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The Avenger Takes His Place: Andrew Johnson and the 45 Days That Changed the Nation
From the moment of Lincoln’s death on April 15, 1865, until Andrew Johnson, his replacement, formally announced postwar plans on May 29, the fate of the country hung in the balance. War had left the Republic strained almost beyond endurance. Johnson’s ascendancy to the presidency seemed the killing stroke even to the victorious North. A former slave owner from the border state of Tennessee, Johnson had been drunk at his inauguration as vice president; he was hated equally by the South and the North. Some Northerners were even convinced he had been part of the conspiracy behind Lincoln’s assassination. Later, he escaped impeachment by a single vote. As Howard Means reveals in this revisionist, powerfully persuasive, and absorbingly dramatic account of Johnson’s first six weeks in office, the new president faced almost insurmountable odds. Yet, as Means shows, Johnson not only met but overcame them, preserving the Union for which so many had sacrificed their lives.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published November 1, 2006
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February 16, 2015
Andrew Johnson
was by no measure a great president. He is remembered (if at all) for the circumstances that led to his taking office--perhaps (among history buffs) with the added anecdote of his being drunk at Lincoln's inauguration. Author Howard Means does not aim to convince you that Andy Johnson was a great president or even a great man — but he does want his readers to know that Johnson's stint as POTUS was consequential. Frankly, he [Means] does a pretty good job. What's more, he does so with a bit of flair, earning this book a
3.5/5 stars
from me.
Tennessee Tailor
We can breeze pretty quickly through the younger years of Andy J.: boyhood, bootstraps- you know the drill. Johnson is the second most notable POTUS of his surname and last initial from Tennessee, and I'll mention his apprenticeship as a tailor only because it plays into some op-ed cartoons later on. The best bit of young Andrew's shenanigans was the reward notice put out by his boss after he and his brother went AWOL, which described the two as being of "black hair, eyes, and habits."
As governor of Tennessee he pulled what was undoubtedly his best stunt to-date. In the quite literally violent political environment of 1850ish Nashville, rumor had it that if Johnson deigned to show up at the next town meeting, he wouldn't make it out alive. According to an eyewitness account:
Latter-day Caligula
Must I mention Johnson's drunken rant at Lincoln's Inauguration? Well, it happened. So, yes. Means gives a combination of well-researched sources, theories as to how the situation may have come about, and humorous accounts, including one unidentified senator who unwittingly forecast things to come.
The Sword of Justice
The people (and preachers) grieving the loss of Lincoln consoled themselves only with the notion that kind-hearted Abe would never have been able to wield "the sword of retributive justice" with sufficient ferocity.
At first, it seemed that "the bloody-minded tailor" would, indeed quench the bloodthirsty mobs. And yet, Johnson somehow managed to please precisely no one. In an 1867 address to Congress he made what one historian called "the most racist statement ever to appear in the official state papers of any American president." (And that's really saying something).
Epic Fail
So much can be said about the various ways in which Johnson's Reconstruction was a disaster, and I won't even attempt to sum them all up here. For one thing, he decided it had really been about a labor monopoly that was unfair to white men trying to pick themselves up by their bootstraps (harkening back to his own youth), which just...I have no words.
I'll leave you with one of Means' parting shots that I most sincerely wish I had written myself.
Tennessee Tailor
We can breeze pretty quickly through the younger years of Andy J.: boyhood, bootstraps- you know the drill. Johnson is the second most notable POTUS of his surname and last initial from Tennessee, and I'll mention his apprenticeship as a tailor only because it plays into some op-ed cartoons later on. The best bit of young Andrew's shenanigans was the reward notice put out by his boss after he and his brother went AWOL, which described the two as being of "black hair, eyes, and habits."
As governor of Tennessee he pulled what was undoubtedly his best stunt to-date. In the quite literally violent political environment of 1850ish Nashville, rumor had it that if Johnson deigned to show up at the next town meeting, he wouldn't make it out alive. According to an eyewitness account:
At the appointed hour, he ascended to the platform, and advancing to the desk laid his pistol upon it.He then called out his would be assassin in an almost eloquent manner, noting that "the assassination of the individual who now has the honor of addressing you [Andrew Johnson]" was "part of the business to be transacted on the present occasion," concluding this bit with the invitation to "let him shoot." After a lengthy pause for effect:
...he resumed: 'Gentlemen, it appears that I have been misinformed.'I wish that the microphone had existed at that time, if only so Andrew Johnson could have dropped it before exiting stage left.
Latter-day Caligula
Must I mention Johnson's drunken rant at Lincoln's Inauguration? Well, it happened. So, yes. Means gives a combination of well-researched sources, theories as to how the situation may have come about, and humorous accounts, including one unidentified senator who unwittingly forecast things to come.
"Heaven in its mercy avert, we should have Andrew Johnson for President, and sink to a lower degradation than was ever reached by any nation since the Roman Emperor made his horse a consul."The scene is set for drama befitting its environment.
The District of Columbia in that opening scene of the Johnson administration had many backdrops: crime scene, secessionist hotbed, numbed capital, and home to a teeming population of black freedmen.What could possibly go wrong?
The Sword of Justice
The people (and preachers) grieving the loss of Lincoln consoled themselves only with the notion that kind-hearted Abe would never have been able to wield "the sword of retributive justice" with sufficient ferocity.
At first, it seemed that "the bloody-minded tailor" would, indeed quench the bloodthirsty mobs. And yet, Johnson somehow managed to please precisely no one. In an 1867 address to Congress he made what one historian called "the most racist statement ever to appear in the official state papers of any American president." (And that's really saying something).
It must be acknowledged that in the progress of nations Negroes have shown less capacity for government than any other race of people. No independent government of any form has ever been successful in their hands. On the contrary, wherever they have been left to their own devices, they have shown a constant tendency to relapse into barbarism.
Epic Fail
So much can be said about the various ways in which Johnson's Reconstruction was a disaster, and I won't even attempt to sum them all up here. For one thing, he decided it had really been about a labor monopoly that was unfair to white men trying to pick themselves up by their bootstraps (harkening back to his own youth), which just...I have no words.
I'll leave you with one of Means' parting shots that I most sincerely wish I had written myself.
Andy Johnson didn't have it in him: neither conciliation nor creativity. His synapses didn't leap that way; his neurons wouldn't fire in that direction. It was his way or the highway, and his way seemed always to be right through a brick wall.
July 18, 2014
http://bestpresidentialbios.com/2014/...
“The Avenger Takes His Place: Andrew Johnson and the 45 Days That Changed the Nation” by Howard Means was published in 2006. Means is a former writer and editor for Washingtonian magazine, an editorial board member at the Orlando Sentinel and op-ed columnist. He has also written several books including a biography of Colin Powell.
Perhaps evident from its title, Mean’s book is less a comprehensive biography of Andrew Johnson and more an examination of the weeks following Lincoln’s assassination and Johnson’s ascension to the presidency. But lest the reader take the inference too far, while this book does not provide a systematic exploration of Johnson’s full life neither does it focus primarily on the first forty-five days of Johnson’s presidency.
In fact, although Means is an articulate and interesting writer, the most frustrating aspect of this book is its organizational structure. It is neither a biography nor a treatise on Johnson’s earliest days in the White House. Although it promises forty-five days “that changed the nation” is does not deliver on this promise.
What the book does deliver is an often circuitous but frequently interesting brainstorm on much – but not all – of Johnson’s life, Lincoln’s assassination, the heated debates over post-Civil War Reconstruction and the personality traits which ultimately led to Johnson’s failure as president of a deeply divided nation.
For reasons that are not clear the book insists on meandering chronologically, jumping back and forth between different decades in order to prove one point or another. The author also frequently focuses too much attention to matters that later prove to be distractions. As a result it can be easy to lose track of the central storyline, and Johnson himself often disappears into the background.
To its credit, however, the book offers important background on Johnson’s extraordinary early life: his rise from abject poverty with no education whatsoever to wandering but skilled tailor to remarkably successful politician. But it is too brief to fully capture the man’s persona. In addition, while Means does not see his goal as correcting Johnson’s reputation as one of our least successful presidents, he does an excellent job of putting Johnson’s many strengths – and flaws – into context.
In addition, the book’s preface and epilogue were excellent. Both were potent, insightful and punchy. Unfortunately, the preface led me to expect an even more impressive book than the author was able to deliver, but the concluding chapter rewarded me for my perseverance.
In the end, this is an often interesting book which is accessible to a general audience. Unfortunately, its most potent messages are diluted by the book’s structure and flow. For those who can see through the distractions this book offers compelling lessons on Johnson as president (and as a person) and provides some acutely interesting observations on the era. But as a first book on Andrew Johnson, or as a comprehensive biography of a failed president, it is far from ideal.
Overall rating: 3½ stars
“The Avenger Takes His Place: Andrew Johnson and the 45 Days That Changed the Nation” by Howard Means was published in 2006. Means is a former writer and editor for Washingtonian magazine, an editorial board member at the Orlando Sentinel and op-ed columnist. He has also written several books including a biography of Colin Powell.
Perhaps evident from its title, Mean’s book is less a comprehensive biography of Andrew Johnson and more an examination of the weeks following Lincoln’s assassination and Johnson’s ascension to the presidency. But lest the reader take the inference too far, while this book does not provide a systematic exploration of Johnson’s full life neither does it focus primarily on the first forty-five days of Johnson’s presidency.
In fact, although Means is an articulate and interesting writer, the most frustrating aspect of this book is its organizational structure. It is neither a biography nor a treatise on Johnson’s earliest days in the White House. Although it promises forty-five days “that changed the nation” is does not deliver on this promise.
What the book does deliver is an often circuitous but frequently interesting brainstorm on much – but not all – of Johnson’s life, Lincoln’s assassination, the heated debates over post-Civil War Reconstruction and the personality traits which ultimately led to Johnson’s failure as president of a deeply divided nation.
For reasons that are not clear the book insists on meandering chronologically, jumping back and forth between different decades in order to prove one point or another. The author also frequently focuses too much attention to matters that later prove to be distractions. As a result it can be easy to lose track of the central storyline, and Johnson himself often disappears into the background.
To its credit, however, the book offers important background on Johnson’s extraordinary early life: his rise from abject poverty with no education whatsoever to wandering but skilled tailor to remarkably successful politician. But it is too brief to fully capture the man’s persona. In addition, while Means does not see his goal as correcting Johnson’s reputation as one of our least successful presidents, he does an excellent job of putting Johnson’s many strengths – and flaws – into context.
In addition, the book’s preface and epilogue were excellent. Both were potent, insightful and punchy. Unfortunately, the preface led me to expect an even more impressive book than the author was able to deliver, but the concluding chapter rewarded me for my perseverance.
In the end, this is an often interesting book which is accessible to a general audience. Unfortunately, its most potent messages are diluted by the book’s structure and flow. For those who can see through the distractions this book offers compelling lessons on Johnson as president (and as a person) and provides some acutely interesting observations on the era. But as a first book on Andrew Johnson, or as a comprehensive biography of a failed president, it is far from ideal.
Overall rating: 3½ stars
August 4, 2013
The more I read about Andrew Johnson, the more I realize that no one really knows him or fully understands the predicament we were all in during the first few months after the assassination of President Lincoln. Unlike what was taught in public schools, the war still went on for a few more weeks, France was threatening to come in to save the Confederacy and other threats going on. Take a newly elected VP who was now President, from the opposition party and needing to forge ahead. If you think today's politics with Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid crying on one side and the Tea Party on the other, try taking a look at what President Johnson had to deal with-a hostile senate made up mostly of Republicans, many that make the Tea Party appear to be liberal. Well written. Impressed.
December 27, 2016
Howard Means, the author, is excited about the life of Andrew Johnson, even though Johnson was a racist, an inelegant statesman and the first in a long line of forgettable presidents, and he got me excited too.
July 22, 2013
The title makes you think you will read about Johnson and a 45 day period in or around his inauguration. I kept looking for this, and "avenging". It was there, but only partly and scattered.
The book goes from details of the night of Lincoln's assassination, (a detailed piece on Leonard Farwell who brought the news to Johnson leads you to believe he will become significant later) to a bio on the early life of Johnson and back to the inauguration of Lincoln and forward to the early days of Johnson administration. Here the time frames go back (with extraneous info such as the economic rationale for why the South would never have won) and forth (impeachment, two years later).
The 45 days (which ones, depend on your chosen starting point) are worthy of a much deeper treatment. The text weaves and the chronology isn't clear. I had to look up dates elsewhere to get a handle on the story. The main events actually range from the March 4 Lincoln Inaugural to the July 6 hanging of the assassination co-conspirators.
Means does a good job of presenting the facts about Johnson, where he came from and his Jacksonian brand of populism. How he went from point A (avenging) to point B (Lincoln's program) is not clear. One result is that when the author blames Johnson for the mess of reconstruction, the reader can't agree (or disagree).
Means is at his best in describing the social climate of Washington at the time and relating a parade of veterans. The description of troops (including Sherman's fresh from the battle soldiers) and viewers is wonderful. Other well described events include the repatriation of prisoners and southerners haunting the capitol looking for pardons.
If there were 3 1/2 stars, I'd use them, because, this book is a starting point for someone to acquire some background to delve more into this neglected period.
I like that the Endnotes begin with the quote from the text. A browse through it makes it seem that he made a selective use of sources, or, perhaps not many exist for this period.
The book goes from details of the night of Lincoln's assassination, (a detailed piece on Leonard Farwell who brought the news to Johnson leads you to believe he will become significant later) to a bio on the early life of Johnson and back to the inauguration of Lincoln and forward to the early days of Johnson administration. Here the time frames go back (with extraneous info such as the economic rationale for why the South would never have won) and forth (impeachment, two years later).
The 45 days (which ones, depend on your chosen starting point) are worthy of a much deeper treatment. The text weaves and the chronology isn't clear. I had to look up dates elsewhere to get a handle on the story. The main events actually range from the March 4 Lincoln Inaugural to the July 6 hanging of the assassination co-conspirators.
Means does a good job of presenting the facts about Johnson, where he came from and his Jacksonian brand of populism. How he went from point A (avenging) to point B (Lincoln's program) is not clear. One result is that when the author blames Johnson for the mess of reconstruction, the reader can't agree (or disagree).
Means is at his best in describing the social climate of Washington at the time and relating a parade of veterans. The description of troops (including Sherman's fresh from the battle soldiers) and viewers is wonderful. Other well described events include the repatriation of prisoners and southerners haunting the capitol looking for pardons.
If there were 3 1/2 stars, I'd use them, because, this book is a starting point for someone to acquire some background to delve more into this neglected period.
I like that the Endnotes begin with the quote from the text. A browse through it makes it seem that he made a selective use of sources, or, perhaps not many exist for this period.
September 20, 2023
Howard Means is a talent writer who does an excellent job of writing history; however, he does not do a good job of presenting an argument and then defending it. Andrew Johnson is presumably the subject of this book, yet Means often focuses on Abraham Lincoln more than Johnson. He also rarely offers much insight into to why the reader should at all think differently about the maligned President Johnson. All in all, this is an informative book, just not necessarily informative about Andrew Johnson.
June 30, 2021
Far more time of this book described the events leading up to Johnson taking over than the actual 45 days the book title states. I found it to be an overly dense read (and I've read a lot of presidential books as its my goal to read one about each president) and lacking in what the title would lead you to believe is included in the book. Far more focus on the events of the times (which yes are important) than Johnson as a person and how he handled them.
Want to read
March 10, 2017my copy is 286 page hardback library copy.
October 30, 2012
We all learn a little bit about Andrew Johnson in school: became president when Lincoln was killed, ran Reconstruction, the ""Radical Republicans"" tried to impeach him, and he survived by one vote. Then he was gone and Grant came in. The story is much more interesting, complicated, dismaying, and mysterious than that. Johnson was drunk at his Vice Presidential inauguration, due to medical causes - but no one knew that. He was the only southern Senator to remain loyal to the Union, he ran Tennessee during the war, and was the best - the BEST - stump speaker of the era, even better than Lincoln. He was obstinate, had a class chip on his shoulder from being born poor and never having a day of schooling (not a day!), he was angry, unimaginative, inflexible, a grind - he worked HARD, tone-deaf to the feelings of others, incisive, smart, deeply intellectual, and autodidact of the first order, and - ultimately - a tragedy. His approach to Reconstruction was so mild on the Southern traitors as to be total forgiveness basically - he viewed the Confederate States as never existing! - and he had no interest in rights for the freedmen, he was willing to let the South have its land back with little or no concession to the ex-slaves. He tried to kill the Freedman's bureau, he veto'd the Civil Rights Act. He began his administration with high hopes from all the people, he left a ruined man due to his own actions. This is a really good book, I recommend it.
June 9, 2015
Short political biography of Andrew Johnson traces his political roots up to the time of his ascension to the Presidency after Lincoln was shot. Means shows how sharp the contrast between the adulation of Lincoln in his martyrdom and the mingled concern and neglect of Johnson in his Presidency.
That is, at first. But Means also shows how Johnson's character, political stances, and political personality quickly made him unignorable, shaped the immediate transition period (from war to peace, disunion to union, Lincoln to Johnson), and eventually led to the impeachment and failure of both Johnson's reunification and Republican Reconstruction (covered briefly in an epilogue--this is not a history of Reconstruction). Means also does a good job of capturing the frantic rumor-driven national environment in which these events played out.
Jay Winik's excellent April 1865: The Month That Saved America casts a broader net over Lincoln's assassination, the last days of the Civil War, and the beginning of Johnson's Presidency.
That is, at first. But Means also shows how Johnson's character, political stances, and political personality quickly made him unignorable, shaped the immediate transition period (from war to peace, disunion to union, Lincoln to Johnson), and eventually led to the impeachment and failure of both Johnson's reunification and Republican Reconstruction (covered briefly in an epilogue--this is not a history of Reconstruction). Means also does a good job of capturing the frantic rumor-driven national environment in which these events played out.
Jay Winik's excellent April 1865: The Month That Saved America casts a broader net over Lincoln's assassination, the last days of the Civil War, and the beginning of Johnson's Presidency.
November 1, 2011
The role of Andrew Johnson at the end of the Civil war has not been considered by many authors. This book undertakes two tasks. The first is to show the conspiracy behind Booths assignation (and the surrounding plot) and how that conspiracy shaped Andrew Johnson's policies. The second task is to show how the ideas of reconstruction came under development. The writing style is very clear and well done. For those looking for a short and straight to the point book on what happened immediately following the civil war this cannot be beat. Johnson's role as the avenger and the split in the cabinet are some of the most interesting politics in the history of the United States. Mary Todd Lincoln's treatment of Johnson is particularly interesting considering she considered him a part of the assignation. Highly recommend for those who want to learn more about Andrew Johnson.
March 15, 2015
Really good book overall. I really didn't know much about President Johnson before reading this book. It gives a good overview of his life as well as key events that shaped his time as President. It is definitely a book all civil war buffs should read. It gives a very descriptive narrative after the time that Lincoln was assassinated. Also gives unforgettable anecdotes on why Johnson has been seen as our worst President.
September 14, 2016
I felt that this book was more about the time than the man. Andrew Johnson was thrust into a job in the worst way at the worst time in American history. Would any person in that position at that time have succeeded? He was a man with many faults but he also had many strengths. I don't believe he was any worse a politician than anyone else of his time.
Read
September 25, 2016How the 45 days after Lincoln's
death changed the history of the US for generations to come. The power of one event shown in perspective interesting read.
death changed the history of the US for generations to come. The power of one event shown in perspective interesting read.
January 5, 2014
Book was ok but not the best that I have read.
February 4, 2009
I'm on a pop history binge.
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