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the vote of Tennessee was not counted, although given for Lincoln; but of the remaining twenty-five states, all but three,—New Jersey, Delaware, and Kentucky,—cast their votes for the Union.
Fourteen states had authorized their soldiers in the field to vote.
Those of New York sent their ballots home sealed, to be cast by their friends; the votes of the soldiers from Minnesota and of most of those from Vermont were not received by the canvassers in time to be counted; but the soldiers from the eleven remaining states gave a majority for Lincoln, of eighty-five thousand four hundred and sixty-one;1 a proportion of more than three to one.
The state of Illinois, of which Grant was a citizen, had made no provision to receive the ballots of her soldiers.
The general-in-chief was therefore unable to vote.
At eleven A. M. on the 10th of November, before the result was known at the Headquarters of the armies, Grant telegraphed to Halleck: ‘I suppose without my saying anything about it, all the troops in the North will now be hurried to the field, but I wish to urge this as of the utmost importance.
Sherman's movement may compel Lee to send troops from Richmond, and if he does, I want to be prepared to annoy him.’
At 10.30 P. M. on the same day, he telegraphed to Stanton: ‘Enough now seems to be known to say who is to hold the reins of government for the next four ’
1 Beyond all question, this majority would have been doubled, had all the soldiers been allowed to vote; but the marvel is that any man in arms against the rebellion could have opposed the re-election of Abraham Lincoln.
New York Appleton 1885.
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