Edwin Stanton

Biography

Edwin McMasters Stanton served as Secretary of War under President Abraham Lincoln and played a crucial role in the Union's military strategy during the Civil War. A prominent lawyer and political figure before the war, Stanton brought organizational rigor and unwavering commitment to the Union cause to the War Department. His tenure was marked by his close collaboration with Lincoln and his efforts to professionalize the military administration, though his stern demeanor and demanding nature made him a controversial figure among some contemporaries.