The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-04-21
Asa Soldier in the Black
,e Hawk War
FIRST OFFICIAL POSITION
Another Wrestling Match--A naiden Political
Effort--Trouble at Political Heeting.
How He Inaugurated Ills Cam
G paign--fiis Only Defeat
Before the People
from "The Life of Lincoln" by william II.
Herndon and Jesse W. Weik. Copyright
1883, by Jesse W. Weik Copyright, 1892,
by d. Appleton & Col


vi.
In the neighborhood Of the village, or
rather q fewfmiles to the southwest, lay q
styip of timber called Clary's grove. The
hoys who lived there were terror to the
entire region, seemingly necessary prod
uct of frontier civilization. They conceded
leadership to one Jack Armstrong. q har-
dy, strong and well developed specimen Of
physical manhood, and under him they
wore in the habit Of "cleaning out" New
Salem whenever his order went forth to do
20. Offut and Bill Clary, the latter skep-
tioal Of Lincoln's strength and agility,
ended heated discussion in the store one
day over tho nav clerk ability to meet
tho tactics of Clary's grove by bet of
$40 that Jack Armstrong was, in the Ian.
euage OF the day, "a better man than Lin
coin." The new clerk strongly opposed
this sort of an introduction, but after
much entreaty from Offut at last consent
I'd 20 mako his bow to the social lions of
khe town in this unusual way. He was
nous 1eet inches high and weighed, as
his friend and oonf1dant, William Greene,
TELLS rs with impressive precision, "214
pounds" The contest was to be friend
Vope and fairly conducted. All New Sa-
Lam Adjourned to the scene of the wrestle
Money, whisky, knives and all manner of
property were staked on the result. 1t is
Unnecessary to go into the details of the
bpoounter. Every one knows how 1T end
I'd; how at last the tall and angular rail
Splitter, enraged at the suspicion Of foul
tsctics and prof1ting by his height and the
length of his arms, fairly lifted the great
BULLY by the throat and shook him like
rag; how by this act he established him
L. or<nn Of oil Co
lam and secured tho respectful admira-
Zion and friendship of the very man whom
hs had 60 thoroughly yanquished. From
this time forward Jack Armstrong, his
Nife Hannah and all the other Arm
ttrongs became his warm and trusted
friends. None stood reader than they to
rally to his support, none more willing to
lend helping hand. Lincoln appreciated
their friendship and support and in after
years proved his gratitude by saving one
member Of the family from the gallows.
The Black Hawk War.
The great Indian chief, Black Hawk,
who on tho S0th of June, 1881, had en-
tered into an agreement, having all the
solemnity Of treaty, with Governor Reyn
olds and General Gaines that none of his
tribe should ever GROSS the Mississippi ito
their usual place of residence, nor any part
of their old hunting grounds east of the
Mississippi, without permission Of the
president of the United States or the gov
ernor of the state of Illinois, " had openly
broken the compact. On the 9th of April,
1899, he recrossed the Mississippi and
marched up Rock river valley, accom-
panied by about 600 warriors on horse.
back, while his women and children went
up the river in canoes. The great chief
was now 81 years old and believed that
his plots were all ripe and his allies fast
and true. Although warned by General
Atkinson, then in command Of Fort Arm
strong, against this aggression and ordered
to return, he proudly refused, claiming
that he had "oome to plant corn"
On being Informed Of the movement of
Black Hawk, Governor Reynolds called for
1000 mounted volunteers to cooperate
with the United States forces under COM
mand Of General Atkinson and drive the
willy Indian back across the Mississippi.
The response to the governors call was
prompt and energetic. In the company
from Sangamon county Lincoln enlisted,
and now for the first time entered on the
vioissitudinous and dangerous life of SOL
dier. That he, In fact, regarded the cam
paign after the Indians as sort Of holt
day affair and chicken stealing expedition
10 clearly shown in a speech he afterward
made in congress in exposure of the mill
taFy pretensions of General Cass. How
ever, in grim, soldierly severity he marched
with the Sangamon county contingent to
Rushville, in Schuyler county, where
much to his surprise, he was elected cap
tain Of the company over William Kirk
patriok. A recital of the campaign that
followed, in the effort to drive the treach-
arous Indians back, or description of the
few Observation-Disclosures of which reached
the dignity of battle-which took place,
have In nowise been overlooked by the
historians Of Illinois and Of the Black
Hawk war. With the exception Of those
things which relate to Lincoln alone, pre-
sumo it would be needless to attempt to
add anything to what has SO thoroughly
and truthfully been told.
A Valued Distinction.
On being elected captain, Lincoln re-
died in brief response of modest and
thankful acceptance. 1t was the first Off
cial trust ever turned over to his keeping,
and he priced it and the distinction it
gave him more than any which in after
years fell to his lot. His company savored
strongly of the Clary's grove order, and
though daring enough In the presence of
danger were dlmcult to bring down to
the infexibilities Of military discipline
Each one seemed perfectly able and will
ing to care for himself, and, while the cap
tain's authority was respectfully observed,
yet, as some have said, they were none the
less crowd of generous ruffians."
heard Mr., Lincoln say once, on the subject
of his career as captain in this company
and the discipline he exercised over his
men, that to the first order given one Of
them he received the response, go to the
dQvil, sir!'
Notwithstanding the interchange of
many such unsoldierlike civilities between
the officer and his men, a strong bond Of
affection united them together, and if
contest had arisen over the conflict of or
doris between the United States authorities
and those cmanating from Captain Lin
coin or some other Illinois officer, as at
one time was threatened, we need not be
told to which side the Sangamon county
company to man would have gone. A
general order forbidding the discharge of
firearms within so yards Of the camp was
dlsobeyed by Captain Lincoln himself. For
this violation of rule he was placed under