Campaign Parade Torch, 1888
notes: label: Description
content: The successful presidential campaign of Republican Abraham Lincoln perfected the nighttime torchlight parade as an entertainment of unprecedented scale that attracted the attention of men, women, and children. The concept originated in Hartford, Connecticut, in 1858, and was revived for Lincoln’s campaign by the city’s young Republicans. Tailored oil-resistant enameled cloth capes distinguished the marchers, some of whom were too young to vote. Their example spread from Hartford to cities in the northeastern United States, which contributed traveling companies totaling some ten thousand uniformed men with torches to a Grand Procession in New York City on October 3, 1860. The martial spectacle—including fireworks, Lincoln “Wide Awake” transparencies, and floats—created envy among the city’s Democrats, and panic among southern sympathizers who regarded the torch-lit parade as a provocation.
label: Description
content: A torch with top-hat design from 1888.
topic: label: used
content: Political Campaigns
setName: label: See more items in
content: Political History: Political History, Campaign Collection
label: See more items in
content: Government, Politics, and Reform
label: See more items in
content: American Democracy: A Great Leap of Faith
label: Exhibition
content: American Democracy
label: Exhibition Location
content: National Museum of American History
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Ralph E. Becker
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: PL.227739.1888.H03
label: catalog number
content: 227739.1888.H03
label: accession number
content: 227739
objectType: label: Object Name
content: Torch
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: metal (hat material)
label: Physical Description
content: black (overall color)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 5 1/2 in x 4 3/4 in x 6 1/2 in; 13.97 cm x 12.065 cm x 16.51 cm