Who was Lincoln's Secretary of State?

William H. Seward was Abraham Lincoln’s Secretary of State. He served from March 5, 1861, through March 4, 1869, continuing in office under President Andrew Johnson after Lincoln’s death.

Seward had been a leading Republican and Lincoln’s principal rival for the party’s 1860 presidential nomination. After Lincoln won, he offered Seward the nation’s senior Cabinet post. Seward initially considered declining, but ultimately became one of Lincoln’s most important advisers during the Civil War.

As Secretary of State, Seward worked to prevent Britain and France from recognizing or aiding the Confederacy. He also helped manage the Union’s foreign policy during the conflict. He survived a serious attack on the night Lincoln was assassinated in April 1865. Seward later negotiated the 1867 purchase of Alaska from Russia, often called “Seward’s Folly” by critics at the time.