I understand your point, but I don't see the facts on the ground...
Anaxogoras - I understand your point, but I don't see the facts on the ground...
First, based on the realities of the popular and electoral college votes, I don't see a path to the presidency for McClellan; given that this is long before Gallup, there's a lot of dramatic rhetoric about the 1864 election (which certainly served the purposes of both candidates) but looking at how lopsided the results were in November, I think it is wide open as to what might have actually happened on Election Day, even absent the capture of Atlanta, etc.
Second, the reality is that the US had decisively beaten the rebellion by 1864; the border states, West Virginia, essentially all of Tennessee, most of Louisiana, much of Arkansas, and various important parts of Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, Florida, etc were under US control. Something close to 100,000 men of African ancestry were in uniform, either with the volunteers, USCTs, or the Navy. "White" US volunteer regiments had been raised, or were being raised, in every rebel state but South Carolina.
Third, whoever gets elected in November does not get sworn in until March 4, 1865...by which time, Columbia, Charleston, AND Wilmington are in US hands, much less Atlanta. Tennessee had approved a state constitution abolishing slavery. Richmond fell April 2, Appomatox is April 9 (all of one month and five days after Lincoln's second inaugural); cripes, the REBELS had approved arming slaves March 13...
Exactly what is there to sign an armistice over? Even George B. McClellan at his most obtuse could not foul up the rebel surrender given the strategic realities of the war on March 4, 1865...
Best,