Final answer:
Abraham Lincoln won the 1864 Presidential election, which demonstrated the Republican Party's strength and had significant implications for the Union and the end of slavery. 'Bayonet voting' was a form of voter intimidation with military presence.
Step-by-step explanation:
1864 Presidential Election and Bayonet Voting
The 1864 Presidential election was won by Abraham Lincoln, who easily secured re-election. Contrary to the information about James Buchanan's victory in the 1856 election, it was Lincoln who triumphed in 1864, carrying the majority of the free states, and garnering significant electoral votes despite receiving less than 40% of the popular vote. The term 'bayonet voting' is not explicitly addressed in the material provided, but historically it refers to the practice of influencing voters, particularly in Civil War and Reconstruction Era elections, through the presence or intimidation of armed soldiers at the polls.
The strength of the Republican Party was demonstrated in both elections, and the outcomes had significant ramifications. While Buchanan's 1856 victory signaled sectional tensions that would erupt in the Civil War, Lincoln's 1864 re-election during the war cemented the Republican position on preserving the Union and ending slavery.