Tag Archives: 1850s

Clouds of Glory

Posted on April 18, 2026 by smellincoffee

General Lee has long fascinated me as a man who did not believe in secession, but was compelled by his sense of honor and Fate to become an icon of the war which followed. He is, of course, an idol … Continue reading →

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Sam Grant

Posted on March 27, 2026 by smellincoffee

Ulysses Grant opens with Josiah Bunting III’s rueful observation that Grant is almost always thought of “General Grant”, never president — despite being the only man between Lincoln and Wilson to serve two consecutive terms. Bunting attributes this to both … Continue reading →

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With Malice Toward None

Posted on February 20, 2026 by smellincoffee

As part of my US Presidents course of reading, and in combination with my obsessive 1840s – 1860s dive,  I’ve read two biographies of Abraham Lincoln this year –   one hailing him a saint, the other a brute. Both … Continue reading →

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The Rivalry

Posted on January 14, 2026 by smellincoffee

The Rivalry proceeds from an ambitious and fascinating idea for a play. The Lincoln–Douglas debates of 1858 led to Douglas being elected to the Senate, but they also allowed for a sustained public debate over slavery—and gave Lincoln far more … Continue reading →

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Buy one, get one free: Jackson and Lincoln

Posted on January 11, 2026 by smellincoffee

I thought it would be amusing to do a history short round after realizing I’d read two books in which Jon Meacham focuses on Kentucky-born presidents who became icons and who dealt with secession crises. First up, Andy Jackson! Andrew … Continue reading →

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Chorus of the Union

Posted on January 8, 2026 by smellincoffee

Before the last month or so, my awareness of Stephen Douglas was that he had sparred against Abraham Lincoln in the Lincoln-Douglas debates. I did not realize until reading 1858 that these debates were not part of the 1860 presidential … Continue reading →

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End Year Short Rounds: Frankenstein, Merlin, and Stephen Douglas

Posted on December 29, 2025 by smellincoffee

Although I ostensibly took a break from the blog on Christmas eve to focus on real life and all that, part of my brain is resolutely blog-oriented and insisted I keep reading so that I did not fail the Science … Continue reading →

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Bosom Friends

Posted on December 22, 2025 by smellincoffee

James Buchanan remains the United States’  only bachelor president –  he was technically joined in this feat by Cleveland for one term, but by the time 22 had returned as 24, he had found his better half.  Buchanan, though,  despite … Continue reading →

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1858

Posted on December 17, 2025 by smellincoffee

1858 is a history of the second year of James Buchanan’s administration, a year notable less for what Buchanan did than for what he refused to do while the slavery debate burned white-hot. He maintained that slavery was no longer … Continue reading →

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The Expatriation of Franklin Pierce

Posted on December 16, 2025 by smellincoffee

Continuing in the tragedy of Franklin Pierce, I chose to follow a short biography of him with this, a more focused look Pierce’s exit from the presidency, when he found himself wholly isolated. Four years ago, he had earned a … Continue reading →

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