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Take a Look Inside – Three Weeks to Release of Lincoln: The Fire of Genius

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Three Weeks from Today is the official release date for Lincoln: The Fire of Genius. You can now “Look Inside” for a preview on the Amazon platform. Barnes and Noble will have a similar preview shortly.

Look Inside Fire of Genius

                   Click to Amazon

Just click on the book to see the table of contents and preview the first chapters.

 

Here’s the link to the Barnes and Noble site:

Fire of Genius

    Click to Barnes and Noble

I’m scheduled to do a series of presentations at various venues in September, October, and November – check out my Media page for the full list (with new ones added daily). These presentations are tailored to the audience, so they won’t simply be repeating the same as the others. 

The book is available for pre-order on the Rowman & Littlefield website (Lyons Press is a trade imprint of Rowman). You can also pre-order it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble (click on the respective links to pre-order). Release date is scheduled for September 1, 2022.

The book is also listed on Goodreads, the database where I keep track of my reading. Click on the “Want to Read” button to put it on your reading list. That will also ensure you get informed of the release date.

You also follow my author page on Facebook.

Join my mailing list at the top of this page to keep informed.

David J. Kent is President of the Lincoln Group of DC and the author of Lincoln: The Man Who Saved America. 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.

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Congratulations to Fire of Genius Goodreads Giveaway Winners!

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The waiting is over. The ten winners of the Goodreads Giveaway of my new book, Lincoln: The Fire of Genius, have been randomly chosen by Goodreads from the entrants. I’ve sent the list to the publisher to have brand new print books sent out as soon as possible. Congratulations to:

 

 

There were over 2500 entries for the Giveaway. The books are completely free to the winners, who I hope will provide fair and honest reviews on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or wherever they leave reviews. I hope you enjoy the book.

Didn’t win? Keep an eye out for a new Goodreads Giveaway to be started soon, this time for 100 Kindle book versions of Lincoln: The Fire of Genius.

Of course, you can also buy the book. You can pre-order the book now on the publisher’s website and all the major bookseller sources. Release data is September 1st, which is coming very soon.

Thank you all for supporting this project!

Want to come to a book signing? Check out my scheduled events (more being added daily).

Fire of GeniusRelease date for Lincoln: The Fire of Genius is September 1, 2022.

While you’re here, check out the various posts on Lincolnian.org related to our recent Lincoln Memorial Centennial program. For those who missed it, C-SPAN will be replaying the event at 3 pm on June 18th on CSPAN2.

The book is available for pre-order on the Rowman & Littlefield website (Lyons Press is a trade imprint of Rowman). You can also pre-order it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble (click on the respective links to pre-order). Release date is scheduled for September 1, 2022.

The book is also listed on Goodreads, the database where I keep track of my reading. Click on the “Want to Read” button to put it on your reading list. That will also ensure you get informed of the release date AND will let you try for one of ten free hardcover copies of the book that I’ll be giving away. I’ll also be giving away as many as a hundred e-books. [The book will also be put out on audio]

You also follow my author page on Facebook.

I’ll have much more about the book over the next few months, so join my mailing list here to keep informed.

David J. Kent is President of the Lincoln Group of DC and the author of Lincoln: The Man Who Saved America. 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.

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Lincoln the Philanthropist

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Emancipation Proclamation with LincolnFew people know that Abraham Lincoln was also a philanthropist. We remember him for saving the union and the Emancipation Proclamation, but he also was a big donator to charity. On December 17, 1863, he sent a letter thanking the Sanitary Commission of Chicago for a watch that was sent to him for his contributions. He wrote:

Executive Mansion,
Washington, December 17, 1863
To James H. Hoes
My Dear Sir,

I have received from the Sanitary Commission of Chicago, the Watch which you placed at their disposal, and I take the liberty of conveying to you my high appreciation of your humanity and generosity, of which I have unexpectedly become the beneficiary. I am very truly yours

A. LINCOLN

So why was he receiving a watch?

The managers of the Northwestern Soldier’s Fair at Chicago had earlier written to Lincoln, noting:

`Among the many remarkable incidents of our recent Fair, not one has been more pleasant, than the duty that devolves upon us, of consigning to you, on this National Thanksgiving Day, the accompanying watch; of asking you to accept it, as a memorial of the Ladies N. Western Fair. During the progress of the Fair, Mr. James H. Hoes, Jeweller of Chicago, a most loyal and liberal man, after giving very largely himself, in order to stimulate donations from others, proposed through the columns of the Tribune, to give a gold watch to the largest contributor to the Fair. . . . Emancipation Proclamation . . . was sold for $3,000, the largest benefaction of any individual. . . .”

In a nutshell, Lincoln had handwritten a copy of the Emancipation Proclamation to donate to the Fair. The two-week fair was the first of many Sanitary Fairs designed to raise money to support the care of wounded and sick soldiers. The fair was entirely organized by women, and the managers that sent the letter to Lincoln were indeed Mrs. Abraham H. Hoge and Mrs. David P. Livermore. Most of the crafts, food, and entertainment for sale at the fair were created and provided by women. Dignitaries such as Lincoln donated documents, lithographs, and other items for sale and auction. The Chicago Fair brought in $80,000 (roughly $1.7 million today). Many hundreds of thousands of dollars were raised in subsequent fairs held around the country through the end of the war.

Lincoln’s contribution garnered the greatest gain for the Fair, hence the watch. What became of the watch is unknown, but perhaps he donated to the next Sanitary Fair.

On a related note, a printed copy of the Emancipation Proclamation but signed by Lincoln was sold at auction in 2012 for $2.1 million. The buyer was modern philanthropist David Rubinstein, who has donated millions of dollars to renovations of Lincoln-related buildings around Washinton, D.C. A total of 48 printed copies were made in 1863, with Lincoln signing all of them and donating them to the Sanitary Commission for auction.

Fire of Genius

Lincoln: The Fire of Genius: How Abraham Lincoln’s Commitment to Science and Technology Helped Modernize America is available at booksellers nationwide.

Limited signed copies are available via this website. The book also listed on Goodreads, the database where I keep track of my reading. Click on the “Want to Read” button to put it on your reading list. Please leave a review on Goodreads and Amazon if you like the book.

You also follow my author page on Facebook.

David J. Kent is President of the Lincoln Group of DC and the author of Lincoln: The Fire of Genius: How Abraham Lincoln’s Commitment to Science and Technology Helped Modernize America and Lincoln: The Man Who Saved America.

His previous books include Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity andEdison: 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.

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Lincoln on the Importance of Education

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Lincoln reading by firelight“Upon the subject of education,” Abraham Lincoln wrote in his Communication to the People of Sangamo County in 1832, “I can only say that I view it as the most important subject which we as a people can be engaged in.”

True to his word, on December 2, 1840, during his tenure in the Illinois state legislature, Lincoln offered a resolution: “That the committee on education…inquire into the expediency of providing by law for examination as to qualifications of persons offering themselves as school-teachers, that no teacher shall receive any part of the public school fund who shall not have successfully passed an examination.” This resolution is embodied in sec. 81 of common school code adopted at this session.

Up to that point, teachers on the frontier weren’t required to have any qualifications beyond “readin, writin, and cipherin’ to the Rule of Three.” The state of education on the frontier was so limited that “if a straggler supposed to understand Latin, happened to so-journ in the neighborhood, he was looked upon as a wizzard.” Even with his limited access to formal education, Lincoln quickly outclassed his occasional teachers in capability, mostly because he did what he could to “pick up from time to time under the pressure of necessity” any other education. To give him proper credit, that included teaching himself English grammar, Euclid geometry, surveying, and the law.

In fact, a closer look at Lincoln’s ciphering book (often referred to as his “sum book”) shows that Lincoln was less than forthcoming about his educational achievements, intentionally downplaying his expertise for political expediency. The ciphering book includes an additional page covering his practice with the double rule of three, a slightly more complicated skill than he suggested. There are also several fragmented pages in which he practices both simple and compound interest, and calculation of a discount rate. Based on these few entries, only a fraction of the original 100-page volume, Lincoln clearly gained more intense mathematical knowledge than suggested in his biographical sketch. Early twentieth century researcher M.L. Houser went so far as to suggest Lincoln received a “collegiate education” before he was 18 years old. Taking Lincoln at his word that he ciphered clear through Pike’s Arithmetick, with additional study in Daboll’s book, he would have covered more advanced skills such as reduction (converting unlike numbers), vulgar (simple) fractions, decimals (called decimal fractions), duodecimals, and the inverse rule of three. He likely studied square and cube roots (and their extraction), permutations, and involutions. The two books also provided instruction in practical mathematics that he would find useful in his later life as a store clerk, including gauging the volume of casks used for liquid goods, ways to calculate payments, and general bookkeeping skills. Pike’s provides information on mechanical powers of levers, an introduction to physics that Lincoln would have found useful in loading and unloading flatboats. From Daboll’s he could have learned geometrical progression, or how to determine the sum of the terms in any series of numbers increasing or decreasing by one common multiplier.

But there is so much more about Lincoln’s education that I discuss in my book, Lincoln: The Fire of Genius.

 

Fire of Genius

Lincoln: The Fire of Genius: How Abraham Lincoln’s Commitment to Science and Technology Helped Modernize America is available at booksellers nationwide.

Limited signed copies are available via this website. The book also listed on Goodreads, the database where I keep track of my reading. Click on the “Want to Read” button to put it on your reading list. Please leave a review on Goodreads and Amazon if you like the book.

You also follow my author page on Facebook.

David J. Kent is President of the Lincoln Group of DC and the author of Lincoln: The Fire of Genius: How Abraham Lincoln’s Commitment to Science and Technology Helped Modernize America and Lincoln: The Man Who Saved America.

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.

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If Destruction Be Our Lot…We Must Ourselves be its Author and Finisher – Abraham Lincoln’s Lyceum Address

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At what point then is the approach of danger to be expected? I answer, if it ever reach us, it must spring up amongst us. It cannot come from abroad. If destruction be our lot, we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen, we must live through all time, or die by suicide.

If destruction is our lotAbraham Lincoln spoke these words in a speech generally referred to as  the Lyceum Address. Given on January 27, 1838 and more formally titled “The Perpetuation of Our Political Institutions,” the speech shows a surprising level of insight for a 28-year-old man who had spent the first three-quarters of his lifetime to date as a frontier farmer and railsplitter. He had passed the bar to become a lawyer less than two years before but had been a Whig member of the Illinois state legislature for half of the four terms he would serve. He was young, with limited political experience, but he was also a deep thinker.

Ostensibly, Lincoln was talking about how the rule of law was critical to the continuation of democratic institutions. Recent violence had led to the murder of Presbyterian minister, journalist, and abolitionist newspaper editor Elijah Lovejoy in Alton, Illinois. Right wing mobs had destroyed Lovejoy’s warehouse, thrown his printing press in the river (for the third time), and killed him. In a second murder, a racist mob had attacked, lynched, and set fire to a free black man for no reason. Lincoln argued that mob rule cannot replace the rule of law in a legitimate society.

Lincoln’s speech goes further. He was concerned about the irreparable effects of division in the nation. Although our country is diverse in national origins, religions, and political ideologies, we needed a unified democracy to function properly as a nation. Our democratic institutions are fragile, and Lincoln warned that political concerns could only be properly addressed through the law. Mob action ultimately damages the rule of law, and with it the Constitution and democracy itself. He noted that as a nation we are strong enough to repel any foreign enemy. Our destruction will be because of our own divisions. If we are honest and hard-working, we will prosper. If we give ourselves to division, it is akin to dying by suicide.

If destruction be our lot, we must ourselves be its author and finisher.

Are we paying attention? Are we willingly allowing destruction of our democracy through violence and perpetual lies?

Will we live through all time, or die by suicide?

This has happened before. And even more recently on January 6, 2021.

Democracy is fragile. The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate for the stormy present.

Lincoln was confident we would survive the times and grow as a nation and a democracy.

Can we be so confident today?

 

Fire of Genius

 

Lincoln: The Fire of Genius: How Abraham Lincoln’s Commitment to Science and Technology Helped Modernize America is available at booksellers nationwide.

Limited signed copies are available via this website. The book also listed on Goodreads, the database where I keep track of my reading. Click on the “Want to Read” button to put it on your reading list. Please leave a review on Goodreads and Amazon if you like the book.

You also follow my author page on Facebook.

David J. Kent is President of the Lincoln Group of DC and the author of Lincoln: The Fire of Genius: How Abraham Lincoln’s Commitment to Science and Technology Helped Modernize America and Lincoln: The Man Who Saved America.

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.

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Lincoln and Me Tour Harpers Ferry

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Harpers FerryPresident Lincoln took a special train to Harpers Ferry on October 1, 1862. I drove my car to the National Park Service visitors center on October 1, 2021. Lincoln reviewed the troops on Bolivar Heights. I climbed to the overlook on Maryland Heights. One hundred and fifty-nine years separated us, but I still felt his presence.

Lincoln was anxious about his commanding general, George McClellan. McClellan had brought a military success, of sorts, near Antietam creek just a few weeks before. More of a draw than a clear-cut victory despite McClellan’s staff finding Confederate General Lee’s plans wrapped around three cigars, it had been enough for Lincoln to issue his Emancipation Proclamation on September 22nd. Lincoln was not pleased with McClellan’s overall performance. McClellan complained incessantly that the enemy had decisively more troops, even when it was McClellan with the distinct numerical advantage. So Lincoln was coming to talk to McClellan in person.

Around 6 a.m. on the first day of October, Lincoln and entourage left Washington on a special train. Joining him were General McClernand, Ward Hill Lamon, Ozias Hatch, John Garrett (president of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad) and others. Arriving at Harpers Ferry at noon, Lincoln meets with General Sumners until General McClellan finally arrives in the early afternoon. McClellan and Lincoln visit the troops at Bolivar Heights. That night, Lincoln spends the night in Harpers Ferry. The next morning he visits more troops on the Maryland Heights and moves to McClellan’s headquarters for a strategic discussion and critical job review. While there, several iconic photos are taken by Alexander Gardner. A month later, Lincoln would finally relieve McClellan from command, permanently this time.

My visit began around 8 a.m. for a drive of just over an hour. The day was about as perfect as could be, with no clouds and a high temperature in the low 70s. A fog enveloped the valley as we approached, but quickly disappeared once I arrived in the lower town of Harpers Ferry. John Brown’s Fort was getting a paint job as I headed for the Maryland Heights trailhead. Not only is Harpers Ferry the intersection between Maryland, West Virginia, and Virginia, it’s also where three trails intersect – Maryland Heights,  the C & O Canal Towpath, and the Appalachian Trail. The railroad and foot bridges over the Potomac River (with the Shenandoah River sliding in from the right) lead into the gaping maw of the tunnel under the heights. A short walk up the towpath brought us to the trailhead. A constant uphill hike of about 1200 feet elevation gain brought us to the Heights overlook, where we snacked and replenished electrolytes before hiking back down to the town. A delightful lunch on the patio of the Coach House Grill capped a perfect visit.

A week earlier I had toured Williamsport and Falling Water, another area not far away that had hackled Lincoln. After the decisive Union victory in Gettysburg, Lincoln was displeased with General George Meade for his failure to attack and destroy Lee’s army, giving it time to cross the Potomac River upstream from Harpers Ferry. Lincoln wrote a blistering letter berating Meade, his failure prolonging the war another two years instead of ending it in late 1863. Lincoln never sent the letter. Having spewed his anger onto the page, he rethought the wisdom of chewing his arguably one of his better generals. Luckily for us, he saved it for posterity “never signed, never sent.”

Eventually Lincoln would find likeminded generals in Ulysses S. Grant, William T. Sherman, and Philip Henry Sheridan, along with Meade, who would be key to closing out the rest of the war. But his trip to Harpers Ferry and Antietam was to reassess his commander. McClellan was found wanting, and Lincoln fired him.

Unlike Lincoln, my trip to Harpers Ferry was a total success, and despite the sore muscles afterward, a wonderful experience.

[David J. Kent has been “Chasing Abraham Lincoln” for the last several years, with the COVID pandemic putting much of it on hold. With most responsible people now vaccinated, David will be doing more road trips on the trail of Lincoln. Stay tuned.]

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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Introducing the New Lincoln Group of DC Website

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The Lincoln Group of the District of Columbia, aka the Lincoln Group of DC, aka the Lincoln Group, aka LGDC, has a new website! Here’s a preview (see below the photo for more):

Lincolnian.org website

Our new URL is https://www.lincolnian.org/

The old Lincoln Group of DC website served us well for many years, but advancements in website technology led to a much needed change. Many thanks to former LGDC president and long-time website guru Karen Needles for building and maintaining the old website. Outgoing LGDC president John O’Brien took responsibility for finding an outside website developer, making the sometimes-painstaking transition from our old to the new provider, and maintaining the superstructure of the new Wix-based site. The result is a beautiful visual upgrade. We’re still transitioning the “members only” functions to the new site, so please have a bit more patience until the site is fully functional, but do take advantage of some of the new features.

Our biggest change – besides the obvious visual interface – is the addition of a Lincoln News Blog (“News” on the menu bar). We’ll have news about what the Lincoln Group is doing, about what is happening with Lincoln in the DC area, and important Lincoln news from around the country. It’s well worth checking out daily to keep up on new events.

Another feature is our Study Forum page (“Study Forum” on the menu bar). For many years we’ve had a book discussion group that meets on Saturday morning once a month at the Ford’s Theatre Center for Education and Leadership directly across the street from the historic Ford’s Theatre (where Lincoln was shot) and next door to the Petersen House (where Lincoln died). That book discussion group has evolved into a study group for all things Lincoln, although we still focus on a book as our vehicle for that study. We’ve moved online via Zoom during the past pandemic year, which has allowed Lincoln Group members who live outside the DC area to join us.

Study Forum page

 

Another important section of the new website is the Events page (“Events” on the menu bar). You’ll find brief highlights and bios of upcoming speakers and other events organized by the Lincoln Group. We’ve continued our monthly “dinner” meetings (previously held at Maggiano’s restaurant in the Friendship Heights area of DC) via a series of monthly Zoom meetings. Lincoln Group members have also been featured in events sponsored by the Cosmos Club, the Illinois State Society, the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church, and other venues. We’ll continue to work with other Lincoln organizations like ALI, Ford’s Theatre, President Lincoln’s Cottage, the Library of Congress, and the National Archives on future events. We’ve done so much and have plans to do much more, including participating in the Lincoln Memorial Centennial commemorations scheduled for May 2022.

Events page

 

There is much more to see on the new Lincolnian.org website, so click on over and take a look around. And check back regularly for News and other important updates.

One more thing. In a few days I will be taking over as the new president of the Lincoln Group of DC. Our outgoing president, John O’Brien, has done a superhuman job “herding cats” (as one Lincoln Group Board member put it) for the last three years. His guidance and fortitude was especially needed during this past “Year of the COVID.” I’ll have big shoes to fill, but luckily for me and the Lincoln Group, John will be keeping touch with us from “the other DC” (aka, Denver, Colorado). So take a moment to thank John for his leadership. I am personally indebted to him and hope to carry on in his image.

David J. Kent is the author of Lincoln: The Man Who Saved America. His newest Lincoln book is scheduled for release in February 2022. 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.

Follow me for updates on my Facebook author page and Goodreads.

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Abraham Lincoln and the Store that “Winked Out”

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LincolnWhen he returned from the Black Hawk War, Lincoln was without any means of employment or income. He briefly considered learning blacksmithing, but he also wanted to further his education, which he acknowledged was sorely lacking. Around this time New Salem resident James Herndon sold his interest in the general store he owned with his brother Rowan to William F. Berry, who had served with Lincoln in the militia. Dissatisfied with Berry, a few weeks later Rowan sold his own share to Lincoln. Berry was the son of a Presbyterian minister from an influential family, so may have paid for his share, but Lincoln’s share was obtained on credit. In 1832, Berry and 22-year-old Lincoln were suddenly partners, store owners, and in debt.

The store came fully stocked with the usual items, just as Offutt’s outfit had been. Mostly they served farmers coming in from the surrounding territory. When another store co-owned by James A. Rutledge failed, Berry and Lincoln quickly scooped up the extra goods. The new products included a barrel of whiskey, which teetotaler Lincoln avoided but Berry proved all too fond of, perhaps explained the store’s lack of profits.

Business was slow, and Lincoln was generally left to operate the store while Berry worked his second job as town constable or was away attending college, which he did at least briefly. The slow pace was perfect for Lincoln, who much preferred entertaining to selling, often sitting by the fire telling humorous stories and jokes to anyone who might wander inside. Everything from the weather to politics was ripe for intense discussion, and Lincoln kept all his visitors enthralled. He freely extended credit to his growing list of friends, which seemed to include everyone who walked into the store.

In early 1833 Berry and Lincoln bought out the inventory of a larger store across the road, as well as the store itself. Here the two men, likely at Berry’s urging, applied for a license to sell whiskey by the glass. Despite the common occurrence of “groceries” (equivalent to what we today call pubs) and widespread alcohol imbibing, Lincoln had to walk a fine line of denial in his debates two decades later with Stephen A. Douglas, who sought to tarnish Lincoln’s reputation.

New Salem had begun to stagnate as a community, in large part because the nearby Sangamon River was not as navigable as hoped. The combination of too much competition, the overstocking of supplies, and inexperienced management by both owners put the business in a bad financial position. In 1834, the store “winked out.” Not long afterward, Berry grew severely ill, most likely from a life of hard drinking, and died. Lincoln was forced to assume the considerable remaining debts of the failed business, which totaled more than $1,000 ($27,000 in today’s valuation). He jokingly referred to this as his “national debt,” and it took him many years to repay.

[Adapted from Lincoln: The Man Who Saved America]

David J. Kent is the author of Lincoln: The Man Who Saved America. His newest Lincoln book is scheduled for release in February 2022. 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.

Follow me for updates on my Facebook author page and Goodreads.

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Lincoln and Native Americans – A Panel

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Abraham Lincoln ChicagoOn March 30, 1861, Abraham Lincoln writes to Illinois State Auditor Jesse K. Dubois, who is “sorely disappointed” that Lincoln did not name J. P. Luse to head Minnesota’s Indian Affairs office. The letter gives a glimpse into the difficulties Lincoln faced dealing with our historical treatment of Native Americans. In the letter, Lincoln writes:

I was nearly as sorry as you can be at not being able to give Mr. Luce the appointment you desired for him. Of course I could have done it; but it would have been against the united, earnest, and, I add, angry protest of the republican delegation of Minnesota, in which state the office is located. So far as I understand, it is unprecedented, [to] send an officer into a state against the wishes of the members of congress of the State, and of the same party. Your friend as ever A. LINCOLN

Dubois had served for many years as a fellow Illinois state legislator alongside Lincoln, and was eager for Lincoln to use his patronage to get a position as Indian agent in Minnesota for his son-in-law, James P. Luse. Lincoln explains that control over the appointments is up to U.S. congressmen representing the local Minnesota populace, and that his hands were largely tied. This had always been the case, and would continue for many years to come.

The treatment of Native Americans during the Civil War has recently been offered as part of the rationale for questioning why we honor Lincoln with statuary and school namings. Most notably, San Francisco considered removing the names of Lincoln and many others from school buildings (they have since put the idea on hold). Chicago has initiated a review of 41 statues they deem potentially offensive, including five of the city’s most iconic Lincoln statues.

Which gets me to a program I’ll be participating in next month. On April 13th at 2:00 pm ET, the Illinois State Society (ILSS) is sponsoring a panel discussion entitled “The Case for Honoring Lincoln.” Organized by Rod Ross, a member of the ILSS and the Lincoln Group of DC, the panel consists of myself, current Lincoln Group President John O’Brien, and current Lincoln Group Vice President of Special Events Debbie Jackson. After our short presentations, I’ll moderate a Q&A for the panel. A link for the event will be sent around shortly.

My portion of the program will focus on Lincoln and Native Americans. Specifically, I’ll address Lincoln’s role in the “Dakota 38,” where 38 Dakota were hanged for their part in an uprising that resulted in the deaths of 800 or more settlers. While Lincoln commuted the death sentences of 265 of those convicted, the 38 remain the largest mass execution in U.S. history. I’ll put the incident, and two others, in context with the history of the “Indian System” that had been in place for decades.

Following me will be John O’Brien’s discussion of Lincoln and Emancipation in response to questions about whether Lincoln thought “black lives mattered.” Debbie Jackson will bring the topics together with an overview of why we honor Lincoln despite the fact that he wasn’t infallible.

ADVANCED REGISTRATION FOR THE ZOOM MEETING IS REQUIRED. SEE LINK BELOW. The panel discussion and Q&A will be recorded and is intended as a resource for the Chicago and San Francisco review commissions, plus will be made available to organizations, schools, groups, and anyone else who would benefit from a rational discussion of Lincoln’s roles in these issues.

Please RSVP with link below

Advance Registration Required

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_esVKJb0eSty1gsF3F1BREA

[Photo by David J. Kent, Lincoln in Chicago]

David J. Kent is the author of Lincoln: The Man Who Saved America. His newest Lincoln book is scheduled for release in February 2022. 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.

Follow me for updates on my Facebook author page and Goodreads.

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Abraham Lincoln and the White House Stable Fire

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Abraham Lincoln was working in his second floor office on February 10, 1864 when he realized the White House stables were on fire.

It had been a long day already. Lincoln had spent the morning reviewing court martial cases, desperately searching for a reason to suspend the mandatory death sentence for deserters and working to keep soldiers in the army. Shortly after a light lunch of strawberries and milk, he had open office hours where the public could come in to vent their individual views. Lincoln called these his “public opinion baths,” which while distracting from more important work, helped him understand public sentiment. “Public sentiment is everything,” Lincoln had said. “With it we can accomplish anything; without it, nothing.” Later in the afternoon Lincoln received a delegation of 18 men from a convention at Allegheny City, Pennsylvania. They wanted to amend the Constitution “in favor of freedom.”

But then around 8:30 pm there was smoke. Lincoln’s private stables were on fire. He could see the small brick building between the White House and the the Treasury Building next door. Rushing out, his intent was to put out the fire but it was already consuming the small stables. Robert McBride recalled the event, which was also reported in the Evening Star newspaper:

“[Mr.] Cooper, the President’s private coachman, left the stable to get his supper about 8 o’clock, and he was first notified of the fire by the President himself, who discovered the smoke . . . The building . . . contained . . . six horses, all of which were burned to death . . . One of these ponies was all the more highly prized, in consequence of having once been the property of Willie, the deceased son of Mr. and Mrs. President Lincoln.”

Hours later, Lincoln stood in the East Room looking out at the still-smoldering stables. According to McBride, “Lincoln was weeping. Tad explained it was because Willie’s pony was there.”

Willie, Lincoln’s second oldest son, had died of typhoid almost exactly two years before, right here in the White House. The pony was the last remnant of the boy’s life remaining. Also lost were Lincoln’s own two horses, as well John Nicolay’s two horses and Tad’s other two ponies.

Lincoln conferred the next day with Commissioner of Public Buildings Benjamin Brown French about rebuilding the stables. Meanwhile, Patterson McGee, dismissed on the day the White House stables burned, was arrested the day after on the charge of having started the fire. He was released shortly thereafter.*

And the war continued.

*Edited to add McGee was cleared of wrongdoing. As Scott McCullagh in the comments alludes, McGee was released. Scott didn’t provide a source, but I’ve also heard via LinkedIn from historian and Lincoln scholar David Gerleman, who confirms McGee was released immediately after it was discovered he was in Grover’s Theater when the fire started. Gerleman says he has an in-depth article on the fire due out in 2022. Thanks to both for the additional information.

[Photo of Kazuhiro Tsuji sculpture of Lincoln, from The amazing story of Hollywood Make-up artist Kazuhiro Tsuji – Spoon & Tamago (spoon-tamago.com)]

David J. Kent is an avid science traveler and the author of Lincoln: The Man Who Saved America. 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.

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