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"Halt!" he shouts.

"This company is dismissed for two minutes; it will reassemble on the other side of the fence. Break ranks!" (") The dignity of Captain Lincoln was maintained, and possibly most of his soldiers thought it the proper order to be given.

The steamboats which were to take the soldiers up the Mississippi were not at the appointed landing. The troops had nothing to do. They marched, countermarched, wheeled, and performed other evolutions; but time dragged. They were impatient of military restraint and became quarrelsome. They had little respect for their superior officers, and it required much tact on the part of Abraham Lincoln to preserve order; but with the arrival of the steamboats and a supply of food harmony was restored.

We are not to suppose that such a motley set of young men could be brought under strict military discipline in two or three weeks; neither should we conclude that Captain Lincoln could assume military dignity in the same space of time. On the contrary, the captain thought it not undignified to take part in wrestling-matches. Possibly he won respect and honor by putting his soldiers one after another on their backs; one only was his equal in strength. Though he took part in the games, he did not lose his authority as their commander. An old Indian came into camp, bringing a letter written by General Lewis Cass, who stated that the bearer was entitled to protection; that he was friendly, and had taken no part in the uprising.

The soldiers discredited the letter. "It is a forgery," said one, who did not think of the absurdity of what he was saying. The soldiers had come to fight Indians; they thought there were no friendly Indians.

"Shoot him!" they shouted.

"No, you will not shoot him-I shall protect him! I'll shoot the first man who lays hands on him!" was the calm but resolute reply of their captain.

The company was part of a regiment commanded by Colonel Samuel Thompson, which marched northward to Dixon. The troops halted to await the arrival of United States soldiers. Two battalions of horsemen, under Majors Stillman and Bailey, were eager to encounter the Indians-perhaps thinking it would be fun to chase them across the prairies. The horsemen advanced and reached Old Man's Creek, where they suddenly found themselves confronted by Black Hawk and a large number of Indians. The soldiers became panic-stricken and fled to Dixon, the Indians pursuing and killing several. In the morning not an Indian was to be seen.

The time expired for which the soldiers from Sangamon had enlisted. They had not fought a battle, but were weary of military life. All the company, with the exception of Captain Lincoln and one private, returned to Sangamon. The captain was without a command, but he could become a private, and accordingly enlisted in a company of cavalry commanded by Captain Elijah Iles. It was known as the "Independent Spy Battalion." It was a holiday service, lasting three weeks. The Indians were defeated in a battle at Bad Axe, and Black Hawk taken prisoner., The "Independent Spy Battalion" was not present to take part in the engagement. Private Lincoln saw no fighting, and was mustered out of service June 16th by young Lieutenant Robert Anderson.

From Fox River Lincoln and his fellow-soldier, Harrison, made their way to the Illinois River at Peoria, where they obtained a canoe and paddled to Havana, and from that town walked to New Salem.

NOTES TO CHAPTER IV.

(1) Nicolay and Hay, "Abraham Lincoln: A History," vol. i., p. 45. (2) William H. Herndon, "Lincoln," p. 68 (edition 1889).

(3) Herndon speaks of the plank as being sawed at Kirkpatrick's mill. J. G. Holland, visiting Illinois immediately after the death of President Lincoln, 1865, says: "Every plank of it was sawed by hand with a whip-saw."-"Life of Abraham Lincoln," p. 42.

(*) William H. Herndon, "Lincoln," p. 73 (edition 1889).

(*) Ibid., p. 75.

(6) J. G. Holland, "Life of Abraham Lincoln," p. 42.

(7) William H. Herndon, "Lincoln," p. 76 (edition 1889).

(*) Ibid.

() Mrs. Lizzie H. Bell's letter quoted in Nicolay and Hay's "Abraham Lincoln: A History," vol. i., p. 78, note.

(19) J. G. Holland, "Life of Abraham Lincolu," p. 43.

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IN

1832.

CHAPTER V.

LIFE AT NEW SALEM.

N a community where every man casts a vote there will ever be a large number of people who will desire to hold office or represent their fellow-citizens in making laws. In Illinois those who desired political distinction might aspire to be candidates for any position August, and enter the list independent of nomination by a convention of electors. Before volunteering as a soldier, Abraham Lincoln had announced that he would be a candidate for the Legislature. It was only ten days before the election when he reached New Salem. His friends welcomed his return. Those who had served under him as soldiers were ready to persuade their friends to cast their ballots for him. He had shown his patriotism by being one of the first to enlist, and had re-enlisted when others, wearied of the restraints of camp-life, returned to their homes. He was brave, resolute, kind-hearted, and had a mind of his own; in wrestling he had put the best men of the regiment on their backs-all save one. Though most of them were Democrats and he a Whig, they were ready to vote for him. A majority of the people in Illinois accepted the political principles held by President Andrew Jackson. Abraham Lincoln supported the principles held by Henry Clay, who believed the nation ought to improve the rivers, make them navigable, and pass laws which would protect the industries of the country by imposing a tariff on goods made in other countries. He thought a national bank would be a good thing for the country. Candidates better known to the people than he were making speeches in the villages throughout the county.

There was to be an auction of horses, cattle, and pigs at Pappsville, twelve miles from Springfield, where all the candidates would speak. The people for miles around would be there to hear them, and help themselves to free whiskey. The day arrives, and Pappsville is alive. A stand for the speakers had been erected. Those who gather around it see a very tall young man, wearing a blue jean clawhammer, bobtail

coat, tow-and-wool trousers, cowhide boots, and a straw hat, laughing and telling stories to those around him. It is Captain Lincoln, and those who served under him in the war with the Indians are grasping his brawny hand. His face is bronzed from exposure to the sun and winds upon the prairies. The other candidates speak. He is a young man of twenty-three years, and respectfully waits his turn. Whiskey has flowed so freely that some ruffians in the crowd are quarrelsome. Captain Lincoln sees one of his friends sorely beset by a bully. He jumps from the platform, gives the fellow a threshing, tosses him aside as if he were but a boy, returns to the platform, and listens to the other candidates just as if nothing had happened. It is a brief speech which he makes:

“Fellow-citizens, I presume you would like to know who I am. I am humble Abraham Lincoln. I have been solicited by my friends to become a candidate for the Legislature. My politics are short and sweet, like the old woman's dance. I am in favor of a national bank; I am in favor of the internal improvement system and a high protective tariff. These are my sentiments and principles. If elected I shall be thankful; if not, it will be all the same.” (')

Another meeting was held at Springfield, where he made a longer speech. One who was present has described his appearance on that

occasion :

"He was tall, gawky, and a rough-looking fellow. His pantaloons didn't meet his shoes by six inches; but after he began speaking I became much interested in him. He made a very sensible speech." (")

Four representatives were to be elected. There were twelve candidates. Abraham Lincoln was not chosen. He could not go to Vandalia, the capital of the State, as a representative. What should he do? He did not want to be a boatman or wood-chopper. Would it not be well for him to become a blacksmith? He turned the matter over,(*) but suddenly found himself again keeping store in an unexpected way. Rowan and James Herndon, after the failure of Offut, opened a store at New Salem. James sold his interest to Mr. Berry, who induced Lincoln to purchase the interest held by Rowan Herndon. Lincoln had no money, but Herndon was ready to take his note. Another store was opened by Reuben Radford about the same time.

"You had better get on good terms with the Clary Grove boys," said Radford's father, "or they will trouble you."

the

Radford stayed at the store several evenings, expecting a visit from gang; but as they did not come, and wishing to spend a night a few

miles distant, he left the store in charge of a younger brother-Jack, sixteen years old.

“You may give the boys, if they come, two drinks all round, but no more," he said.

It was the evening chosen by the fellows for a lark in New Salem. "Well, boy, aren't you going to give us a treat?" they asked. "Oh yes," and they were each given a generous drink.

"It is about time for another snifter, isn't it, sonny?" they said, after a while.

"Yes" and Jack served them once more.

They lounged about the store, sang songs, danced, and made themselves at home.

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Well, Jack, we reckon that it is time for another nipper," they said. "You can't have any more. Rube said I might give you two drinks, but no more."

"Oh ho! he said so, did he? We will see!" And each one of the crew went to the whiskey-barrel, took a big drink, and filled his bottle. The whiskey was doing its work- they danced and whooped like Indians.

"I'll bet the drinks I can beat you in hitting those jars," said one, seizing a weight and smashing a glass jar. Each in turn brought the jars and crockery crashing to the floor; then frying-pans, skillets, Dutch-ovens, coffee-pots, tin basins, milk-pans, saucers, plates and platters, molasses-jugs, went flying through the air. The glass in the windows rattled to the ground, and the door was torn from its hinges. A little past midnight they rode whooping homeward, with cow-bells tied to their saddles.

The sun was just rising when Reuben Radford was awakened by the cow-bells and whooping, as the gang rode past the house where he was spending the night. Suspecting there might be trouble, he mounted his horse and galloped towards New Salem, passing on the way a boy of sixteen, William G. Green, who had started early in the morning with a bag of corn to be ground at Mr. Rutledge's mill. Radford reached the store, beheld the wreck and ruin, and heard Jack's story. He had no particular desire to be a merchant any longer, and was ready to sell out.

"I'll sell this store to the first person who makes me an offer," said he, as Green rode up; and added, "What will you give for it?"

The boy looked through the window and surveyed the interior – the shattered glass and crockery, the helter-skelter of frying pans and

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