Lincoln's Forgotten Ally

Lincoln's Forgotten Ally: Judge Advocate General Joseph Holt of Kentucky
AuthorElizabeth D. Leonard
SubjectJoseph Holt
GenreHistory, Biography
PublisherUniversity of North Carolina Press
Publication date2011
Pagesxii, 417 pages
AwardsLincoln Prize
ISBN9780807835005
OCLC708243819
LC ClassKF368 .H586 L46 2011

Lincoln's Forgotten Ally: Judge Advocate General Joseph Holt of Kentucky is a 2011 biography by historian Elizabeth D. Leonard. The book examines the life and political career of Joseph Holt, who served in the administration of President James Buchanan and later became Judge Advocate General of the United States Army during the presidency of Abraham Lincoln.[1] The biography focuses on Holt's role in maintaining Kentucky's loyalty to the Union during the early stages of the American Civil War, his administration of military justice during the war, and his involvement in the prosecution of the conspirators accused of participating in Lincoln's assassination.[2]

Background

The book was the first full-length scholarly biography devoted to Holt.[3] Leonard places Holt within the broader political and legal history of the Civil War era, emphasizing his support for the Union and his influence within Lincoln's wartime administration.[4]

Awards

The book received the 2012 Lincoln Prize, awarded annually for scholarship on Abraham Lincoln and the American Civil War era. It shared the award with William C. Harris's Lincoln and the Border States: Preserving the Union.[5]

References

  1. ↑ "Lincoln's Forgotten Ally". University of North Carolina Press. Retrieved 13 May 2026.
  2. ↑ Kenzer, Robert C. (2012). "Review of Lincoln's Forgotten Ally: Judge Advocate General Joseph Holt of Kentucky". Journal of American History. 99 (2): 596–597.
  3. ↑ "Lincoln's Forgotten Ally". University of North Carolina Press. Retrieved 13 May 2026.
  4. ↑ Neels, Mark (September 2012). "Review of Lincoln's Forgotten Ally: Judge Advocate General Joseph Holt of Kentucky". H-Net Reviews.
  5. ↑ "Previous Winners". Gettysburg College. Archived from the original on 25 September 2018. Retrieved 20 April 2016.