WI: Lincoln Assassinated in 1862

[redlightning]

What if Lincoln was assassinated by Southern sympathizers in 1862 instead of 1865?

 

[Blackfox5]

When in 1862? The exact circumstances will probably affect how successful President Hannibal Hamlin is in restoring the Union.

I don't know how much better or worse he'd be as commander-in-chief, but he was a stronger opponent of slavery and more in favor of arming black Americans than Lincoln was.

I assume he'll likely inherit a lot of sympathy with Lincoln's assassination so it is possible he may be able to pass more radical measures than Lincoln did yet get less opposition. The honeymoon won't last forever though.

 

[Anaxagoras]

An interesting question is how the Confederate leadership would respond. They would be genuinely horrified, but they would also be blamed for it in the eyes of the world.

That said, I think a serious effort on Lincoln's life is unlikely before the war entered its harsher and grittier phase in 1864.

 

[dartingfog]

When in 1862? The exact circumstances will probably affect how successful President Hannibal Hamlin is in restoring the Union.

I don't know how much better or worse he'd be as commander-in-chief, but he was a stronger opponent of slavery and more in favor of arming black Americans than Lincoln was.

I assume he'll likely inherit a lot of sympathy with Lincoln's assassination so it is possible he may be able to pass more radical measures than Lincoln did yet get less opposition. The honeymoon won't last forever though.

It's hard to say how Hamlin would perform in Commander-in-Chief, it's really a toss-up in my opinion. On the pro side, Hamlin had more military experience than Lincoln (he served as a major in the Aroostook War). Also, his desire to free and arm Black Americans would have strengthened the forces on the Northern side. But Hamlin lacked Lincoln's political finesse and could have alienated people in the border states. And he was rather more prone to bearing grudges than was Lincoln, which would likely have led to more conflict with his cabinet and generals.

That said, I think a serious effort on Lincoln's life is unlikely before the war entered its harsher and grittier phase in 1864.

I disagree. The Baltimore Plot, which seems to have been quite serious, occurred before the war even started: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baltimore_Plot

What if Lincoln was assassinated by Southern sympathizers in 1862 instead of 1865?

Here's a shameless plug for my own TL that you might be interested in reading (POD is Lincoln's assassination as a result of the Baltimore Plot in 1861, just one year earlier than 1862): https://www.alternatehistory.com/forum/threads/from-fifth-wheel-to-the-driver%E2%80%99s-seat-a-president-hannibal-hamlin-tl.374818/