Published in 1881 as the first volume of Scribner's "Campaigns of the Civil War" series, this book by John Nicolay - who served as President Lincoln's first private secretary and later as Marshal of the Supreme Court - offers readers an insider's perspective on the significant events and decisions from Lincoln's election to the retreat of the Union army following the First Battle of Bull Run. Lauded for its stylistic and accurate portrayal, the book is considered part of the first generation of scholarship on the American Civil War, valued from both historiographic and narrative viewpoints. The Hardtack Books reissue of The Outbreak of Rebellion is not a facsimile of the original work. Instead, it presents a reimagined edition featuring a modern font and editorial footnotes that provide context for the original narrative.