Nope, you are wrong. And wrong on several levels, too. There was progress in the Washington Richmond sector before the election. The aforementioned Battle of Ceder Creek was a victory in that theatre, it cut off the grain that went to Lee's army. It was a big victory, celebrated throughout the North. And the people of the North East were very much informed about Sherman's victories. It's beyond ridiculous to say the people of the north didn't pay attenbtion to Sherman's army. Don't believe me? Look up Admiral Farragut's reception he recieved in New York City. He didn't fight at all in the Richmond front. Also, go look at the Buffalo newspapers of early September 1864 on microfich at the library. You will see Sherman's victory was displayed as proof the Union was winning the war. Damn silly point. Your point about the media is wrong, also. There was a strong pro-war and a strong anti-war press, there was no one media. So the overall point that there was an antiwar party, yes. Is it apt to compare the victoriuos Northern Army in November of 1864 to the failing, directionless effort we are now seeing in Iraq? No. If the Northern war effort ws going this bad, Lincoln would have lost. But Lincoln won, he won because the North was winning