History Alive is a program of first-person portrayals of historical figures by presenters who have conducted scholarly research on their character. Mary Lincoln’s story mirrored the pain and loss suffered by many Americans as a result of the Civil War. A devoted supporter of her husband Abraham’s political aspirations, she always encouraged him in his career. As the First Lady during the war her southern roots created doubt about her loyalty to the Union and she was viewed as a traitor to the Confederate cause. She endured the death of three of her sons, saw her husband murdered, and was later committed to an insane asylum by her surviving son.