[central_va]

As you point out, though, it would have all gone much more smoothly had Lincoln not been murdered. Thanks again for sharing.

Not so much for blacks. The Lincoln plan was to send blacks to Liberia, Haiti and Panama.

[BroJoeK]

central_va: " The Lincoln plan was to send blacks to Liberia, Haiti and Panama."

That was certainly the long-standing plan of many regarding what to do with freed slaves.

But Lincoln's original idea was to offer freed slaves the opportunity to return "home" to Africa.
During the war, Lincoln talked with black leaders, and learned from them they wished to live here as free men, not move to Africa.
Lincoln understood and adopted their views.

So Lincoln made no efforts to force former slaves to move anywhere.