--- title: "Book: Tried by War: Abraham Lincoln as Commander in Chief" description: "Book: Tried by War: Abraham Lincoln as Commander in Chief" --- [![Main-Logo-01-1](https://blog.thebusinessofgood.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Main-Logo-01-1.png?width=250&height=43&name=Main-Logo-01-1.png "Main-Logo-01-1")](https://www.thebusinessofgood.org) # Tim McCarthy and the Business of Good ## [Book: Tried by War: Abraham Lincoln as Commander in Chief](https://blog.thebusinessofgood.org/articles/book-tried-by-war-abraham-lincoln-as-commander-in-chief) ** Jan 1, 2011 5:27:00 AM / by [Tim McCarthy](https://blog.thebusinessofgood.org/author/tim-mccarthy) ![](https://blog.thebusinessofgood.org/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/jan11_JamesMcPherson_TriedByWar-2.png)Tried by War: Abraham Lincoln as Commander in Chief Written by James M. McPherson [more] Preface: I’ve read plenty of history but I am far from a “buff”. This book caught my eye though because it promised to recount only Lincoln’s learning the strategy and politics of war. My biggest surprise is that things weren’t much different 150 years ago in politics, even during the conduct of war. The book is chock full of interesting stories about the generals and leaders during our nation’s darkest period. A favorite quote: "The political objective is the goal, war is the means of reaching it, and means can never be considered in isolation from their purpose…..Lincoln initially insisted that the war [purpose] was strictly the preservation of the Union and not the abolition of slavery." 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