The definitive account of Abraham Lincoln's life and presidency, written collaboratively by John Hay and Robert George Nicolay, his personal secretaries. Drawing on their close personal relationship to the president, they offer an insightful and balanced analysis of Lincoln's political genius, his leadership during the Civil War, and his tragic legacy. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in American History. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.