Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1906-05-25
Lincoln a Captain.

Lincoln enlisted in company from
Sangamon. He had been elected cap
tain of a militia company on the occa-
sion of a muster at Clary's Grove the
fall before. He was absent at the time,
but thankfully accepted and served.
Very much to his surprise his friends
put him up for the captaincy of this
company about to enter active service.
They did not organize at home, how
ever but marched first to Beardstown
and then to Rushville, in Schuyler
county, where the election took place.
Bill Kirkpatrick was a candidate
against Lincoln, but made very sorry
showing.
1t has been said that Lincoln once
worked for Kirkpatrick as a common
laborer and suffered some indignities
at his hands, but the story as a whole
is supported by no credible testimony.
1t is certain, however, that the planls
for the boat built by Abe and his
friends at the mouth of Spring creek
We're sawed at the mill of Mr.. Kirk
patrick. 1t was then, likely enough,
that Abe fell in the way of this man
and learned to dislike him.
At all events, when he had distanced
Kirkpatrick and was chosen his cap
tain by the suffrages of men who had
been intimate with Kirkpatrick long
before they had ever heard Of Abe, he
spoke of him spitefully and referred in
no gentle terms to some old dispute
"D-n him." said he to Green, 1--WE
beat him. He used me badly in our set
tlement for my TOLL
6 Captain Lincoln now made a very
modest speech to his comrades, recit-
ing the exceeding qualification their
partiality afforded him, how undeserv-
ed he thought it and how wholly unex-
pected it was. In conclusion he prom
ised very plainly that he would do the
best he could to prove himself worthy
of that confidence.
The troops rendeZvoused at Boards
town and Rushville We're formed into
four regiments and a spy battalion.
Captain Liaeo,a's company was at
tached. to the regiment of Colonel Sam
uel Thompson. The whole force was
placed under the command of General
Whiteside.
On the 9th of April the army march
ed toward the mouth of Rock river by
way of Oquaka ON the Mississippi. The
route was one of difficulty and danger,
a great part of it lying through coun-
try largely occupied by the enemy. The
men were raw and restive under diSci-
pline. In the beginning they had no
more respect for the rules and regula-
tions than for Solomon's proverbs OF
the Westminster Confession. Captain
Lincoln's company is said to have been
a particularly hard set of men, who
recognized no power but his. They
were fighting men, and but for his per-
sonal authority would have kept the
camp in a perpetual uproar.
At the crossing of Henderson river,
a stream about fifty yards wide, they
were compelled to make a bridge or
causeway with timbers cut by the
troops. while in camp here" says q
private In Captain Lincoln's company,
"a general order was issued prohibiting
the discharge Of firearms within fifty
steps Of the camp. Captain Lincoln dis
obeyed the order by firing his pistol
within ten steps of the camp, and for
this violation of orders was put under
arrest for that day and his sword taken
from him; but the next day his sword
was restored. and nothing more was
done in the matter"
From Henderson river the troops
marched to Yellow Banks On the Mis-
sissippi. From Yellow Banks rapid
and exhaustive march Of a few days
brought the volunteers to the mouth Of
Rock river, where it was agreed be
Weeu General Nhiteside and General
Atkinson oe the regulars that the voa
Inteers should march up Rock rtves