Jennifer Weber, an assistant professor of history at the University of Kansas, discusses her new book Copperheads: The Rise and Fall of Lincoln’s Opponents in the North on Wednesday, February 18, at 6:30 p.m. at the Central Library, 14 W. 10th St.

In Copperheads, Weber explains the stiff opposition Lincoln faced from anti-war Democrats. At one point, she says, Lincoln was so concerned about their activities that he called their movement “the fire in the rear”—as much a threat as the Confederates on the front. Weber will discuss how and why Lincoln may have sidestepped his political opponents and what this maneuver says about the president’s leadership skills.

The Civil War News called Copperheads “a compelling, well-researched, and persuasive account of what the Copperheads believed, their emergence as a significant force during the war, and the role military events played in their history ... an essential work for anyone seeking to better understand the politics of the Civil War.”

Weber’s book will be available for sale, and she will sign copies purchased during the event.