
Rare Abraham Lincoln Signed 1864 Civil War Appointment: “And in the end it’s not the years in your life that count...”
“And in the end it’s not the years in your life that count, but the life in your years.” Abraham Lincoln, born February 12, 1809, could be America’s greatest president. His incredible leadership kept the Union together through the Civil War and his actions to abolishing slavery in the United States, undoubtedly made his mark on history. But when Abraham Lincoln took the oath of office in 1861 to become the 16th president of the United States, it had not been an easy road. It was the culmination of a long, difficult journey filled with disappointments, setbacks, and failures. Just months before receiving his party's nomination for President, he offered a brief sketch of his early life. "My parents were both born in Virginia, of undistinguished families. My mother died in my tenth year. When I came of age I did not know much. Still somehow, I could read, write, and cipher...but that was all." Lincoln, An avid reader and tireless worker, sought the knowledge and experience he needed