The Day Lincoln Lost
In the summer of 1860, a twelve-year-old slave girl, Lucy Battelle, escapes a brutal Kentucky plantation. Alone, she heads north for the Underground Railroad to Canada and freedom. A “kindly” slave catcher rescues her and, for a fee, turns her over to the federal court in Springfield, Illinois. Her owner arrives, proves his ownership, and she is back in his clutches.
Larger dramas are playing out in Springfield. Abe Lincoln, nominee for President, lives there. Fiery abolitionist Abby Foster gives a big speech at the main church. Immediately after, the riled-up attendees rush out to save Lucy, who is already in the carriage that will take her away. The mob turns the carriage over, and she escapes.
The U.S. Attorney prosecutes Abby for inciting the mayhem. Reluctantly, Lincoln agrees to defend her. Brilliant trial lawyer Lincoln must carefully weigh every step, every spoken word, and their impact on not only judge and jury but also on voters and states preparing to leave the Union. Behind the scenes, sitting President Buchanan pulls strings to sully Lincoln in any way he can.
Rosenberg vividly portrays the pre-trial and trial proceedings and the larger forces buffeting the country. Several secondary characters (such as Lucy and Buchanan) are so well drawn readers will want more of them. Despite the title, this story is not an alternative history after Lincoln loses the election. Rather, at the end, it explores what might have happened under complex rules when none of the four candidates has enough electoral votes to win outright. This novel will appeal to anyone interested in Lincoln, the lawyer and the statesman, in the run-up to the Civil War.
