Synopsis

This episode follows the unfolding events that culminated in Lincoln’s momentous decision to emancipate the enslaved. By July 1862, he had become convinced that emancipation was both a moral imperative and a military necessity for the survival of the Union, yet he felt compelled to await a victory before issuing his proclamation. As the year progressed, however, no such victories materialized, owing to the exceptional skill of Stonewall Jackson and Robert E. Lee. The narrative builds to a dramat