Lincoln was infuriated that McClellan did not pursue Lee’s army, but in another sense his moment had finally come. For months, Lincoln had been mulling the idea of emancipation, occasionally discussing it with his Cabinet and writing various drafts. Now, with a major Union victory in the field, he felt able to release it to the world. Therefore, on September 22, 1862, Lincoln took the step. He began with these words:

“I, Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States of America, and commander-in-chief of the army and navy thereof, do hereby proclaim and declare that hereafter, as heretofore, the war will be prosecuted for the object of practically restoring the constitutional relation between the United States and each of the states, and the people thereof.” In other words, the issue of Union versus disunion continued, officially, to be the main reason for the war. But Lincoln did not stop there.