Part 2, Chapters 1-6 Summary

Christmas Day 1861 is a work day for the Lincoln Cabinet, which must resolve the crisis with Britain over seizing one of its mail boats with Confederate officials aboard. Chase and his daughter discuss this over breakfast as well as the great cost of building the Army. The Sewards' breakfast talk is about suspension of the First Amendment and habeas corpus and arrests of many publishers. Everyone wonders how The New York Herald obtains a copy of Lincoln's message to Congress, and Wikoff's and Mrs. Lincoln's mounting debt are deemed likely factors.

At the Cabinet meeting, Lincoln declares that one war at a time is enough and orders Cameron to return both ship and rebels. Lincoln is angry over recent events that have caused political trouble in Missouri and cost him Scott's services, when the old war horse resigns because...