Six Months at the White House

In February of 1864, Francis Carpenter left New York for the White House to fulfill a dream born of the previous year's issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation. With Lincoln's enthusiastic support, Carpenter would paint the now-famous life-sized portrait of the President and his Cabinet depicting the first reading of the Proclamation. For six months, Carpenter had almost daily access to Lincoln, often sketching quietly in the President's office while Lincoln worked and met with...
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In February of 1864, Francis Carpenter left New York for the White House to fulfill a dream born of the previous year's issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation. With Lincoln's enthusiastic support, Carpenter would paint the now-famous life-sized portrait of the President and his Cabinet depicting the first reading of the Proclamation. For six months, Carpenter had almost daily access to Lincoln, often sketching quietly in the President's office while Lincoln worked and met with visitors. He would see Lincoln in triumph, in sorrow, in the company of important men, and meeting with common citizens. From this extraordinary access, Carpenter observed a man he came to regard as uniquely suited for the overwhelming task of guiding the nation through a war that threatened to rip it apart. He saw and appreciated Lincoln's wisdom, intellect, humanity, and wit. He came to love the man. Included in this volume are stories that are familiar and many more that appear no where else. For the first time, this wonderful book is available in a carefully-edited and well-formatted version for e-readers.