Month: August 2021

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Mrs. Lincoln’s Corsets, and Other Abraham Lincoln News

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Mary LincolnOn this auspicious date in 1844, Mrs. Lincoln bought material to make corsets. Six yards of “gimp,” which was a strong twisted silk, wool, or cotton (not to be confused with the plastic form of gimp I used in Boy Scouts), along with ample amounts of lace. Presumably she already had whalebone or simply used over-starched fabric for stiffness. As critical as this was for containing the spreading remnants of Robert’s birth the previous year, this was only one of many important events happening on this day in Lincoln’s life.

August 26th seemed to be a good day for speeches. In 1844, a 35-year-old first term Congressman Abraham Lincoln spoke at the Rough and Ready Club in Rockville, Maryland. In 1852, Lincoln rebutted Stephen A. Douglas’s speech at the Scott Club in Springfield, Illinois. In 1854, Lincoln gives his first speech on the Kansas-Nebraska Act at the Whig Party Convention in Winchester, Illinois. The local paper reports “His . . . masterly effort . . . was replete with unanswerable arguments, which must and will effectually tell at the coming election.” In 1858, Lincoln gets an ambrotype photograph taken in Macomb, IL, before heading out to Amboy, where he makes a short speech that night.

President Lincoln turns to writing in 1863. He declines an invitation to speak in Springfield, IL, noting that such a trip was impossible in the midst of the Civil War. Writing was has become a famous letter to James C. Conkling, he lays out his rationales for his actions to save the Union:

There are those who are dissatisfied with me. To such I would say: You desire peace; and you blame me that we do not have it. But how can we attain it? There are but three conceivable ways. First, to suppress the rebellion by force of arms. This, I am trying to do. Are you for it? If you are, so far we are agreed. If you are not for it, a second way is, to give up the Union. I am against this.

He also called out those white men who disdain his emancipation measures, noting:

Peace does not appear so distant as it did. I hope it will come soon, and come to stay; and so come as to be worth the keeping in all future time. It will then have been proved that, among free men, there can be no successful appeal from the ballot to the bullet; and that they who take such appeal are sure to lose their case, and pay the cost. And then, there will be some black men who can remember that, with silent tongue, and clenched teeth, and steady eye, and well-poised bayonet, they have helped mankind on to this great consummation; while, I fear, there will be some white ones, unable to forget that, with malignant heart, and deceitful speech, they have strove to hinder it.

This day also brings some personal news related to my forthcoming book and my role as president of the Lincoln Group of DC.

Regarding my book, I’ve been waiting for the publisher to get back to me with edits, expecting that the book would be released around February of 2022. I’m now told that the release date has been scheduled for September 2022. This changes my planning considerably. In the interim, I’ve decided to move forward with another book I’ve been working on related to a dialogue I had last year on Confederate monuments. I’ll have more information on that one soon, but I hope to publish it on the Amazon framework by the end of this year.

The Lincoln Group of DC has also been active. In October, I’ll be joined by immediate past-president John O’Brien and distant past-president Ed Steers in teaching a course on Abraham Lincoln via Encore Learning. We’ll be tackling Lincoln’s Youth (Ed), Lincoln as Politician (Me), Lincoln as Commander-in-Chief (Me), and Emancipation and Legacy (John). Here is more detailed information about the course. More info about Encore Learning.

The Lincoln Group is also planning for the Centennial of the Lincoln Memorial. Dedicated in 1922, the 100th anniversary will be celebrated with an entire month of programs in May 2022. The Lincoln Group will have a ceremony with music, speakers, and much more on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. We’ll also be sponsoring Lincoln-associated events with the American Film Institute in Silver Spring, MD, a possible discussion on the Memorial and the Civil Rights movement with the National Archives, and a possible luncheon with speakers at the Willard Hotel. Keep up on the plans via our new Lincolnian.org website.

[Photo from Wikimedia Commons, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=9702761]

David J. Kent is an avid science traveler and the author of Lincoln: The Man Who Saved America, in Barnes and Noble stores now. His previous books include Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity and Edison: The Inventor of the Modern World and two specialty e-books: Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time and Abraham Lincoln and Nikola Tesla: Connected by Fate.

Check out my Goodreads author page. While you’re at it, “Like” my Facebook author page for more updates!

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Lincoln Witnesses the Coffee Mill Gun in Action

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Coffee mill gunOn August 17, 1861, Abraham Lincoln witnessed an exhibition of what Lincoln dubbed the “coffee mill gun.” Lincoln was always pushing for modernized weaponry beyond the standard muskets, which were inaccurate and slow to reload. He pushed Ordinance Chief James Ripley to put into service various breechloaders, rifles, carbines, and repeaters.

Another type of advanced weapon that Lincoln promoted was the multi-shot guns we might refer to as “machine guns.” Technically called the “Union Repeating Gun” by its salesman J.D. Mills, Lincoln dubbed one the “coffee-mill” gun due to its resemblance to that faithful brewer of morning sustenance. A single barrel was fed by bullets dropped into a hopper, then fired using a hand crank mounted on the rear. In August of 1861, Lincoln wrote Ripley: “If ten of the repeating guns, of the pattern exhibited to me this morning, by Mr. Mills, near the Washington Monument in this City, shall be well made, and furnished to the government of the U.S. within, or about thirty days from this date, I advise that the government pay for them double the sum which good mechanics of that class shall say the material, and labor of making and delivering here are worth.” Getting further concurrence of General McClellan on the potential usefulness in battle, in December Lincoln told Ripley to “let the fifty guns be ordered.”

Lincoln never stopped looking for better versions of weapons he had pushed. In the middle of 1862 Lincoln showed he understood the mechanics of repeating weapons in a letter to Stanton: “I have examined and seen tried the “Raphael Repeater” and consider it a decided improvement upon what was called the ‘Coffee Mill Gun’ in…that it is better arranged to prevent the escape of gas.” Later in the war, another repeating weapon was introduced by Dr. Richard Gatling. He claimed that “it is regarded, by all who have seen it operate, as the most effective implement of warfare invented during the war, and it is just the thing needed to aid in crushing the present rebellion” (underlining in original). To ensure no confusion with what he saw an inferior product, “I assure you my invention is no ‘coffee mill gun.’” Rather than a single barrel, the Gatling had six barrels capable of firing up to 350 rounds a minute. Repeating weapons of varying types were employed occasionally during the war, for example at Middleburg in 1862, but typically these pieces were limited to guarding locations such as bridges, being too unwieldy for infantry movements.

But Lincoln’s push for new technology went far beyond individual guns. More on that soon.

[Adapted from my forthcoming book, due out in early 2022]

David J. Kent is an avid science traveler and the author of Lincoln: The Man Who Saved America, in Barnes and Noble stores now. His previous books include Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity and Edison: The Inventor of the Modern World and two specialty e-books: Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time and Abraham Lincoln and Nikola Tesla: Connected by Fate.

Check out my Goodreads author page. While you’re at it, “Like” my Facebook author page for more updates!

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Abraham Lincoln Meets with Frederick Douglass

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Lincoln Douglass DebateOn August 10, 1863, Abraham Lincoln met with Frederick Douglass in the White House. Douglass had arrived unannounced, accompanied by Kansas Senator Samuel Pomeroy. They found the waiting room filled with people seeking an audience with the president, so Douglass, dressed in a dark suit on this sweltering August morning, assumed he would have a long wait. Instead, Lincoln’s secretary John Hay came quickly out to greet him and usher him into the inner sanctum.

Douglass described the meeting in his memoir:

“I entered [the room] with a moderate estimate of my own consequence, and yet there I was to talk with, and even to advise, the head man of a great nation. Happily for me, there was no vine pomp and ceremony about him. I never was so quickly or more completely put at ease in the presence of a great man, than in that of Abraham Lincoln….The room bore the marks of business, and the persons in it, the president included, appeared to be much overworked and tired.”

After describing the “long lines of care” already “deeply written on Mr. Lincoln’s brow,” Douglass writes that:

“As I approached and was introduced to him, he rose and extended his hand, and bade me welcome. I at once felt myself in the presence of an honest man – one whom I could love, honor, and trust without reserve or doubt.”

Douglass then told him of the object of his visit, which was to assist in the raising of African American troops for the war effort, an option now available after the Emancipation Proclamation went into effect on January 1, 1863. Douglass reported that Lincoln “listened with patience and silence to all that I had to say.” He asked pertinent questions and answered Douglass’s complaints with respect and honesty.

John Hay notes the meeting in his diary, adding that Douglass “intends to go south and help the recruiting among his people.” Later that day, Lincoln endorsed the idea as set forth in a letter signed by Secretary of the Interior and Senator Pomeroy indicated that Douglass is “a loyal, free, man, and is, hence, entitled to travel, unmolested. We trust he will be recognized everywhere, as a free man, and a gentleman.” The trip fell through for lack of a commission and intransigence among military leaders, but three of Douglass’s sons served in the Union army.

Douglass would visit Lincoln twice more in the White House. The final time was on the day of Lincoln’s second inaugural speech, which Douglass professed to be “a sacred effort.”

David J. Kent is an avid science traveler and the author of Lincoln: The Man Who Saved America, in Barnes and Noble stores now. His previous books include Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity and Edison: The Inventor of the Modern World and two specialty e-books: Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time and Abraham Lincoln and Nikola Tesla: Connected by Fate.

Check out my Goodreads author page. While you’re at it, “Like” my Facebook author page for more updates!

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Lincoln Wins Seat in Illinois State Legislature

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Candidate LincolnOn August 4, 1834, at the age of 25, Abraham Lincoln was elected to the Illinois State Legislature. This was two years after he ran the first time – and lost.

After failing at his first attempt at political office, Lincoln fell into co-ownership of the store that would later wink out. When the election of 1834 came around, he again ran for the state legislature. This time he took advantage of the wanderings facilitated by his postmaster and surveying duties to meet as many voters in the county as possible. His Black Hawk War service had also given him important contacts, including leading attorneys John Todd Stuart, John Hardin, Edward Baker, and Joseph Gillespie.

Once again, Lincoln supported the Whig position of internal improvements, a strong central bank, protective tariffs, and readily available public education. He favored construction of a canal between Beardstown and the Sangamon River, which would improve health conditions by eliminating stagnant pools and create a way for New Salem–area farmers to transport produce to the Illinois River, their primary route to eastern and southern markets. Mostly, however, Lincoln focused on making himself better known in the county.

On one occasion, in Island Grove, Lincoln came upon a group of men harvesting crops. They told him he would gain their support if he helped with their work. “Well, boys,” Lincoln said, “if that is all then I am assured of your votes…” He then picked up some tools, and jumped in to help for several hours. He got their votes.

Lincoln was in his element, touring on horseback the farms spread around the county, telling humorous stories and chatting about the farmer’s hopes and dreams, crops and planting practices, and the schools their children attended. Because of his own experience on farms he could ingratiate himself with all manner of potential voters, from rich to poor. He also had an affinity for children, often picking them up and telling jokes to keep them happy while he conversed with everyone in the family. All of this retail campaigning worked in his favor; Lincoln won 1,375 votes, the second-highest total of any of the candidates. Fellow canvasser and Black Hawk War Major John T. Stuart also won a seat. Lincoln was reelected in 1836, 1838, and 1840, serving eight years in the legislature over four terms. He later noted that “members of the legislature got four dollars a day, and four dollars a day was more than I had ever earned in my life.” He was about to become one of the leading Whigs in the state of Illinois.

[Adapted from Lincoln: The Man Who Saved America]

David J. Kent is an avid science traveler and the author of Lincoln: The Man Who Saved America, in Barnes and Noble stores now. His previous books include Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity and Edison: The Inventor of the Modern World and two specialty e-books: Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time and Abraham Lincoln and Nikola Tesla: Connected by Fate.

Check out my Goodreads author page. While you’re at it, “Like” my Facebook author page for more updates!