The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1877-10-11
A BIT OF HISTORY,
Which Tells Who Wrote tho Article
that Nearly Made Lincoln q Du-
Ielist chivalrous Conduct Of
"old Abe

1850 ~S~4AJ @@a1e A<AaOolu = bu-
Ielist- chivalrous Conduct Of
"old Abe"
A correspondent writing to the
New York World says: at was
somewhere about the year ] $40 that
he writer. then a small boy, living
in little village, on the line Of the
old State-road running from st.
Louis to Indianapolis, met one
morning, as he was going TO market,
one of the colored boys who had
been a house servant Of his Gther's
in the State Of Alabama, seated up
on a first class carriage. asked
Hiram--for that was his name
where he came from and where he
was going TO. Springfield. sir, and
am taking one OF the two gentlemen
down to Bloody Island to fight
Bloody Island is now known as
East ST. Louis, and from 1890 to
ls47, under the first constitution Of
Illinois, there we're perhaps not less
than one hundred duels fought
thereon. 1t turned odt that the
gentlemen who were 10 slaughter
one another upon this bloody field
were none less than Abraham Lin.
coin, of Black hawk war fame. and
the then Captain Paddy Shields.
who had seen service In the British
army. Aud here. let me say, that
it was because they stopped for
breakfast at our little village that
perhaps Lincoln was saved 70 make
for himself such grand and glori,
Gus name throughout the world as
he afterward did, and that Shields
became true and honored soldier,
not only in the Mexican, but in the
war to preserve the Union, for the
Circuit Court was then ia session
for that county, and in attendance
were some OF the leading lawyers
OF the district, among whom were
Lincoln's and Shields personal and
political frisnds, aud as soon as Il
was noised about--as it was imme-
diately after breakfast--that they
had gone TO Bloody Island to fight,
then il was that Stephen A. Doug
lass-who was at that time prose
cutting attorney for our district
r w. English, our member Of as
sembly, and A. W. Cavalry, our
senator, all three OF whom were
warm political friends OF Captain
Shields. Colonel John II. Hardin.
afterward killed At Buena Vista,
and Colonel Edwin d Baker killed
at Balls Bluff, friends Of lincoln,
started in hot pursuit 10 overtake
the duelists. Ia this they did not
succeed until they had reached the
Ground upon which the Eight was 20
take place. Upon their arrival they
found both Lincoln and shields
ready for the combat. They soon
succeeded In inducing Shields 20
withdraw the challenge for I've min
utes, in order that Lincoln might
make an explanation, and should
this be satisfactory 10 Shields, he
(Shields) should not Ia future at
tempt 10 find out or discovnr who
might have been the author Of the
newspaper article from which the
trouble arose. As soon as Captain
Shields withdrew the challenge, Mr..
Lincoln a. once assured him, on his
honor as a man, that he had never
seen or heard OF the article Ia ques-
ton till he read the same ia the
morning paper, end that be was In
no sense responsible for the same,
but had simply espoused Il In
order TO protect the good name Of q
most estimable young girl Ia
Springfield. This settled what
might have terminated 10 a bloody
affair. The would-be combatants
shook hands and were ever after.
wards good friends. Bat for years
the question was, who wrote the
articleT IL is now an open secret
in Springfield. Il seems thht Miss
jaime, who had recently graduated
from Monticello Seminary, had who
was quite a belle at the capital, had
three young lawyers as her admir-
crs. Mr.. Lincoln was one ADD Cap.
tain Shields was another,an she had
written the article which the Trial
soldier thought was reflection up
on himself, for be. be II known, was
a very vain man and oousidcred
himself handsome. Neither Shields
nor Lincoln married the girl, but
she became the loving and hohored
wife OF Lyman Trumbuli.