Two Hendersonians Are Delegates to the 1864 Democratic Convention

Senator Lazarus Powell and John Y. Brown, both from Henderson were among the Kentucky delegation that attended the Democratic National Convention in Chicago in August of 1864. They would nominate George McClellan of New Jersey  for President and George H. Pendleton for Vice President.

Kentucky's delegation had two opposing factions, Brown and Powell represented one faction and George Prentice and James Guthrie represented another. Both Guthrie and Powell appeared on the 1st Vice Presidential Ballot before the vote shifts. Guthrie actually received 65.5 votes, Powell received 32.5 and Pendleton received 55.5 and the remaining delegates were split between five other contenders. But after the 1st Ballot shifts Pendleton received all 226 votes.

Lincoln was not without ardent Kentucky supporters, Robert C. Breckinridge, Cassius M.Clay, and Joshua Speed were among them. But in the General Election in the fall Lincoln received 26,592 civilian votes to McClellan's 61,478. Lincoln received 1,205 Kentucky soldiers' votes and McClellan received 3,608.

McClellan - Pendleton Campaign of 1864

1864 Presidential Vote - McClellan carries one state 

Special thanks to Thomas D. Clark and his A History of Kentucky published in 1988.