Charles A. Dana: Lincoln's Informer on the Union Struggle

In a current ballot of main historians, Charles A. Dana was named among the many “Twenty-5 Most Influential Civil Struggle Figures You’ve In all probability By no means Heard Of.” Should you
have heard of Dana, it was in all probability from his basic
Recollections of the Civil Struggle (1898), which was ghostwritten by muckraker Ida Tarbell and riddled with errors cited by unsuspecting historians ever since.
Lincoln’s Informer in the end units the report straight, giving Charles A. Dana his due in a narrative that rivals one of the best historic fiction.

In his role at Horace Greeley’s New York Tribune, Dana did not just report history—he actively shaped it. Initially a managing editor, Dana led the newspaper’s fight against proslavery forces in Congress and Kansas. Appointed as a special agent by Secretary of War Edwin Stanton, Dana made a significant impact in this capacity. Drawing from Dana’s extensive collection of reports and communications, historian Carl J. Guarneri provides a unique insight into Dana's experiences during the Civil War. Dana’s roles as a journalist, confidential informant to Stanton and Lincoln, and administration insider are thoroughly explored. Alongside reporting on key war events, Dana played a role in military investigations, the cotton trade, Lincoln’s reelection, the Thirteenth Amendment's passage, and the rise of Ulysses S. Grant, among other significant contributions.

In Dana's detailed reporting and Guarneri's captivating narrative, we gain contemporary insights into historical figures like Lincoln, Stanton, and Grant, as well as other Union struggle leaders. "Lincoln’s Informer" shines a light on a lesser-known figure who played a crucial role in the military and political triumphs of the Lincoln administration. Offering a unique glimpse into unfolding history, this book paints a vivid portrait of a fascinating character leaving their mark on the Civil War narrative.