In this book, Marszalek traces the sixteenth president's evolution from a nonmilitary politician into the commander in chief who won the Civil War, demonstrating why Lincoln remains America's greatest military president. Based primarily on Lincoln's own words, this succinct volume offers an easily-accessible window into a critical period in the life of Abraham Lincoln and the history of the nation.

John F. Marszalek is the Giles Distinguished Professor Emeritus of History, Mississippi State University; the executive director of the Ulysses S. Grant Association's Ulysses S. Grant Presidential Library at Mississippi State University; and the editor of the Papers of Ulysses S. Grant. He is the author or editor of fourteen books, including Sherman: A Soldier's Passion for Order.