Abraham Lincoln’s Before and After Photos Reveal How the Civil War Aged Him: “I Think The…”

Abraham Lincoln , the 16th President of the United States, was born in 1809 near Hodgenville, Kentucky. He was born into poverty and was self-educated. Despite dire circumstances, he became a lawyer and rose to prominence as a significant political figure. His presidency, dominated by the Civil War, took a visible toll on his appearance. However, his presidency was dominated by the Civil War and it really impacted the way he looked.

Online users compared Lincoln’s photos from before and after the Civil War, commenting on how much he had aged. A Reddit community, r/pics, posted the images, sparking discussions among users. For instance, u/SeefKroy quoted Lincoln’s words, “‘I am now the most miserable man living. If what I feel were equally distributed to the whole human family, there would not be one cheerful face on earth.’ – Lincoln, 1841. He was not a very upbeat man.”

u/thescrounger recalled, “Someone once accused Lincoln of being two-faced. He retorted, ‘If I had two faces, why would I choose this one?'” u/_Serene_ said , “I think the politics got to him, as in tradition.” Another Reddit user, u/zipadeedodog , highlighted the tough life he led, “A brilliant man who led an astoundingly hard life. Understandable.” Meanwhile, u/TeJay42 , noted, “Little known fact. Every night, Lincoln would read a list of every single soldier’s name who was a confirmed casualty that day. That’s some heavy shit to put on your shoulders. I had no idea til I went on a date to the Lincoln Museum.” Another one, u/rootberryfloat , blamed his wife for his aging, “Yes, I remember learning that his wife had a horrible temper, and would go into fits of rage and have delusions and such.” u/MilesSlaineYoAss stated the obvious, “Stress will do that to ya.”

He became the American president in 1861 and served until 1865 before he was assassinated. During his presidential campaign , he openly opposed slavery and the war broke out as many Southerners believed he would completely abolish slavery. However, in order to win the Civil War, he exercised his power as president, declared martial law, and suspended legal rights, per BBC.

Alongside his political struggles, Lincoln’s personal life has been the subject of numerous conspiracy theories. Though the most famous woman in Lincoln’s life was Mary Todd, whom he got engaged to and eventually married, a documentary, Lover of Men: The Untold History of Abraham Lincoln , argued he had a liking for men as well, as per Vanity Fair.

Lincoln, the then an Illinois state legislator, used to share a room with Joshua Speed who was returning to his family home. Lincoln wasn’t informed of this and later referred to this day as “the fatal first of January.” Following this incident, he spiraled into depression and its impact was so profound on the former president that he was put on a suicide watch. “I am now the most miserable man living,” he wrote in a letter after Speed left.

Harvard professor John Stauffer, author of the 2008 bestseller Giants, suggested that “Speed and Lincoln had a carnal relation.” These claims of Lincoln being gay are debated to this day by historians and academics.