Abraham Lincoln is the giant of American history. You know the beard, the stovepipe hat, and the tragic ending at Ford’s Theatre. But history often treats his second-in-command like a footnote. Most people can’t name them.
Who was Lincoln’s vice president? Well, there wasn’t just one.
Lincoln actually had two very different men serve under him during his two terms. First, there was Hannibal Hamlin, a staunch anti-slavery guy from Maine. Then came Andrew Johnson, the Southern Democrat who—honestly—almost derailed the entire post-war recovery. The shift from Hamlin to Johnson changed the trajectory of the United States forever.
It wasn't a smooth transition. It was a messy, political calculation that went sideways.
The First Man: Hannibal Hamlin and the 1860 Ticket
When Lincoln won the Republican nomination in 1860, he was a Westerner from Illinois. The party needed balance. They looked East and found Hannibal Hamlin.
Hamlin was a former Democrat who had jumped ship to the newly formed Republican Party because he couldn't stand the expansion of slavery. He was rugged. He was principled. He also looked a bit like a stern schoolmaster. Interestingly, Hamlin and Lincoln didn’t even meet until after they won the election. They weren’t buddies. In fact, Lincoln didn't give him much to do.
Vice presidents in the 19th century were basically benchwarmers. Hamlin spent most of the Civil War feeling bored and useless in Washington. He even enlisted as a private in the Maine Coast Guards for a few months during his vice presidency just to feel helpful. Can you imagine a sitting VP doing that today?
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Despite his loyalty, Hamlin was dumped in 1864. Why? Because politics is brutal. Lincoln was worried about the upcoming election and thought he needed a "War Democrat" on the ticket to show national unity.
The Second Choice: Why Andrew Johnson Happened
Enter Andrew Johnson. This is where the story gets complicated.
Johnson was from Tennessee. He was a tailor by trade and never spent a day in a traditional school. When Tennessee seceded from the Union, Johnson was the only Southern senator who stayed loyal to the North. That made him a hero in the eyes of many Northerners. Lincoln saw him as the perfect symbol for the "National Union Party" ticket.
Basically, Lincoln wanted to prove that the North and South could still work together.
But Johnson was a tough pill to swallow. He was prickly, stubborn, and deeply racist, even if he did oppose the Southern planter class. The 1864 election was won handily, but the inauguration was a disaster.
That Awkward Inauguration Day
On March 4, 1865, Andrew Johnson showed up to the Capitol feeling sick. He’d been battling typhoid fever and decided to self-medicate with whiskey.
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It was a bad move.
By the time he stood up to take the oath of office, he was visibly drunk. He gave a rambling, incoherent speech that embarrassed the entire cabinet. Lincoln reportedly watched with a look of deep sorrow. While Lincoln tried to defend him later, saying Johnson wasn't a "drunkard," the damage was done.
Six weeks later, Lincoln was dead.
The Consequence of the Switch
When we ask who was Lincoln's vice president, the answer carries the weight of the Reconstruction era. Because Lincoln was assassinated so early in his second term, Andrew Johnson became the 17th President of the United States.
He was the wrong man for the job.
While Lincoln had a vision of "malice toward none," Johnson’s version of Reconstruction was incredibly lenient toward former Confederates and actively hostile toward the newly freed Black population. He vetoed the Civil Rights Act of 1866. He fought Congress at every turn.
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Eventually, Johnson became the first president to be impeached. He survived removal by a single vote in the Senate.
Why This Still Matters for History Buffs
The contrast between Hamlin and Johnson is a massive "what if" of American history. If Hamlin had stayed on the ticket, the post-war South might have looked very different. Hamlin was a Radical Republican ally; Johnson was a roadblock to progress.
Historians like Eric Foner and Doris Kearns Goodwin have often highlighted how this specific vice-presidential swap was one of the most consequential political decisions Lincoln ever made—and perhaps his biggest mistake.
- Hannibal Hamlin (1861-1865): The loyalist who was pushed aside for political optics.
- Andrew Johnson (1865): The compromise candidate who inherited a shattered nation and struggled to lead it.
Lessons from the Lincoln VPs
Understanding who served under Lincoln helps us see that the presidency isn't a solo act. The "second man" matters.
If you're looking to dive deeper into this era, start by reading the primary documents from the 1864 National Union Convention. You'll see the frantic energy of a country trying to win a war while also trying to figure out how to be a country again.
Actionable Steps for Your Own Research
To truly grasp the impact of Lincoln's vice presidents, follow this trail:
- Compare the Inaugural Addresses: Read Lincoln’s Second Inaugural (the "malice toward none" speech) and then look at the contemporary newspaper accounts of Johnson’s drunken performance on the same day. The juxtaposition is jarring.
- Visit the Hamlin Statue: If you're ever in Bangor, Maine, there’s a statue of Hannibal Hamlin. It’s a reminder of the man who almost stayed in power.
- Research the Tenure of Office Act: This was the law Johnson "broke" that led to his impeachment. It’s a fascinating look at how the legislative branch tried to rein in a president they despised.
- Read "Team of Rivals": Doris Kearns Goodwin’s book gives the best context on how Lincoln managed these personalities. It’s a long read but worth every page.
History isn't just dates; it's the friction between people. Lincoln was a genius, but his choice of a running mate in 1864 shows that even the most calculated political moves can have unintended, generational consequences.