Some notes on Lincoln during the Civil War:

"On 12 April 1861, however, this report continues, military forces belonging to the seceded State of South Carolina fired on United States military forces stationed at Fort Sumter—that caused President Lincoln to invoke his “war power” as Commander-in-Chief to “take any measure which may best subdue the enemy”—saw President Lincoln defying the Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court by suspending the writ of habeas corpus by presidential decree—saw President Lincoln declaring martial law and authorizing the trial of civilians by military courts—saw President Lincoln proclaiming the emancipation of black slaves without the approval of the US Congress or a Constitutional amendment—saw President Lincoln ordering the closing of newspapers and ordering the arrest of at least 14,000 reporters and editors—all of which President Lincoln did on the grounds that “I may in an emergency do things on military grounds which cannot be done constitutionally by Congress”.