1939 Golden Spike Days Ceremony in Omaha and Council Bluffs

 The Durham History Museum has a display of photographs from their archives of the 70th anniversary of the completion of the railroad and the golden spike in Utah which coincided with the premiere of the Cecil B. Demille movie, Union Pacific, in Omaha.  This resulted in a four-day celebration in Omaha with parades and dancing and festivities.  The town was decorated with an 1867 mode, and there were historic Abraham Lincoln hats and an Abraham Lincoln impersonator.  Lincoln put into motion the transcontinental railroad after having visited Council Bluffs before he was elected president.  Omaha has a long history with the Union Pacific.  200,000 people attended the parades and festivities.  

One of the dignitaries Barbara Stanwyck.  She and Robert Preston
attended the festivities as they starred in the film.

Unveiling of the Golden Spike Monument in Council Bluffs.  The largest
golden spike monument in the world

Lincoln Memorial and Lafeyette Park

 The Lincoln Memorial is at the corner of Lafayette and Oakland Avenues in Council Bluffs.  It overlooks the Missouri River and there is a good view of the Omaha skyline.  This monument remembers when Abraham Lincoln came to Council Bluffs in 1859.  Based on his view, he later selected Council Bluffs and Omaha as the route for the transcontinental railroad.  The memorial was erected in July 1911.

Omaha skyline

Lafayette Park

ironwork

Route 66 Rest Area Stop Bloomington, Illinois

  Rest area including a couple Route 66 displays and history marker

Bloomington-Normal Illinois
The first settlement in this area in 1822 was called Keg.  By the time a post office was established in 1828 the settlement was known as Blooming Grove.  McLean county was organized the following year and Bloomington, which was laid out in 1831 just north of Bloomington Grove on 22 acres of land donated by James Allin, was selected as county seat.  It was incorporated as a town in 1843, and a city in 1850.  In 1853 Illinois Wesleyan University was chartered here and in 1857 Normal University , first state-supported school of higher education in Illinois, was established in North Bloomington which soon changed is name to Normal.  The state Republican party was formally organized in Bloomington in 1856 at a convention called to protest the Kansas-Nebraska bill, which made possible the westward extension of slaver.  It was at this convention that Abraham Lincoln delivered his "lost speech" so called because no record of it was kept.  Several of Lincoln's close associates were local residents, including Jesse Fell, credited with the founding of Normal, Leonard Swett, lawyer and campaigner for Lincoln, and David Davis, appointed to the United States Supreme Court by Lincoln (1862-1877), and later United States senator.  Other distinguished residents include governors John M. Hamilton and Joseph Fifer; Adlai Stevenson I, vice president under Cleveland and Adlai Stevenson II, governor, twice presidential candidate, and United Nations Ambassador.

Finding Lincoln in Atlanta, Illinois

 There is a finding Lincoln plaque in Atlanta, Illinois

Who Is In the Statues Outside of the Illinois State Capital

 

President Abraham Lincoln

John M Palmer !5th governor of Illinois, Civil War general and presidential candidate. 1817-1900

Richard Yates Sr. 13th governor of Illinois, congressman and senator.  Governor during Civil War, 1815-1873

Everett Dirksen U.S. representive 12 years and senator 18 years. Senate minority leader 1859-1869.  Instrumental in pssage of Civil Rights Acts 1964 and 1968.  1898-1969.

Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King

Documentary Review: Civil War 360: Fight for Freedom

This is a presentation from Smithsonian Channel and this episode features Dennis Haysbert telling not only of his ancestors, but the history of slavery, and the Civil War from the perspective of an African American.  This presentation tells many different stories.  Among other things it tells where the term "Sold down the River" came from.  Slaves were considered property, not people.  In fact, the value of slaves was about $3 billion, which was an incredible amount of money at the time, worth more than all the real estate of the area.  "Being sold down the river" referred to being sold south, where the work was usually more grueling, the life expectancy much shorter, and families almost always separated.  It was against the law to teach a slave to read.  The thought was if a slave could read then he would want more.  A great fear of those living in the South was a slave revolt.  Nat Turner had actually lead a revolt, and 50 citizens were killed.  Of course 200 blacks were killed in retribution, but the South lived in fear.  Many of the African Americans risked so much.  Harriet Tubman risked her own self, spying for the Union, and directing the Union men on some occasions in their pursuit of the enemy.  This movie points out how the Ciivil War was sandwiched between two illegal events, the attack on Harpers Ferry, and the assassination of President Lincoln.  John Wilkes Booth was at the first event, and perpetrated the second.
This movie of course also talked about how General Ben Butler first refused to return runaway slaves, saying they were contraband of war.  In the end President Lincoln backed him.  It describes the Emancipation Proclamation, and lastly talks about Black troops.  The risk for Black troops was much greater, because the Confederacy did not take them prisoner, but killed them.  A Black Soldier had to be better than the rest.  There was prejudice against them.  They received less pay for the same work.

Documentary Review: Civil War: America Divided: Two Nations

This documentary does a good job of explaining just how divided the country was before the Civil War.  The Mexican American War proved a training ground for Civil War officers.  However it resulted in a dilemma, What to do with the territory gained as a result of the war.  This territory covers California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, most of New Mexico, Colorado and Wyoming.  Should the territories by slave or free.  Kansas was one of the places where this decision turned bloody.  John Brown took advantage of the situation to carry out bloody murders.  However Southern sympathizers, many from Missouri, performed their own acts of bloodshed.  John Brown found he took his act too far when he attacked the arsenal at harper's Ferry.  He was captured and hung.  two of his sons died in their capture.  The election of 1860 was really a two part election.  Abraham Lincoln  (Republican) and Stephen Douglas (Democrat) competed in the North.  John Bell (Constitutional Union) and John Breckinridge (Southern Democrat) campaigned in the South.  Lincoln won by taking the entire North.  He was not even on the ballot in many Southern states.
His election spurred the South to action, and many states seceded even before Lincoln took office.  The stage was set for war.

Book Review: Abraham Lincoln'c Gettysburg Address Illustrated

Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address Illustrated by Jack E. Levin preface: Mark Levine, Threshold editions, New York, 2010.

This is just what the title says.  An illustrated version of the Gettysburg address with line by line illustrations.  It shows the men who gave the ultimate sacrifice, and reminds us to not let their deaths be in vain.  In the preface Mark Levin tells about his father, and how he came to produce such a book.  How fighting for freedom is important, and without being vigilant then freedom can be lost.  The last page of the book is a signed and dated version of the address.

Book Review: A True Book: Abraham Lincoln

A True Book: Abraham Lincoln, by Peter Benoit, Children’s Press, Scholastic Books, New York, 2012.

This book is geared to give little known facts about President Lincoln.  Yes, he is the only president to hold a patent.  He also did not win his first try for the state legislature in Illinois.  With only 18 months of school, Lincoln read as many books as he could.  Other facts include: There were seven Lincoln-Douglas debates, there were almost 4 million slaves in 1860, 46,000 were killed or wounded at Gettysburg.  12 million peple saw Lincoln’s funeral train.  360,000 soldiers died in the Civil War.  There are less than 300 words in the Gettysburg Address. 

Lincoln first saw slavery up close when he and some friends piloted a boat down the Mississippi in 1830.  He walked back to Illinois from Louisiana.  Lincoln was a hard worker and a good story teller and was well liked.  Lincoln served in the militia in the Black Hawk War, but never saw action.  In 1842 he married Mary Todd.  He also met Stephen Douglas at this time who would become a political opponent.  Lincoln battled depression, which was made worse by the loss of his sons.  Only one would live to adulthood.  After becoming president, one of his biggest moves was the emancipation proclamation effective January 1, 1863.  This allowed the Union to recruit 180,000 African Americans to the military.  Lincoln delivered his Gettysburg Address, which he wrote himself, at the dedication of the military graveyard in Gettysburg.  Lincoln at first thought the speech a failure.  However in a few words he outlined the struggle and the commitment.  Lincoln was shot at Ford’s Theater the evening of April 14.  He would die the next morning.

Book Review: Lincoln's Last Days

Lincoln’s Last Days: The Shocking Assassination That Changed America Forever, Bill O’Reilly and Dwight Jon Zimmerman, Henry Hold and Company, New York, 2012.

 

This book is very interesting.  It focused more on Lincoln, the end of the war and his activities until his assassination.  It also focuses on the planning and the coordination it took to carry out this attack on our government and Abraham Lincoln.  There were three attacks planned, one which was not carried out.  However John Wilkes Booth was successful in killing the president.  Lewis Powell failed in his murder attempt again Secretary of State William Seward.  However he did injure several household members with his knife.  The third attack intended against the vice president did not materialize.  George Atzerodt was too drunk, and did not take kindly to the idea of murdering, and so wondered into the night rather than make the attempt. 

The capture of Booth ended rather quickly, with only a cursory review of his capture.  This book has left me interested enough to get the adult version; “Killing Lincoln.”

Book Review: When Abraham Talked to the Trees

When Abraham Talked to Trees by Elizabeth Van Steenwyk, illustrated by Bill Farnsworth, Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2000.

 

This is a story about how Abraham Lincoln developed his skill at public discourse.  Abraham loved to talk, and he read considerable to learn stories.  He would tell the stories to his family.  Sometimes they would listen.  Other times they might become bored.  Abraham would talk anyway; whether to his family, friends or the trees.

Book Review: Freedom National: The Destruction of Slavery in the United States, 1861-1865

Freedom National: The Destruction of Slavery in the United States, 1861-1865, by: James Oakes, W.W. Norton and Company, New York, 2013. 

This is a fascinating book about the progression towards the liberation of the slaves.  The basic story we have is that Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, after the Union achieved a victory of sorts at  Antietam, and then the slaves were free.  Lincoln went on to get the thirteenth amendment through congress, which was eventually accepted by the states.  Some of the former Confederate States accepted it as it was now the law of the land, or less than full hardy, but in the end, slavery was no more. 

However, the truth is that the emancipation of the slaves was a gradual process. Without the secession of the Southern States, it probably would have taken much longer, but the war gave the government, and Abraham Lincoln and the Republican party a reason to emancipate the slaves.  First, slaves escaped to the Union lines, and eventual the policy became, the army would not return slaves would could be conscripted to help the Southern cause, but would be employed to help the North.  Also of immediate import was the ending of the Fugitive Slave Act with regards to those states that had seceded.  The agreement was no longer binding with those states who were no longer under the Constitution. 

The policy as such lead to people to self emancipate, but running to the army, or by running to free states.  When the Union invaded Louisiana, this again lead to slaves running to Union lines. 

Federal policy progressed slowly.  Next is was slaves from seceded states who were no longer returned, rather than just those whose masters fought for the rebel cause or used the slaves for the rebel cause.  The emancipation proclamation was President Lincoln taking advantage of the powers given him by the war powers Act which basically asked for a proclamation. 

The Emancipation Proclamation did two things, emancipated those slaves in Union controlled territory from seceded states.  It also allowed for former slaves to fight for the army, which had not been done to this point, January 1, 1835. over 180,000 would fight for the Union.  At the end of the war the accounted for 20 percent of the soldiers in arms.

However, this proclamation wasn’t enough.  Slaves in border states still loyal to the Union were not freed.  It was hoped these states would abolish slavery on their own, but this was not happening and when it did happen, the process was slow.  Louisiana and West Virginia were progressing to abolish slavery, and other states were coming along like Missouri; however Kentucky and Delaware were having none of it. 

A broader approach was needed.  This was found in an amendment to the Constitution—which was rare to this point in time.  In fact, the first attempt failed in the congress.  However, after the election, but before the new congressmen came into office (the election had been a Republican success and passage was assured after the new congress was sworn in.)  However they wanted passage as soon as possible, and before the end of the war, which may change people’s ideas about the need for the amendment. 

The Democratic argument against emancipation was two-fold, the government should not interfere with property rights; property in men in this case.  The second was the racist argument, the freed slaves were inferior and would be a burden upon themselves and other people without masters to care for them.  On the other hand, the Republicans argued that there was no such thing as property in people, or shouldn’t be.  They also argued that free people would find a way to contribute to society. 

For everyone’s benefit, the Republicans prevailed and Freedom was the law, all across the land.  At this time, equal rights should have been the next step.  However, after Lincoln was killed, this step was not taken, and our nation still wallowed in racial segregation and lack of voting and other basic rights for many years.

Book Review: Mr. Lincoln’s High-Tech War

Mr. Lincoln’s High-Tech War: How the North Used the Telegraph, railroads, Surveillance Balloons, Iron-Clads, High-Powered Weapons and More to Win the Civil War, by Thomas B. Allen and Roger MacBride Allen, National Geographic, Washington, D.C., 2009.

This book is more than just a talk of the weapons used in the war, although it does provide some of that information.  It is also a description of some of the action in the war.  For example, it has a very good description of the first armored naval battle, between the Monitor and the Merrimack or CSS Virginia.  The Virginia had her day against the Union wooden fleet the first day, but because she had a heavy draw, low-tide was her enemy and she had to withdraw.  The Captain and crew expected to return the next day and finish a job on the wood ships, after sinking one and damaging a couple more the previous day.  However, a new ship, a raft with a barrel on top, met them the next day, in defense of the wooden vessels.   This was the Monitor, with the first turreted gun in history.  The battle proved a draw, with both sides trying to ram the others, and causing some damage to the iron sheeting.  However, again the Virginia had to withdraw because of the tide, and nothing was resolved; except the Union fleet was now safe.  Neither of these vessels was very sea worthy, and their predecessors would be better vessels.  They did usher in a new age of sea warfare. 

Other chapters of interest; balloon reconnaissance should have been more successful than it was.  However, McClellan always but more faith in his detectives than the information from the balloons, and they soon fell out of favor. 

Advances in rifles gave the union a big advantage.  Breech loading weapons could shoot more rapidly with the same accuracy.  Rifling made traditional warfare obsolete, as generals discovered early in the war, with excessive casualties. 

Other technology includes advances in canon, use of rail and telegraph. 

Book Review: Horrible Hauntings

Horrible Hauntings by Shirin Yim Bridges, illustrated by William Maughan, Goosebottom Books, Foster City, CA., 2012.

This is basically a ghost story book.  It is interesting to read about ghosts, many of whom were prominent people.  These include Abraham Lincoln.  He has haunted the White House, and among those who have seen him are Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands, who fainted; and Winston Churchill while dressing who responded, “You have me at a disadvantage, Sir!”

Prince Edward and his younger brother, who were killed by their uncle King Richard.  (Actually Edward was the king, but deemed too young to rule, and Richard was ruling in his stead, and didn’t want to relinquish the throne.  They haunt the Tower of London.

Whalley Abbey is haunted by a whole abbey of priests, with their Abbot Paslew who was executed for treason.  They haunt the old abandoned abbey.

There are several different headless horsemen.  Of course the most famous is he of Sleepy Hollow, he did away with Ichabod Crane with the use of his pumpkin head.  There are several others, someof whom carry their head under their arm.

Katherine Howard, the fifth wife of King Henry VIII haunts the gallery of Hamptom Palace.  She met the same fate as her cousin Anne Boleyn, who was the King’s second wife.  Being a wife of King Henry the VIII must have been risky business.  In her haunt she is seeking the King, who denies her.  She was taken to the tower and then met her fate on the chopping block.

Book Review: The Long Road to Antietam

The Long Road to Antietam: How the Civil War Became a Revolution, by Richard Slotkin, Liveright Publishing Corp.,2012.

I thoroughly enjoyed this historical novel, which added the political environment to the Battle of Antietam.  President Lincoln was determined to issue the Emancipation Proclamation, but his cabinet convinced him he needed a military victory on which to hand his announcement of the proclamation. Coming off the Battle of Second Bull Run, the Confederacy was emboldened to attack north, into Maryland.  In this battle, the forces under General John Pope.  General George McClellan's men had been withdrawn off the Peninsula, and could have moved forward to change the tide of battle, but McClellan was no so inclined,as he was more interested in destroying Pope than the Confederates. 
President Lincoln had no choice that appoint McClellan over the Army of the Potomac, and McClellan  was always seeking more power, more influence.  This quest for power always tainted what he did and how he lead his men.  However, when the battle plans of General Lee  were found, and given to McClellan, he had the tool to destroy Lee's army.
The Confederate Army had taken refuge behind South Mountain, where there were only a couple of passes, while General Stonewall Jackson took his Crop to capture Harper's Ferry, and the federal arsenal there.  McClellan for once had the ability to get over his habitual slows, and attack the Confederates through South Mountain. The drove them back, and they took up position aaeound the town of Sharpsburg.
Even though capturing took longer than expected, Jackson had most of his men back into the defense around Sharpsburg, although tired.  One division under A.P. Hill was left behind to coordinate the capture of supplies and the surrender and pardon of the over 12,000 men. 
The federal attack started on Lee's left, where Joe Hooker's Corp attacked Stonewall Jackson's Corp.  The where able to stop them initially, but eventually three corp would attack on that wing, and drive them back.  Also there was attack in the center, where the federal came up against a sunken road, which was a natural defense.  It took some time before they could drive the Confederates from the road, but the Confederates finally had to reform around Sharpsburg, and their lines were very thin.
In the meantime, General Burnside was expected to attack on the Confederate right, where he had to attack over a bridge.  There was also a ford, but it took the troops too long to find the ford.  When this flank of Lee's was finally being overrun by superior numbers, A.P. Hill finally arrived and hit the flank of the attack and drove them back. 
Lee survived the day.  McClellan could have continued the attack, and finished of Lee's army, or at least inflicted unrecoverable damage.  However McClellan always over estimagted Lee's forces, or just didn't want an out and out victory which would have pleased the Republicans, and did not pursue his advantage. 
Lee stayed the next day, but there was no attack, and he crossed over the fords back into Virginia the next day. 
The repulse of the Confederates in Maryland gave Lincoln the victory he needed to support his announcement of the Emancipation Proclamation.  They would use the war powers act to emancipate the slaves in the rebellious states as war contraband.  With this decision, the war took on a new meaning.  We had put down on paper what the war was about, the freedom for the slaves.  In addition African Americans could now serve in the military, and almost 200,000 would serve.  This was about ten percent of the total fighting for the North, but represented almost 20 percent of those that fought in the last two years, when the African Americans were allowed to enlist.
On side note is the wealth involved in slavery.  Slavery is an evil, and the South should not have built their economy based on slavery.  At the time of the emancipation, slaves represented an investment of $3.5 billion.  The total net worth of the property in the United States at the time was $16 billion. 

Book Review: Looking at Lincoln

Looking at Lincoln, Maira Kalman, Nancy Paulsen Books, New York, 2012.

This is a children’s picture book, consequently the art is part of the story.  At first I thought is wasn’t going to include any history, but just a little girl’s story.  However, it did put some basic ideas in the story.  He was born in log cabin in Kentucky, his mother died when he was young, but he had a good relationship with his stepmother.  She encouraged him to read.  They moved to a log cabin in Illinois, and from there he became a lawyer in Springfield.  One of his friends was the first officer killed in the war, removing a Confederate flag from a boarding house in Alexandria.  He gave the Gettysburg Address, and one of the last speeches he gave included this line, “With malice toward none, with charity for all.”

This book is better viewed as an artistic expression. The art work is fantastic.

Book Review: Frederick Douglass: Truth is of No Color

Frederick Douglass: Truth is of No Color, by: Michael A. Schuman, Easlow Publisher Inc., Berkeley Heights, NJ, 2009.

Frederick Douglass was an interesting man.  He was born a slave, and in his early life received some mistreatment, as well as some care.  His mother was really never able to care for him, as she worked long hours.  As a toddler he was in the care of his grandmother.  His mother would have to walk 12 miles from the fields to see her son.  At age six Frederick was sent to work.  At this time he met his older siblings who had previously been sent to the same plantation to work. 

At eight years old, Frederick’s master passed away.  He and the entire family were lined up and distributed amongst the inheritors.  He went to Thomas and Sophia Auld.  Sophia would read the bible to Frederick and her own son, when Frederick was not working.  He became fascinating with the idea of letters forming words.  He asked her to teach him, and she did.   This is unusual as it was against the law to teach a slave to read.  When Sophia bragged to Thomas about Fredericks’s reading, the lessons stopped.  However Frederick continued to learn.  At this time he worked as an errand boy in the shipyard in Baltimore.  He would play reading games with other boys, testing who could read best.  Frederick used these games to improve his reading. 

As a teen, Frederick was assigned to work for others.  In this he was beaten, and required to do tasks he had not been trained to perform.  He finally determined he must escape.  He escape using the Maritime Papers of a friend.  These identified him as a veteran sailor who had won his freedom through his service.  This came in handy as questioning was much less for those who were veterans.  He traveled by ship and train, until he made it to Philadelphia.

He changed his name to make it harder for others to track him.  He lived in several communities which he had heard that they were positive to African Americans.  However he still found prejudice.  In the church the Black people were asked to sit in the back and spoken down to.  They formed their own church.  Blacks were not allowed in school, so Frederick took upon himself their education.

Douglass became and abolitionist speaker.  He published an autobiography, and then began publishing his own abolitionist paper.  He traveled in England, for his own safety.  He was still subject to capture and return to slavery in the United States.  However, we was married and had children and missed them, so he returned.  Douglass was a correspondent of John Brown.  When Brown was arrested and hung for treason, these letters were found and a finger pointed at Douglass.  Even though Douglass had cautioned him against his rash plan, there was still the air of conspiracy.  Douglass fled to England again.  However, the nation did not want to pursue anyone else about this affair, especially after the commencement of the Civil War.

Douglass returned, and advised the president to free the slaves and recruit them for military service.  After the emancipation proclamation they were accepted for service, and Douglass worked with recruitment.  He also worked for African American soldiers to receive equal pay.

At Lincoln’s second inauguration he visited the White House, but guards would not let him enter.  African Americans had never before been invited to a social occasion at the White House.  However, President Lincoln saw him, and invited him in, said there is my good friend Frederick Douglass.  He asked for his critique of his inaugural address.  This may have been the first time an African American had been invited into the White House for such an occasion.

Douglass fulfilled many government positions by appointment after this.  His wife died after 44 years of marriage, and he went into a period of melancholy before being able to return to work.  Douglass did another thing that was unheard of at that time.  He married a White woman, Helen Pitts, who had been his clerk. 

Frederick Douglass did a great deal towards the emancipation of the slaves, and then towards the advancement of African Americans.  He likely did more in this regard than anyone, at least until the fight for Civil Rights.

Animated Docudrama: Rich Studios: President Abraham Lincoln

 This short animated feature tells the life of Abraham Lincoln from the time of his leaving Springfield. Illinois and traveling to Washington.  It is short, so gleans over much of his life.  However it does show the death of his son to a fever while he was in the White House. 
The emancipation was presented with much cheering.  This may have been true in pockets, but there were also places where people were very much opposed to the proclamation.
The part I liked bests was the Gettysburg Address.  They presented the entire speech, with animation of the conflict portrayed to this.  It was very moving.
The presentation goes from there, almost immediately to the funeral procession and the train carrying Lincoln's body back to Springfield.  While he travels, this song is sung; written by Carol Lynn Pearson and Lex de Azevedo.
One LifeOne life
Lived with courage and care
One life
Yes, that’s all that it takes
One hand
That will never be halted
One back
That the World cannot break

One Life
Lived by heavenly faith
One Life
Shining clear in the dark
One Life seeing visions of morning
One word
Igniting the spark
See how it glows
See how it grows
Changing the world
Rearranging the world
Giving hope that will stand firm and fast
When that one life is ended and past
Oh that light will burn bright and will last
Forever
Forever!
One life
Given up for cause
One soul
Oh how it will soar
One day
That will not be forgotten
One name
That will live evermore

One life
Lived with courage and care
One life
Yes, that’s all that it takes
One hand
That will never be halted
One back
That the World cannot break

See how it glows
See how it grows
Changing the world
Rearranging the world
Giving hope that will stand firm and fast
When that one life is ended and past
Oh that light will burn bright and will last
Forever
Forever!

Uncle Tom's Cabin and the Civil War

Stowe and Lincoln

Legend has it (as reported by her son some years later) that when Harriet Beecher Snow met Abraham Lincoln after he was president in 1862, he stated to her, "So you're the little woman who wrote the book that started this great war."  Whether true or not, this statement points to the influence this book had, especially in the North; but also as a mechanism of polarization with the South on the theme of slavery. 
The book was published as a book in 1852, and seen previously in magazines.  Stowe says one of her motivations for writing the book was the passage of the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850. 
300,000 copies of the book were purchased in the North before the war.  In many parts of the South the book was illegal.  It was even more popular in England.  Even if England's political leaders had wanted to enter the war, the public opinion in England would have been very much against them, partly due to this book. 
Of course their were many causes for the war.  What this book did do was put a face on slavery.  Through the characters presented, people could see slavery.  Stowe especially talked about its effects on family groups.  It may very well be that we are seeing the effects of this disruption even today.  Another theme in Stowe's book is that through Christianity, you didn't have to give yourself to the hate which slavery could very well cause. 
Hardened abolitionist didn't think the book went far enough in crying for immediation abolition.  Other northerners saw it as a triumph for the human aspects it put on slavery.  Southerners thought it was for the most part outright lies. 
Stowe contended that even though the actual characters were fictional, they were based on  real life stories she had heard of. 
When Stowe wrote a defense of her book, "The Key to Uncle Tom's Cabin" she was even more staunch in her call for abolition.  
http://mmboebillywardle.blogspot.com/2014/08/book-review-uncle-toms-cabin.html

Documentary Review: The Hunt for John Wilkes Booth (2007)

John Wilkes Booth shot President Abraham Lincoln April 14, 1965 as part of a plot to kill three prominent men, the President, The Secretary of State William H. Seward, and Vice-President Andrew Johnson.  In the case of Johnson, his attacker, George Atzerodt chickened out.  Lewis Powell was to kill Seward, and he invaded his home and, after his gun failed, made a vicious attempt by stabbing him repeatedly around the face and upper body.  Only a device he was wearing for a previously broken jaw prevented his jugular from being cut.  (Both these men would later be hung for their involvement.)  A third involved party (who was also later hung) was David Herold, who would travel with Booth in his escape, and assist Booth in his efforts.
Booth would not be caught for 12 days.  During this time he would keep a journal (although many pages are missing) as he avoided detection. 
Booth broke the fibula in his leg while when he jumped form the presidential booth to the stage after killing Lincoln.  He needed medical attention, and received this from Dr. Mudd.  They mostly stayed in the swamps, but had days of staying in houses.  Their goal was to cross the Potomac into Virginia.  Most of the search would take place in Booth's are of origin, Maryland, to the north. 
They tried to cross the river by night.  However they were disoriented, and ended up back on the Maryland side.  They were successful with the second crossing, and stayed with the the home of Richard H. Garrett, threatening him by gun point, and saying they were soldiers returning home.  The second night they were suspicious as they avoided the soldiers, so were asked to stay in the barn.  Garret's son locked them in, worrying they might steal their horses. 
Igt was here where the pursuers would find them early in the morning.  Herold would surrender, but Booth wanted to go out in a blaze of glory.  The federals set fire to the barn, and as Booth prepared to fire his weapon, he was shot in the neck by Sergeant Boston Corbett.  He was paralyzed, and would die about three hours later.
Booth had hoped to make himself a hero.  Instead he felt the wrath of the country as he followed the papers and heard form others.  He also learned of the surrender of Joseph E. Johnston, the last remaining Confederate force.  He was on the wrong side of the war.

The above mentioned people where hanged July 7, 1865 along with Mary Surratt, who provided a place at her boarding house for the men to plan their deed.  Others were convicted of conspiracy, including Dr. Mudd, and were sent to prison, but later pardoned by President Johnson in 1869.
Mysteries left of this event, did the get everyone involved?  They could not find evidence to charge President Jefferson Davis with conspiracy.  Did the missing pages of Booth's diary implicate others?