The children's life of Abraham Lincoln

Front matter

.X

.** .

r-— ig

Chapter II

The Journey. — Arrival. — He helps to build a Log-cabin.

— Continues his Education. — Learns to Shoot. — His Mother's Illness and Death. — His Grief. — He obtains New Books. — Learns to Write. — His First Letter. — His Mother's Funeral Sermon 29

Chapter III

His New Mother. — Her Kindness. — Abe goes to School. —The Buck's Horn. — The Ruined Book. — School Incidents. — Abe leaves School. — Goes to New Orleans in a Flat-boat. — Dangers of the Trip. — Safe Return. — Death of his Sister 36

Chapter IV

Removal to Illinois. — Incidents of the Journey. — Arrival.

— He builds a Log-cabin. — Splits Rails. — Goes to seek his Fortune. — The Armstrongs. — Goes to New Orleans.

— Life in New Salem. — Pursues his Education by Himself 47

Co7itents.

Chapter V. Page

Black Hawk War. — Mr. Lincoln is nominated for the Legislature, but is defeated. — He buys a Store. — Becomes a Surveyor. — He is chosen to the Legislature. — Decides to become a Lawyer. — A Long Walk. — He is admitted to the Bar. — Trial of Young Armstrong. — Mr. Lincoln's Marriage 51

Chapter VI

Explanation of the United States Government. — Presidential Campaign of 1844. — Lincoln is chosen Representative to Congress. — Annexation of Texas. — The Mexican War. — The Wilmot Proviso. — The Tariff . . 58

CHAPTER VIL

General Taylor elected President. — Lincoln practises his Profession. — Takes the Pohtical Field in 1854. — Repeal of the Missouri Compromise. — Judge Trumbull elected Senator

CHAPTER VIIL

The Republican Party. — The Presidential Campaign of 1856. — Buchanan's Election. — Kansas, — The Dred Scott Decision . . jj

CHAPTER IX.

Speeches of Lincoln and Douglas. — Lincoln visits Kansas, Ohio, and New York. — Speech at Cooper Institute. — At Five Points 86

CHAPTER X.

The Presidential Campaign of i860. — The Republican Convention at Chicago. — Lincoln elected President . . 97

Cojitents. vii

CHAPTER XI.

PAGE

Commencement of Secession Movement. — General Scott's Anxiety. — Defection of Buchanan and his Cabinet. — Anderson's Removal to Fort Sumter. — South Carolina secedes. - Secret Meeting of Jefferson Davis and other Traitors. — Other States secede. — Their Congressmen resign their Seats at Washington. — Convention of Seceded States at Montgomery. — Jefferson Davis is chosen President, Alexander H. Stephens Vice-President. — The Confederacy prepares for War. — Congress tries to concihate loi

CHAPTER XII.

Lincoln leaves Springfield. — Farewell. — His Arrival at Tolono, Indianapohs, Cincinnati, Columbus, Steubenville, Pittsburg, Cleveland, Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Utica, Albany, Troy. Hudson, Poughkeepsie, Peekskill, New York, Trenton. Philadelphia, Harrisburg. — Plot to take his Life.— His Safe Arrival at Washington: — Lincoln's Address no

CHAPTER XIII.

Lincoln's Inauguration. — Personal Appearance. — Habits 127

CHAPTER XlV. •

President Lincoln chooses his Cabinet. — The " Star of the West."— Anderson's Letter. — The President's Dilemma.

— Surrender of Fort Sumter demanded and refused.— Bombardment of Fort Sumter. — Anderson Surrenders.

— Exultation of the South. — Indignation of the North . 133

CHAPTER XV.

President Lincoln calls for Troops. — Enthusiasm at the North. — Virginia secedes. — Letters of Marque. — Blockade. — President Lincoln improvises a Navy. — Calls for more Troops 15° viii Contents.

CHAPTER XVI.

PAGE

Secession Sympathizers. — Suspension of the Writ of Habeas Corpus. — Recognition of the Rebels as Belligerents by Foreign Powers 159

CHAPTER XVII.

Special Session of Congress. — The President's Message. — Defeat of our Troops at Bull Run. — McClellan succeeds McDowell. — Union Successes on the Coast. — Disaster at Ball's Bluff. — Scott's Resignation. — McClellan succeeds Scott. — Dranesville. — The Trent Affair . . . 168

CHAPTER XVIII.

The President's Order. — Yorktown. — Williamsburg. — Advance of the Army. — McClellan's Retreat to James River. — Pope succeeds McClellan. — McClellan .succeeds Pope. — South Mountain. — Antietam. — Burnside succeeds McClellan. — Union Successes in the West.

— Capture of New Orleans. — Report by Congress on

the Conduct of the War 184

CHAPTER XIX.

The President's Position in regard to Slavery. — Meeting of Congress. — Confiscation Bill. — The Border States.—

— Slavery in the Territories and District of Columbia abolished. — Emancipation Proclamation. — Confederate Cruisers. — Action of Mr. Adams 198

CHAPTER XX.

Hooker succeeds Burnside. — Fredericksburg. — Meade succeeds Hooker. — Gettysburg. — Vicksburg. — Port Hudson. — Dedication of the Battlefield of Gettysburg.

— The President's Thanksgiving Proclamation . . . 212

Contents.

IX

CHAPTER XXI.

PAGE

The French Emperor. - Congress. - The President's .Message .— Arming of the Blacks. —Conscription Bill. —The Draft — Riot in New York. — Vallandigham. — Rebel Rams

CHAPTER XXII.

Con^^ress. — Amnesty Proclamation. — General Grant. — Presidential Campaign. — Lincoln re-elected. — His Reception of the News -42

CHAPTER XXIII.

Congress. — The President's Message. — A Constitutional Amendment. — The Peace Conference. — The Second Inauguration of Lincoln 251

CHAPTER XXIV.

General Grant.— General Sherman.— Grant's Campaign against Richmond. - General Sheridan. - Sherman's Grand March. - Savannah. - Fort Fisher. - Petersburg and Richmond Evacuated. — President Lincoln enters Richmond. - Surrender of Lee. — Celebrations.

— The President's Last Speech -59

CHAPTER XXV.

The .President at Breakfast. — Cabinet Meeting at the Theatre. —Assassination of the President by Booth.— The President's Death. — Pubhc Grief and Indignation.

— His Funeral. — Triumphal March. — Burial. — Reflections "7^

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

PAGE

Lincoln at his Mother's Knee .... Froiitupiece

Abe learning to Talk 17

"An Indian darted out" 21

Birthplace of Abraham Lincoln 27

Lincoln starts for School in a new Coon-Skin

Cap 37

Abe on the Stump . 43

Lincoln's First Lesson in Law 73

Lincoln addressing the Five-Points Mission . . 93

Off to the War 153

A Volunteer 188

"He died for us" 197

President Lincoln signing the Emancipation Proclamation 207

Thanksgiving Day — Home again! 221

Draft Riots, July 14, 1863 235

"Bress de Lawd!" 271

The Drummer-Boy and the President .... 287

Pax 291

THE CHILDREN'S

LIFE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN

Chapter I

Birth of Abraham Lincohi. — Angel Visitors. — He begins his Education. — Incidents of his Childhood. — He removes to Indiana.

N an old log-hut without a floor, and with scarcely anything in it that could be called furniture, in a more miserable and forlorn-looking cabin than you, my dear children, probably ever saw in all your lives, on a cold winter's day more than seventy-six years ago, a little baby was born. The precise day on which this event occurred was the I2th of February, in the year of our Lord

1809. The spot on which this hovel stood was near the banks of a river in the State of Kentucky, in what was then called Hardin County, but now bears the name of La Rue.

You would hardly believe that a little, tender, new-born baby could live, much less grow and thrive, in such an uncomfortable place as this poor hut. There were great cracks between the logs, where the snow and rain and sleet came driving in at pleasure, and at night the stars were plainly to be seen shining through chinks in the roof; so that with all the fire that could possibly be kept roaring up the wide chimney, I doubt not we should have found ourselves in a fearfully cold place, if we had made a visit to this same log-hut on the 12th of February, in the year 1809.

But notwithstanding the poor old cabin was so cold and so bare, I think it next to certain that it had visitors on that day. I am sure that a band of holy angels must have descended from their heavenly abode and filled this lowly dwelling with their sacred presence, commissioned by the dear Lord himself to watch over and protect this infant, whose career w^as to be so wonderful. For when our Saviour was upon earth he said some very remarkable words about children. He said to his disciples one day, *' Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones ; for

Birth of Abraham Lincoln. 15

I say unto you that in heaven their angels do ahvays behold the face of my Father which is in heaven." These words show that the guardian angels of children dwell in the immediate presence of God, and indicate how precious the little ones are in his sight.

This new-born infant was a boy, although I believe I omitted to tell you that. He was a fine, healthy child, and was called Abraham. His father was Thomas Lincoln, and his mother, Nancy Hanks Lincoln. Abraham had one brother, who died in childhood ; he also had a sister, a few years older than himself, who lived to womanhood.

His sister, I doubt not, was very much delighted with her little brother Abraham, and very proud when her mother allowed her to sing him to sleep, or perhaps rock him in the rude cradle which his father managed to construct from the scanty materials within his reach. As the baby grew older, doubtless his sister patiently taught him to use his feet until he could walk, and hour by hour said over to him, as they lay on the beautiful green grass in front of their homely cabin, the words ** father," " mother," *' sister," until Abraham could say them himself. She little knew, this kind, good girl, that in helping to rear her dear baby brother she was doing something for everybody in these whole United States. And this should teach you, my children, to be patient and kind and i6 The Childreri s Life of Abraham Lincoln.

gentle to that little baby brother or sister of yours ; for you do not know how good or great the little one may become.

It did not seem probable that this little Abraham, whose parents were so very poor, would ever be known much beyond a few neighbors as poor and obscure as themselves. But I hope to be able to show you in these pages that he finally became one of the greatest men that ever lived.

We do not know much with certainty concerning his childhood before he was about seven years old. It was at this period that Abraham, or '* Abe," as all the family called him, began to go to school, — not to such an one as you are blessed with, with your pleasant, comfortable school-houses, and nice, new books, and above all your refined and able teachers, but to a miserable cabin, not unlike the one he lived in. He carried an old, tattered spelling-book under his arm, and had a teacher who barely knew how to read and write.

But Abe, as we must now call him, since everybody else did, thought it a glorious afi"air to go to school at all, as indeed it was. Very few children in that region ever saw a school, or knew what it meant. Their parents were for the most part very ignorant people, and not knowing how to read or write themselves did not consider it necessary that their chil-

' mm

The Family Bible.

dren should be any wiser than they. Mr. and Mrs. Lincohi, however, were superior both in talents and acquirements to most of their neighbors, yet we should consider their education very limited. Mrs. Lincoln could read quite well, but, according to some authorities, could not write, though the latest claim that she could ; but all agree, I believe, that her husband could do neither, except that he was able to scrawl his name in a rude manner, which he and his friends managed to decipher. Even this acquirement was due to the instruction of his wife.

But they both knew the value of learning, and determined to give their son all the advantages they could, which at that time did not promise to be many. Abe himself was very eager to be taught to read. There was no church for many miles around, and on Sundays his mother, who was a most excellent Christian woman, was accustomed to spend a great portion of the day in reading to her family from the Bible. Little Abe would listen with the greatest attention and delight to those w^onderful Bible stories of Joseph and Moses and Samuel and Daniel, and a host of others ; but more than all, how the Lord Jesus Christ was born in a manger. Abe said to himself, —

** It would be very nice to read all those stories out of a book, as mother does; and I will try as hard as ever I can to learn."

20 The Children s Life of Abraham Lijicoln.

In consequence of his good resolution he was quickly able to spell out easy words, and often carried home his old spelling-book and studied all the evening.

Abe, as we have said, was very fond of stories ; and it was one of his greatest pleasures to hear all about the exploits of his grandfather, for whom he was named.

I can imagine that upon some cold, stormy night, when the wind was howling and moaning through all the cracks and crevices of the miserable dwelling, and shaking and rocking it so hard that it seemed every instant as if it would tumble down about their ears, Mr. Lincoln, who was a kind-hearted man and loved to make all his family happy, would pile the old chimney high with logs, until there was a glorious, blazing fire that made the little cabin as light as day; then, sitting down in the corner and taking his little son upon his knee, he would say : ** Now, my boy, I 'm going to tell you about your grandfather; this is a good night for stories."

Then Abe would sit and listen till his hair stood on end and his blood chilled, as his father told him all about those perilous times.

"I was only six years old," he said, "when my father was killed. One morning, when he was going out to work, he took my two older brothers and me

Indian Stories.

with him. We had gone but a few rods from our home, when an Indian darted out from behind a tree and killed our father before our eyes. My younger

AN IXDIAN DARTED OUT.

brother started for the fort, which was a good way off, for help ; but Mordecai, my eldest brother, ran to our cabin for his musket, for he meant to kill the Indian. He climbed up into the loft, where he could see the savage plainly, and take good aim. There was some-

22 The Children's Life of AbraJiam Lincoln.

thing on the red man's breast that served Mordecai for a target. He aimed at that; and the Indian was dead in a minute, for Mordecai was a famous shot.

" All this time I was alone with my dead father. I was too frightened to run or do anything but cry. The Indian, just before Mordecai shot him, seeing that both of my brothers had gone and left me alone, was coming up to grab me and carry me off, when he fell dead at my feet. Then I screamed louder than ever, and should have gone crazy if Mordecai had not rushed out of our cabin and come to me. He took me in his arms and tried to soothe me. I can see it all as plainly as if it happened yesterday. I did not get over the fright for a long time."

It appears that Abe's grandfather and father, too, were born in old Virginia, in Rockingham County. But the grandfather decided when his son Thomas, Abe's father, was a little boy, to move with all his family to the State of Kentucky. This event occurred about the year 1780.

At that time Kentucky was not a State, it was only a Territory ; and the country where Mr. Lincoln settled was all a wilderness. There were no roads, no paths, even, only as the settlers made them by cutting down the trees and thick underbrush which grew in their way. There were no houses of any description, except a few rude huts, scattered here and there in the

Perils of the Pioneers. 23 dense forests. Abe's grandfather selected a spot for his dwelhng a mile or two away from anybody else. The woods were full of Indians running about in every direction. They were very cruel to white people, often murdering whole families.

The first thing to be done in a new country like this is to " clear the land." All the trees within a certain space must be cut down, and all the underbrush cleared away. Sometimes the ground is burned over, and various other things are done to get the land into a proper condition to be cultivated. Whenever these new settlers went out to clear their land they were obliged, on account of the barbarity of the Indians, to tak'e their guns as well as their axes. The guns were kept constantly loaded, that they might be discharged at a moment's warning. But notwithstanding these precautions, settlers were often killed. Abe's grandfather was more fortunate than many of his neighbors. He got on very pleasantly with the Indians for three or four years, and doubtless he and his family began to feel quite secure, and thought the Indians would never molest them. But, alas! one day, when Mr. Lincoln w^ent out to clear a piece of land, the terrible tragedy occurred which we have related.

Abe's grandmother was now a widow and very poor, with three boys and two girls to take care of, which was more than she could do without assistance. So all the children were obliged to go away from home, except Thomas, Abe's father, who lived with his mother until he was twelve years old, when he, too, left her.

Little Abe was never tired of hearing about these strange, perilous times, and asked his father more questions about them than he was able to answer; for even at that early age Abe showed a very discriminating mind, and wanted a reason for everything. When he had been a short time at the school of Mr. Hazel, — for that was his master's name, — and was just beginning to read short and easy words, his education was interrupted.

Mr. Thomas Lincoln, who had for a long time been discontented in Kentucky on account of its being a slave State, where it was considered a disgrace to work for one's own living, and where poor white people often did not fare as well as the slaves themselves, now decided that he could not live there any longer, and that he must sell his little farm and move away.

It was not very easy finding a purchaser for so small and poor an estate as his ; but at length a man made his appearance who said he would buy it if he and Mr. Lincoln could agree upon the terms. Mr. Lincoln's price was three hundred dollars. This man said he had but little money, but had some

The Price of the Farm. 25 whiskey, and would give ten barrels of whiskey worth twenty-eight dollars a barrel, and twenty dollas in money, for the farm. You will see, children, if you reckon 'it up, that this amounted to Mr. Lincoln's price. He did not altogether like the proposition, however, because he wished to move away quite a long distance into another State, and if he could sell his "farm for money, he could put that in his pocket, where it would give him no trouble.

But ten barrels of whiskey would n't go into anybody's pocket, and it was very hard telling what to do with it. He did not want to drink it because he was a temperate man, and he could not sell it there ; so if he took it, it was plain that he must carry it with him. It was a difficult question to decide how to move such cumbersome property through a country where for much of the distance there was no road at all. After some reflection, however, and talking the matter over with his wife, who was a woman of excellent judgment, he decided to accept the man's offer and take the whiskey and the twenty dollars.

As I have already told you, Mr. Lincoln's cabin stood near the banks of a river. It is called the Rolling Fork River, and empties into the Ohio. You know that th^ Ohio is a large river, separating the State of Kentucky from the State of Indiana.

Mr. Lincoln decided to seek his future home in

26 TJie CJiildreiis Life of Abraham Lincoln.

Indiana. So he concluded to build a flat-boat, — a rude sort of an affair not unlike a raft, which was often used at that time for transporting produce from one place to another.

Mr. Lincoln accordingly began his boat; and although little Abe was not yet eight years old, he was of great assistance to his father. When the boat was finished and launched, Mr. Lincoln loaded it with the ten barrels of whiskey, a few household goods, and some carpenter's tools, and pushed off for Lidiana. He intended to float down the Rolling Fork into the Ohio, and then at a proper place cross the Ohio River. He succeeded in getting boat and cargo safely to the Ohio ; but pretty soon after this was accomplished his boat upset, and down went whiskey and everything else, as well as himself, into the water.

Fortunately there was no other person on the boat at the time. He had thought best to leave his family behind until he had first selected a suitable place for a home, when he was to return for them. Thus he was all alone. But some men on the opposite bank witnessed the accident, and called out to Mr. Lincoln to hold on to his boat till they could get to him. Another boat was at hand, into which they quickly jumped and were soon at his side. They succeeded in righting Mr. Lincoln's craft and

Seeking a New Home.

saving several barrels of the whiskey and a few other things, but all the rest was swept away.

Mr. Lincoln, however, was n't a bit discouraged ; he started off again quite cheerfully with the remains of the wreck, and proceeding down the river to Thompson's Ferry, landed safely in Indiana. There

BIRTHPLACE OF ABRAHAM LINXOLX.

he found a man who agreed to guide him into the interior of the country and take the boat in payment for his services. To this Mr. Lincoln was glad to consent, as he had no further use for the boat. Mr. Lincoln's place of destination was Spencer County, and to reach it was a formidable undertaking. It was necessary to cut a road the entire distance through a dense and almost impenetrable forest.

28 The Childreiis Life of Abraham Lincobt.

By dint of great perseverance and much hard labor eighteen miles of this difficult work were accomplished. But Mr. Lincoln often said, in speaking of it afterward, that one of the hardest things he ever did was to get from Thompson's Ferry to Spencer County. He looked about this new country which it had cost him so much toil to reach, and at length selected a spot for his new home. Having done this, he consigned his small property to one of the neighbors, and set out on foot for Kentucky. His family were waiting for him ; and in a few days their preparations had been completed, and they were all ready to bid good-by to the old homestead and proceed to Indiana.

Chapter II

The Journey. — Arrival. — He helps to build a Log-cabin.— Continues his Education. — Learns to Shoot. — His Mother's Illness and Death. — His Grief. — He obtains New Books. — Learns to Write. — His First Letter. — His jMothefs Funeral Sermon.

F you could have seen Mr. Lincoln and his family equipped for this journey, children, I think you would have laughed. They had no wagon, and were to go on horseback. Abe's mother and sister were both mounted upon one horse. Abe had an animal all to himself, as had also his father ; but their horses were loaded down with bundles and packages strapped on in every direction, and presented a very grotesque appearance. Little space was left for the riders ; indeed, Mr. Lincoln walked most of the way, leading his horse. In this manner they proceeded seven whole days over a wild and uninhabited region, tying their horses to trees when they were too tired or too hungry to go on any farther, and for their own refreshment eating a bit of dry bread or cold meat which they had brought with them.

And when night came, what do you suppose they did for a bedroom? Why, they spread a blanket on the ground, and all lay down together under a tree, with another blanket over them, the green boughs arching high overhead. There they all slept as soundly as you do, tucked into your nice, warm beds. At the end of seven days Mr. Lincoln told his family they had reached their new home; but they had only come to a great clump of green trees, without any house at all.

They were obliged to sleep on the ground as usual that night; but in the morning they awoke quite refreshed, and Mr. Lincoln told Abe that he must help him clear some land on which to build a cabin. So Abe took his hatchet and went to work, chopping away right merrily. By and by a neighbor who lived two or three miles away came to help them, and brought them something good for dinner, which you may be sure was very acceptable. They all worked, Mrs. Lincoln lending her aid, and m a short time had constructed a temporary shelter, in the form of a shed enclosed on three sides, the fourth being open to the weather.

This was better than nothing, and served them for a year, by which time they had erected a log-cabin, about eighteen feet square. This rude structure consisted of but one room, and had no floor but the

TJie Young Hunter. 31

beaten ground. A chamber, however, was contrived for Abe, by placing some slabs across the logs overhead, and a rude ladder served for a staircase. A bedstead, a table, and four stools were hewn out of the rough logs, and then the house was pronounced finished and furnished. The shed was built in the autumn.

As soon as the winter set in, Abe began to study again, with his mother for a teacher. She took great pains with him, and he amply repaid her by improving rapidly in his reading and spelling, and before the winter was over had mastered their whole library, which consisted of three books, — the Bible, the Catechism, and the old spelling-book from which Abe had learned to read.

But he did not spend all his time in study ; no child could do that. Sometimes with his father he chopped down trees, and sometimes he practised rifle-shooting. It was of great importance in those new countries to be a good shot, because there were no butcher's carts or meat-shops or markets of any kind. When a piece of meat was wanted for dinner, somebody must go out and shoot some game. Abe practised until he became an excellent shot, and one day killed a wild turkey, which made them a good dinner.

They lived in this manner very happily for about two years, when one day Abe's mother was taken very ill. The family were much alarmed, and tried to do something for her relief. The neighbors came and were very kind, but nobody could think of anything which made the poor woman any better. The doctor could not be sent for, because he lived forty miles away ; so the poor, sick woman was obliged to lie and suffer upon her hard bed, with nothing to ease the dreadful pain.

One day she called little Abe to her side, and told him she thought she was going to die. Poor, poor child ! what terrible words were these ! He loved his mother with all the strength of his loving heart, and he did not see how he could live without her. His mother tried to calm him, and told him he must listen to her dying words and ahvays remember and obey them, and then some day God would let him come and live with her in a beautiful world where nobody would ever be sick or die, or have to say good-by any more.

She told him he must always remember to keep God's day holy, as she had taught him ; that he must never tell lies, or say wicked words ; and above all, that every day he must read a chapter in the Bible, and say his prayers every night and morning. Little Abe promised to mind his mother faithfully, and we have reason to think he did so as long as he lived.

Mrs. Lincoln was in every respect a remarkable

Death of Mrs. Lincoln. 33

woman. She was truly Christian in all her deeds, and little Abe knew that his mother always practised the very things she required of him. It was, doubtless, owing in a great degree to his mother's influence that he was so honest, truthful, and upright all his life.

Abe's mother grew worse and worse, and after a few weeks of severe suffering died and left her stricken family. Poor little Abe sobbed out to one of the neighbors who came in : "I have n't any mother now."