth’s movements over the course of the weekend, citing reports that the actor attempted to “strike [Lincoln] down” in the U.S. Capitol rotunda. The book climaxes with a close reading of the speech itself, highlighting its biblical allusions and “astonishing” denunciation of slavery “as an unmitigated evil.” Though Achorn covers well-trod ground, he skillfully plumbs his sources for colorful details and draws memorable character sketches. History buffs will savor this evocative narrative. Agent: Lisa Adams, the Garamond Agency. (Mar.)