Lincoln Belongs To The Ages

Writing Again About Lincoln

noreply@blogger.com (Geoff Elliott) — Thu, 25 Mar 2021 19:30:00 +0000

It's been far too long since I've posted any new content on my Abraham Lincoln Blog. In fact, one might say that it's been almost "forever" in terms of what's happened in the world since I last posted in 2014. There is no one reason why I've let the blog lay fallow for so many years. If you'll indulge me, I'll fill you in on why I've been away from here for so long.

The main reason is that the Blogger (formerly Blogspot) interface was cumbersome and tedious to use. While I've been in the IT field for more years than I care to admit (OK, 37), my HTML skills aren't the best. I've never needed to use that professionally. But the old platform required extensive use of HTML, which at times nearly drove me mad. It could take hours for me to get new content look"just right," especially the insertion of photos.

Then I heard about something called "Twitter," essentially a microblogging platform, where I could "slam out" a tweet or two about Lincoln in just a couple of minutes! I grew to become enamored with that "new" service and found myself devoting all my free time to it, instead of writing in detail about Mr. Lincoln. Where I once posted several times monthly here to my blog, that activity gradually fell to the wayside as I focused on building my followers on Twitter. As my follower total increased over the years, I was less and less likely to want to take the time and effort to post new content on my blog. In addition to the Twitter account, I also began writing a Facebook page dedicated to Lincoln, which also took time away from the blog.

I've not left the world of Abraham Lincoln. Quite the contrary, in fact. During the 150th anniversary of the Civil War from 2011-2015, I almost completely immersed myself in his world. I was busy speaking throughout Ohio and all aspects of Lincoln's life and legacy. I gave talks about his Inauguration Journey to Washington; his struggles to find competent generals; his numerous ties to the state of Ohio; how he "bent" the Constitution during the war; and unfortunately, his assassination and Funeral Train journey back to Springfield. During those years, I was interviewed by newspapers across the country as well as a few radio stations in different states. In April 2015, I attended the 150th anniversary ceremony of the assassination held at Ford's Theatre. A few days later I traveled to the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus for the commemoration of his funeral held there. Then it was on to Springfield, IL for the grand re-enactment of his final funeral of May 4, 1865.

Along the way, I've made some special new friends in the Lincoln community. I've spent time with them in their homes, been on road trips to Washington and Gettysburg with some of them, and been blessed by the generosity of others who share my passion for all things Lincoln.

I've been away from writing about Lincoln for far too long, but I've returned. I'll be making some changes to this blog, including updating the name. My Twitter account (@Mr_Lincoln) is titled "Lincoln Belongs To The Ages." A former friend suggested I rename this blog from the clever title "The Abraham Lincoln Blog" to "Lincoln Belongs To The Ages" in order to have close ties between the two.

So I'm back. I look forward to once again writing in-depth about Mr. Lincoln. I hope people will return to read fresh content. Thanks!

Book Review: "I Am Abraham" by Jerome Charyn

noreply@blogger.com (Geoff Elliott) — Wed, 12 Feb 2014 20:21:00 +0000

In time for the 205th birthday of Abraham Lincoln comes the latest work from the prolific author, Jerome Charyn, a novel titled "I Am Abraham: A Novel of Lincoln and the Civil War." Charyn has written numerous works over his career, including short stories, plays, histories and at least 30 novels. He has been called one of the most important writers in American literature. He has been the recipient of two New York Times book awards in his long career.

Charyn now tackles the subject of Abraham Lincoln in this fictionalized account of Lincoln's days from New Salem, Illinois up to his assassination. Written in the first person, this is "Lincoln's" own story, as told by Mr. Lincoln himself. It's an inventive approach, one which blends historical people and events with imaginary occurrences as the reader journeys with Lincoln from 1832 until 1865. The reader shares both triumph and tragedy with Lincoln as he chronicles the events which make up his life.

All too often, we think of our historical figures as if they were near demi-gods, above the cares and concerns which life brings to everyone else. We see them in photos or paintings, visit their homes, and see countless statues honoring their deeds. In the end, the real person is lost to us, as cold as their statues.

Charyn succeeds mightily in bringing Lincoln "alive" for the reader of "I Am Abraham." The Lincoln we come to know in this book shows not only determination and ambition, but warmth and humor as well, just like the real Mr. Lincoln. The result is captivating and moving until the reader can almost believe that the real Lincoln actually wrote this work.

Some readers of "I Am Abraham" may be surprised by the "earthiness" of Charyn's Lincoln. Certain words and phrases come from "Lincoln's" mouth in this book, words that we may not have ever imagined the real Lincoln uttering. But it must be remembered that Lincoln was a product of what was then the frontier, surrounded not by the refined elite, but by people who lived a hard life, dirt farmers, carpenters, and the like. And it's quite true that the real Abraham Lincoln enjoyed telling off-color and ribald stories and jokes while he was in the company of men.

Indeed, this is not a novel for young readers, so parents beware. The reader encounters graphic depictions of atrocities during "Lincoln's" recounting of gruesome violence during the Black Hawk War of 1832. Brutal descriptions of his involvement with "The Clary's Grove Boys," (who were the real Lincoln's enemies at first, later turned friends) are given. Prostitution is featured in "I Am Abraham" in graphic scenes. And yes, the reader encounters a brief, but descriptive, sex scene or two between Abraham and Mary Lincoln. This reviewer admits to be taken aback about "Lincoln" being depicted having sex, but of course the real man fathered four children, and the scenes do help bring Lincoln "alive" for the reader.

For this reviewer, the best achievement of "I Am Abraham" is how the novel portrays the emotional struggles of Lincoln's wife Mary. Even on her best days, Mary Todd Lincoln was nervous, easy to anger, and emotionally highly-strung. Some historians believe she would be called clinically "bipolar" today. To be fair, poor Mary Lincoln suffered terribly from the loss of her mother at an early age, the emotional distance of her father, mistreatment by her step-mother, and by 1862, the deaths of two of her children. The strongest person would be affected by such grief. The scenes in "I Am Abraham" which show Mary at her most unhinged are nearly painful to read. The reader shares in her pitiful attempts at contacting her dear departed son, Willie, in seances run by a charlatan. Her excruciating migraines are vividly depicted. And her public and deeply embarrassing (to Lincoln) meltdown during their visit with Generals Grant and Ord and their wives at City Point, VA toward the end of the war is emotionally powerful in the book (and true).

The only quibbles for this reviewer are a matter of personal preference. "Lincoln's" trip to Gettysburg to give his immortal Address is told in only two or three pages, while his involvement with The Clary's Grove Boys seemed to drag through several pages. It would have been nice to read more about his struggles to find a good general or two and less about Mary's financial shenanigans. These quibbles, however, didn't ruin the overall enjoyment of the novel.

Author Jerome Charyn has succeeded "I Am Abraham: A Novel of Lincoln and the Civil War" where even some history writers of Lincoln and the war have failed. He skillfully blends fact and fiction, tells the true (mostly) story of Abraham Lincoln, and above all, keeps the attention of the reader. A highly enjoyable, informative, and captivating read.

"I Am Abraham: A Novel of Lincoln and the Civil War" is published by Liveright and is available nationwide at book stores or online.

A New Lincoln At Gettysburg Photo Claim

noreply@blogger.com (Geoff Elliott) — Tue, 24 Sep 2013 22:57:00 +0000

The above image (magnified) is the only undisputed photograph of Abraham Lincoln at Gettysburg, PA on November 19, 1863. Taken either during or just after his delivery of his immortal Gettysburg Address, the photo depicts a hatless Lincoln in the middle of other dignitaries on the speakers' platform as thousands gathered for the dedication of the National Cemetery that day.

Nearly 6 years ago, I posted this article about a claim which was made by John Richter of Hanover, PA that he had found Lincoln in another photograph taken that day in Gettysburg. That claim has been the subject of much discussion and even controversy since it was reported in 2007. Even strong magnification of the image could not settle the issue as some (including me) said that the gentleman in that image looked too heavy to be the gaunt Abraham Lincoln.

Now another gentleman has claimed to find "Lincoln" in that photo, but this "Lincoln" is apparently several yards in front of Richter's gentleman. This month's issue of the magazine Smithsonian contains a lengthy article relating the claim of a former Disney animator and current professor Christopher Oakley that he has found "Lincoln" in a different spot in that photo of the crowd. As the claim made by Richter has generated controversy, there are disputes over this latest claim.

Copyright considerations preclude me from publishing the blown up photos from Oakley and the Smithsonian story. But since the original photograph of the crowd scene is part of the public domain, I include it below. The original article I posted in 2007 and referenced above contains Richter's "Lincoln." The article in Smithsonian contains images of the gentleman Oakley is claiming is "Lincoln." I'll let the reader decide for himself or herself if either of these "Lincolns" is in reality President Lincoln.

Lincoln Document Found In Switzerland

noreply@blogger.com (Geoff Elliott) — Tue, 20 Aug 2013 12:27:00 +0000

The country of Switzerland is known secretive banking, cheese, neutrality, skiing, and majestic beauty as this image of the Swiss Alps shows. Now it can be known as the site of a recent discovery of a document which contains the handwriting of Abraham Lincoln.

NBC-affiliate station KSDK (St. Louis, MO) reported that researchers with The Papers Of Abraham Lincoln project at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum (ALPLM) were contacted by a gentleman from an Australian university. He remembered seeing a Lincoln document in Switzerland while doing research there, and thought the people at the ALPLM would like to know about it.

The researchers contacted the Bibliotheque de Geneve (Library of Geneva) who confirmed the authenticity of the document in question. It was written in May 1863 by famed minister and abolitionist Henry Ward Beecher, brother of Harriet Beecher Stowe (author of Uncle Tom's Cabin), as a letter of introduction for a female journalist. Nearly two years later, Lincoln added his own comment to the letter, stating that while he didn't know the person in question, if Beecher had vouched for her, he would as well.

The Papers of Abraham Lincoln project is actively searching the world for any documents which were written or signed by Lincoln. This new discovery, while not significantly important, shows that there are hopefully more Lincoln documents waiting to be found.

The entire article from KSDK, complete with the text of the letter, may be found here.

New Project Marks Lincoln's Visit To Iowa

noreply@blogger.com (Geoff Elliott) — Tue, 13 Aug 2013 17:11:00 +0000

Sometimes a chance discovery is all the impetus a new historical project needs to get under way. Council Bluffs, Iowa is the setting for a new effort to commemorate Mr. Lincoln's visit to that city in 1859.

According to the Omaha World-Herald in an article published on August 12, 2013, a local historical society was looking under a pile of books when he found a plaque which marked Lincoln's visit to Council Bluffs. His curiosity piqued, the gentleman and other local historians further researched Lincoln's 4-day 3-night visit to the town.

It seems that Lincoln came to Council Bluffs to look at 17 town lots which his campaign manager Norman Judd had offered to Lincoln as collateral for a personal loan. He arrived in August 1859 and spent the next few days visiting with Judd, other friends, attending a church service, and giving a speech. Unfortunately, there is no text of that speech and the only account of it is from a Democrat newspaper of the day, which was unkind in its review of his address.

The new project resulting from the discovery of this forgotten plaque aims to mark the location of the original lots which Judd did deed over to Lincoln in November 1859 for that loan which amounted to $3,000. Judd later paid it back in full plus interest to Lincoln's widow Mary and her son Robert in 1867.

Lincoln's visit to Council Bluffs is actually more important for his later decision to make that city the legal eastern terminus of the first transcontinental railroad built in the United States. While in Council Bluffs, he met with railroad engineer Grenville Dodge. He peppered Dodge with questions about the possibility of a railroad stretching from the east to west, and asked him where the best route would be. Dodge replied from the village they were currently standing in across the Platte Valley and then west. He pointed out its relatively close proximity to all the railroads in and around Chicago and the rest of Illinois. Lincoln accepted Dodge's recommendation only a few years later when Lincoln officially named Council Bluffs, Iowa to be the eastern terminus of the railroad across the nation. The above image is an old postcard which shows a memorial erected in 1911 to Lincoln's visit to the city. It looks out across the Mississippi River to the west, honoring both the railroad and Mr. Lincoln.

The article to which I linked above provides more details about this new effort in Council Bluffs to mark Mr. Lincoln's visit. A project begun after the chance discovery of an old plaque which provided only scant details of that day when Lincoln came to town.

PBS To Premiere "Rebel" On Series Voces

noreply@blogger.com (Geoff Elliott) — Tue, 21 May 2013 23:55:00 +0000

On Friday May 24, 2013 the PBS Latino series "Voces" (Voices) will premiere its latest installment, titled Rebel, a documentary about an almost entirely unknown figure from the American Civil War. Rebel is the remarkable story of Loreta Janeta Velasquez, who disguised as Harry Buford, became one of the estimated nearly 1,000 women who fought in combat in the war.

Velasquez was especially unlikely to fight in the Civil War and not only due to her gender. She was born to a wealthy family in Cuba, who expected her to become a refined, elegant woman fitting of her place in society. Her parents sent her to New Orleans, Louisiana by her early teens where she lived with an aunt who attempted to teach her the classic lessons expected of a woman of the time: dance, knitting, sewing, and so on. But as the name of this episode implies, Velasquez would have none of it. Her personal hero was Joan of Arc, the French heroine who led armies to victory against the British in the 1400's. Velasquez not only rebelled against society expectations for a lady, she went against the wishes of her family and married for love to a U.S. Army soldier from Texas. After the onset of the Civil War, her husband resigned his commission to join the Confederacy. Personal tragedy caused the ultimate rebellious behavior to her gender; she disguised herself as Harry Buford and joined the Confederate army.

Velasquez/Buford fought at the first major battle of the war, First Bull Run (or First Manassas as she would have called it), and also fought in the Battle of Shiloh. She then turned to spying for the Confederacy in various guises such as "Mrs. Alice Williams." Finally, it seems that she became at least a double-agent and spied for the Union, if not outright defecting to that side.

In 1876, Velasquez published "A Woman In Battle," her personal memoir of her life experiences, especially her service in the war. Her criticism of war profiteering and of the Confederacy itself caused a massive outcry among powerful former leaders of the rebellion, who actively worked to suppress her book and discredit her. In fact, the suppression and efforts to discredit Velasquez were so successful that she was erased almost completely from history. Many historians considered her to be little more than a myth. Recent scholarship and research have revealed her to be a real woman who was far ahead of her time.

A publicist for PBS asked me to view an advance copy of Rebel for review here on The Abraham Lincoln Blog. I'm pleased to report that the documentary is worthy of such a fascinating story. The narration, re-creations, and acting are, as with most PBS programming, outstanding. The re-creations are moving, especially given the almost total lack of dialog from the actors. As one would expect, several experts offer insight in the film, although in my opinion there are too many of them. The quality is exceptional as one would expect from PBS, which towers over the "history" programming shown on History or NatGeo.

Rebel is the project of director and writer Maria Agui Carter, who worked on the film for a decade with historians and archivists. She herself is a Latina immigrant to the United States just like the subject of the film. The story she tells in this film is important and deserves to be known. After all, Latino and Latina history in the United States helps to make up our nation's history.

Please try to watch or record Rebel on PBS on Friday May 24, 2013. It's worthy of your attention.

New Lincoln Project Deserves Our Attention

noreply@blogger.com (Geoff Elliott) — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 13:47:00 +0000

Interest in Abraham Lincoln is soaring these days thanks to Steven Spielberg's brilliant Lincoln film, the so-so Abraham Lincoln : Vampire Hunter movie, and of course the Lincoln birth bicentennial along with the 150th anniversary of the American Civil War. New books seemingly appear every week discussing some aspect of Lincoln's life or legacy. Documentaries, some excellent, some dreadful pop up on cable television. One could say that Lincoln is "hot" right now.

In recent months, a new Lincoln website or blog has appeared that I wish to bring to the attention of my own readers. A young woman named Cassandra who lives in the American west has begun an ambitious project about Lincoln, in which she wants to post an article a day about Lincoln to her blog, which may be found at www.abeaday.com. It's a delightful mix of information, quirkiness, and fun. I've enjoyed reading her various posts, which range from her own insights about Lincoln to comical pop-culture "Abe Lincolns" that she's found while surfing on the Internet. In fact, I like her Lincoln project so much, I contacted her to ask if she'd submit to an interview, which she readily agreed to do. What follows is the interview we had via email.

1. What led to your adoration of Lincoln?

It all started as a kid, when I was visiting Disneyland for the first time. Right when you walk in the park, there used to be a "ride" (or so my dad called it) called The Hall of Presidents. Inside was an animatronic Lincoln that said a few things including the Gettysburg Address. I'm not sure why it affected me so strongly, but since that day my family started on quite the Lincoln kick. I barely remember anything else about that day with so much detail.

2. How long have you been a fan of Lincoln's?

Let's see, I was about 7 during the Disneyland event, so I guess that's going on 20 years! Yikes!

3. What led you to begin writing a blog about Lincoln, especially a post a day?

Since the blog revolution, I've loved how readily available people's passions, interests, hobbies, and countless other things can be shared. I had seen the post a day type of blog many times, when I started looking around my house at all the Lincoln crafts I had made it seemed totally plausible that I could and should try my hand at it. Lincoln has always been my favorite interest and I knew this blog would lend me the opportunity to learn more and engage others into the life of Lincoln along the way.

4. What about Lincoln most attracts you to him?

That is a heavy question. When I was 7, I think it was something about the Gettysburg Address that attracted me to him. As I've grown older, read more books, done more research the thing that I love about Lincoln tends to change as to where I'm at in life. If I'm sad, I love to read about his bouts of depression and how he overcame them. When I'm worried about seeing signs of bipolar behavior in my family and friends, I read about Mary. And I love him for loving her throughout her disease. What I love most is that he was a man, a real man, that changed history and only truly fascinating people hold that capability.

5. Do family members/friends ever tell you that you're talking too much about him or are obsessed with him?

I am very lucky to have supportive friends and family that encourage my love of Lincoln. If anything, it has made us all closer because as soon as anyone finds a new Lincoln fact, we get in touch. Now we have an excuse to socialize, and I think everyone benefits. Friends and family have been active members in blog helping in many ways from creating crafts, forwarding me information, to the endless amount of creative ideas they send my way. For people that aren't aware of the Lincoln thing, I think the first time they come into my house can be a bit disconcerting. As soon as I explain the blog and the interest, they begin to look at it as a hobby instead of some crazy person who may have a shrine to Abraham Lincoln in her house. Hahaha, it's made for a lot of interesting conversation.

6. What's your favorite aspect of Lincoln's life or legacy?

My favorite thing that Lincoln left behind were his letters. I could read endlessly his eloquent thoughts. We are so lucky that so much of his personal writing still exists. Also, whenever I read them, the voice of Abe (like Daniel Day) echos them in my head. In a way, Lincoln is my favorite author.

(end of interview)

Thank you, Cassandra, for agreeing to the interview about your really wonderful Abe-A-Day blog. Readers, please check it out at www.abeaday.com. I know you'll enjoy it as much as I do.

Getting Abraham Lincoln Right

noreply@blogger.com (Geoff Elliott) — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 17:24:00 +0000

My previous post discussed the 150th anniversary of the Territory of Idaho, when on March 4, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln signed the Congressional Act which established the territory. Last week, the Gem State of Idaho held ceremonies at the state house in the city of Boise to mark the anniversary.

Part of the ceremonies included a renaming of the auditorium inside the state house after President Lincoln, complete with the installation of a handsome plaque which I've shown in the photo above. The relief on the plaque is based on a famous photo of Lincoln taken in 1860. On this plaque is a quote purported to come from Lincoln: "There is both a power and a magic in public opinion. To that let us now appeal." Powerful words, but are they Lincoln's?

That question was asked by Ms. Melissa Davlin, a reporter from the Times-News newspaper from Twin Falls, Idaho, when she contacted me last week via email. She had seen my post about Idaho Territory, and told me about the plaque with this quote. Ms. Davlin apparently understood that many "quotes" of Abraham Lincoln are spurious, either attributable to someone else or simply made up. She inquired of my opinion about the quote on this plaque, because she wanted to be sure it's accurate. Davlin had searched for the quote online, but had found only one reference to it from the early 1900's.

The best source for researching anything which Lincoln said or wrote is The Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln, published by the Abraham Lincoln Association in 1953. It contains dates and locations of every known speech, letter, telegram, and quote from Lincoln which can be proven to be authentic. Thanks to the Association, this indispensable resource is now available here with a searchable database. I searched for the quote in The Collected Works using a variety of word combinations, but it was not found anywhere in the text, which comprises 9 thick volumes when published. I then did an online search of this "quote" and like Ms. Davlin, I found only one reference, the one which she had earlier located.

I replied in an email to Ms. Davlin that I don't believe the quote to be factual. If it's not in The Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln, that's a very strong indication that it's not legitimate. She replied that the quote was provided by the leading Lincoln expert in Idaho, Mr. David Leroy, who is the former Lt. Governor and attorney general of that state. He said that the quote is from the famous "Lost Speech" of Lincoln, which was given in Bloomington, Illinois in 1856. The speech was apparently so dazzling that all newspaper reporters present gave up taking notes in order to listen. No text of the speech in Lincoln's handwriting is known to exist. The only "text" of that speech was printed in the early 1900's by a man who was present for it, attorney Henry Whitney. This text is disputed by many Lincoln scholars because it's based on memories of a speech given nearly four decades previous to its publication. Additionally, some of the words and cadences of the "Lost Speech" text don't seem to mesh with speeches given by Lincoln in the middle 1850's.

The Times-News published an article about the quote in question on Monday March 11, 2013. In that article, Mr. Leroy defends his use of this Lincoln quote by stating that "most Lincoln transcripts are suspect, even from his most famous speeches" because newspaper accounts of them differ, or that Lincoln sometimes deviated from his own notes while speaking. That statement is correct. For example, we simply don't know the exact text of the Gettysburg Address as spoken by Lincoln on November 19, 1863. Newspaper accounts from reporters present to hear Lincoln that day run the gamut from summaries which miss the entire point of the speech to what may be Lincoln's words verbatim. He wrote five copies (that we know of) of the Gettysburg Address and each has slightly different variations. But even if contemporary news articles of Lincoln's time gave conflicting accounts of the same speech, those articles were published within days or weeks of the speech. Those are far more reliable than a "text" of a speech published almost forty years after the fact.

The article also mentions two Lincoln historians who disagree with Mr. Leroy about the authenticity of the quote. The first is none other than the greatest living Lincoln scholar, Mr. Harold Holzer, author of more than 40 books and countless articles about Lincoln. He also served as the chairman of the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission. The second Lincoln historian mentioned is yours truly. Neither of us accept the authenticity of the "quote" on the Idaho plaque.

Lincoln, in fact, spoke often about public opinion in his speeches prior to becoming President. On December 10, 1856 in Chicago, he stated at a Republican dinner that "Our government rests in public opinion. Whoever can change public opinion, can change the government, practically just so much." In other words, shifts in public opinion can and do change the direction of government. That factual quote could have been used on this plaque without changing the intent of what Mr. Leroy meant to convey.

To his credit, Mr. Leroy understands the minor controversy over the "quote" he selected for this plaque in the state house in Boise. He says that debate is healthy and he's of course correct. I'm quoted in the article as stating that I hope the plaque remains in place and I mean it. It's actually quite beautiful. I only wish the quote on the plaque was absolutely authentic.

Our job as historians is to present undeniable facts about the past so we can educate others. It's important that we get history "right" so we don't perpetuate misunderstanding of events and the people who were involved in them. Especially critical is getting the history of Abraham Lincoln right, for he is, perhaps, surrounded by more legends than any other figure from American history. If we fail in that effort, we can never learn about the real Abraham Lincoln, the man behind the myths.

Abraham Lincoln Recalls The Troops

noreply@blogger.com (Geoff Elliott) — Sun, 10 Mar 2013 19:58:00 +0000

On March 10, 1863, 150 years ago today, President Abraham Lincoln issued a proclamation which ordered soldiers who were absent without leave (AWOL) back to their units. The "Proclamation Recalling Soldiers To Their Regiments" offered a mixture of amnesty and a threat of punishment to such troops.

The Civil War was not going well for the Union at this point in 1863. Lincoln still had not found even a competent general for the Army Of The Potomac, having recently relieved the hapless Ambrose Burnside of command and replacing him with Joseph Hooker, who had openly schemed against Burnside. Thanks to the demoralizing defeat for the North at Fredericksburg and in other battles, numerous soldiers had begun deserting from the armies. The number of volunteers had also been on a downward trend, so on March 3, 1863 Lincoln signed into law the Enrollment Act, which required the conscription (or draft) of all male U.S. citizens from the age of 20 through age 45. This "Recalling Soldiers To Their Regiments" was the follow up.

The proclamation stated that if any troops then AWOL from their regiments would report back to designated points on or before April 1, 1863, they would be readmitted without threat of punishment. They would only forfeit pay missed while AWOL. However, it stated that anyone not reporting on or prior to the deadline would be arrested as deserters and fully punished as the law provided at that time. Such punishment could (and sometimes did) include execution.

Finally, this proclamation also called on civilians to avoid tempting troops to desert and to stop aiding them in the effort as well. It didn't specifically threaten civilians with arrest and punishment if found guilty, but military authorities could do so.

Much has been written about Lincoln's compassion toward soldiers and it's true that he often pardoned those he felt deserved a second chance. But as this proclamation reveals, there were limits to his patience as the war dragged on.

You may read the entire text of the Proclamation Recalling Soldiers To Their Regiments here.

Abraham Lincoln and Idaho Territory

noreply@blogger.com (Geoff Elliott) — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 00:49:00 +0000

Today is a huge day for celebration in the state of Idaho! 150 years ago today on March 4, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln signed the Congressional Act which created the Territory of Idaho. There are celebrations going on throughout that state today and throughout this year as it celebrates its sesquicentennial.

"Territories" were formed by the United States government beginning as early as 1787 with the Northwest Territory (now Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, parts of Wisconsin) in order to organize, settle, and govern huge sections of land controlled by the government. Territories had a governor and other officials, including legislatures, judiciary, marshals and so on. Once a territory had enough population, it could petition the U.S. government to officially become a state and enter the Union. Idaho was admitted as an official state on July 3, 1890.

The original Idaho Territory consisted of remnants from the old Oregon Territory and comprised most of the present day states of Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming. Over the decades of its existence, parts of the Idaho Territory were taken by the Wyoming Territory. By the time of its admittance to the Union in 1890, the modern day boundaries of the state of Idaho had been determined.

As I mentioned earlier, today is a big day in Idaho. To help honor the memory of Abraham Lincoln and his signing of the Act which formed Idaho Territory, the state legislature there has named an auditorium in the state house for him. A handsome plaque dedicates the auditorium in his memory. Here's a photo of the plaque unveiled just today:

I owe special thanks for this information to my friend Tara who happens to live in the Idaho capital of Boise. I would have completely missed this anniversary were it not for her letting me know of this special day for all Idahoans.

Idaho. One of the many parts of the legacy of Abraham Lincoln, which continues to resonate throughout our nation nearly 150 years after his death.

Happy Birthday, Idaho! If you'd like to read more about the events going on in that beautiful state this year, please click here.

Book Review: A New Birth Of Freedom: The Translator

noreply@blogger.com (Geoff Elliott) — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 21:13:00 +0000

Two years ago this month in February 2011, I reviewed the first in a trilogy of science-fiction books featuring Abraham Lincoln and other icons from that era in history. The trilogy titled A New Birth Of Freedom is the story of a time traveler who has come from the very distant future to seek the help of Lincoln, the Union, and even the Confederacy against alien invaders who threaten to annihilate our planet. The first book, "The Visitor," is the story of Mr. Edwin Blair, who returns to introduce himself to Abraham Lincoln in the year 1849, hands Lincoln a letter, and asks him to keep it until 1863 at which time the visitor (Mr. Blair) will return to tell Lincoln in detail what he is asking of him. That book was hard for me to put down and I eagerly waited for the second in the trilogy.

After a two year wait, the second book has arrived. "The Translator" picks up where the first left off. The Battle of Gettysburg has ended prematurely as the Union and rebel forces had combined to help combat the invaders. Some of the invaders had been captured, which raised huge ethical concerns about the treatment of prisoners of war, especially if those prisoners are bent on destroying your planet. By the end of that first volume, a rudimentary way of communicating with the aliens had been discovered, that communication revealing the creatures to be intelligent. In turn, that raised even more ethical and humanitarian concerns.

In "The Translator," the focus shifts from the reasons why Mr. Blair has come from the far future to the young man (and others) who can communicate with the alien prisoners. The aliens tell him they need to communicate with "White Hat" and "Big Mouth," a soldier and a Native American, respectively. No one knows where these two men are, let alone why the creatures need them to be found. Even the aliens themselves aren't entirely sure why.

As in the first book, "The Translator" skillfully blends history, alternate history, and science-fiction into an interesting and fun book, while also raising important questions about how compassionate people must (or should) be toward their enemies. That the author, Robert G. Pielke, holds degrees in ethics, theology, and history, it's understandable why this trilogy asks important questions of the reader.

Overall I enjoyed "The Visitor" more than I did "The Translator." But it's understandable as the first features a battle, the mystery of why Mr. Blair is in Lincoln's time, and the shock of finding out why. "The Translator" just doesn't have the same swift pace and gripping narrative, but it's obviously setting the stage for the concluding volume. It's still well-written, entertaining, and hard to put down.

Yes, the entire premise of A New Birth Of Freedom is ridiculous. But if you like science-fiction in addition to history (you must, or you wouldn't be reading this post), then I'd highly recommend this trilogy.

Both books are published by Tribute Books and may be purchased on Amazon or at Whiskey Creek Press in paperback format. eBook versions are available for Kindle and Nook, as well as through Whiskey Creek Press.

PBS "Antiques Roadshow" Discovers Abraham Lincoln Letter

noreply@blogger.com (Geoff Elliott) — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 01:00:00 +0000

The long running Public Broadcast System (PBS) series Antiques Roadshow has "uncovered" a previously unknown letter written by Abraham Lincoln barely a month after his nomination as the Republican candidate for the 1860 U.S. Presidential Election.

The woman who brought the letter in for appraisal at the Roadshow's stop in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, found the letter in a desk she inherited from her parents. They were collectors of antique furniture and had purchased the desk many years ago. The letter, written to William Jones, is pictured in the photo above. As you can see, it's in wonderful condition with some light foxing around the edges. A paper conservator will be able to preserve the letter and keep it from further damage.

William Jones was basically Abraham Lincoln's first employer. He lived in Spencer County, Indiana and was a well-to-do businessman. Lincoln did odd jobs for him as he grew up. Today you can visit the home of William Jones in Indiana.

The letter from Lincoln to Mr. Jones is a little illegible in the photo, but is a "thank you" to his old mentor and boss for the congratulations Lincoln received from him after the nomination. Lincoln mentions Spencer County in the letter, saying that he misses his old neighbors there. Lincoln's signature is strong and clear, signed "A. Lincoln" as he typically signed his other letters. I wrote in the opening paragraph that this letter is previously unknown as it's nowhere to be found in the "Collected Works Of Abraham Lincoln," a standard reference for Lincoln scholars and historians.

The appraiser of this Lincoln letter was Dr. Martin Gammon, director of the Rare Books & Manuscripts department for Bonhams and Butterfields in San Francisco. What value did he place on this Lincoln artifact? You'll have to tune in and find out. Let's just say that it's enough for the owner to take a very special vacation should she desire to sell. His appraisal of this wonderful find may be seen in the next episode of Antiques Roadshow, scheduled for Monday February 25, 2013 on PBS at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST). Check your local listings as local stations often show PBS programs at different times.

An account executive with the series contacted me back in November to tell me about this wonderful discovery. She asked if I'd publicize it for WGBH (Boston), the producer of the series. I'm thrilled to do so for two reasons. I'm obviously an Abraham Lincoln enthusiast. And Antiques Roadshow just happens to be my favorite television program of all. I love antiques and also collect Lincoln memorabilia. So this discovery and appraisal are very exciting for me.

In addition, the executive with the show has asked me to join her, Antiques Roadshow appraiser Arlie Sulka, and perhaps another person or two, in a "Live Tweet" session on Twitter while the show is broadcast on Monday night. I'm honored to be part of my favorite show. I am "Mr_Lincoln" (@Mr_Lincoln) on Twitter, so I hope you'll join me and the others on this week's Antiques Roadshow!

Here is a link to a preview of this episode:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/roadshow/video/episode-preview-8pm.html

Honoring Mr. Lincoln On His Birthday

noreply@blogger.com (Geoff Elliott) — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 15:53:00 +0000

A one-room log cabin in the Kentucky wilderness was the setting 204 years ago today when a boy was born to Thomas and Nancy Hanks Lincoln. They named their son Abraham, after Thomas' father, murdered in front of his son when Thomas was but a young child. This new Abraham couldn't have had more humble beginnings. His parents were poor and illiterate (though Thomas could scratch out his name), and his mother Nancy was herself probably illegitimate. Little is known of her own background. She died of "milk sickness" when her son was 9 years old and her daughter only 11. Soon a step-mother, Sarah Bush Johnston Lincoln, and her own children joined Thomas and his children to form a new family on the Indiana frontier.

Life was hard, and as Lincoln himself later wrote, his childhood and youth could be described as the "short and simple annals of the poor." The Lincoln family was indeed poor, but early descriptions of it living in abject poverty are probably exaggerated. The Lincolns were no poorer nor richer than most of their neighbors working to eke out a living from the land. Thomas eked out a living on various farms and made furniture to help further raise scarce money.

Throughout his entire life, Abraham Lincoln had less than 12-18 months formal education, making him one of our least educated of the Presidents of The United States. His father never encouraged education for his children, and in fact seems to have considered school to be a waste of time. Fortunately for his son, Lincoln's step-mother Sarah encouraged Abraham to read and learn as much as he could. As a child (and as an adult), Lincoln had an insatiable desire to learn and better himself. He read fine literature like Shakespeare and the Bible, Aesop's Fables, and an early biography of George Washington. Lincoln also later taught himself geometry in order to simply learn. This motivation to improve his lot in life set him apart from almost everyone he knew, especially his father, which might explain why the two were never close.

Lincoln had extraordinary ambition, which along with his quest for learning, might help at least partially explain how he achieved such towering heights in life. He wanted to be held in esteem, but only by making himself worthy of esteem, as he said in his first campaign speech when running for the Illinois State Legislature. Lincoln lost that first election, but he was determined to succeed, and won on his second try. By the time he was in his late 20's and early 30's, friends and associates began calling him "Old Abe" as a sign of respect for his intellect and wisdom.

That Lincoln was a genius seems clear. With no formal education in any field, least of all engineering, he invented and patented a device to help remove boats off of sandbars in the shallow rivers in Illinois. Railroads supplanted the need for such a contraption, which was never used. Nonetheless, his 1849 patent for his invention remains the only one awarded to a future President Of The United States.

He was, of course, a political genius as well. He and his team of advisors outmaneuvered favored candidates to win the GOP nomination for President in 1860. Then he molded his political rivals into a cabinet which was among the best in U.S. presidential history as Civil War raged. Secretary of State Seward, Secretary of War Stanton, and Secretary of Navy Welles, and Secretary of Treasury Chase all worked against Lincoln at one point, but he saw their abilities and overlooked their political differences because he knew they were the best men for their jobs.

Perhaps the greatest sign of Lincoln's genius is his prose writing which was majestic and almost poetic at its best. Many writers consider his prose to be among the finest writing by anyone, period, and not only among Presidents. His Gettysburg Address helped reshape and re-define America in only 271 words. His Second Inaugural Address reveals his magnanimity and desire to restore the nation, yet is among the shortest of all Presidential inaugural speeches. These and other of his writings took place in an era when orations were expected to last hours, with flowery and embellished phrases. Lincoln's simplicity and clarity of speech still stun in their beauty today.

Fascination with Abraham Lincoln has never really gone away, but he is today enjoying a surge in popularity which is remarkable. The bicentennial of his birth saw exhibitions, concerts, and a re-dedication of the magnificent memorial in Washington, D.C. If anything, Lincoln's presence seems even stronger in recent months. The Stephen Spielberg film "Lincoln" with its astonishing performance by Daniel Day-Lewis leads this year's list of Academy Award nominations with 12. The dreadful "Abraham Lincoln : Vampire Hunter" was released this past summer to so-so reviews and a weak box office, but it did raise Lincoln's visibility further into popular culture. President Obama again used the Lincoln Bible last month for his second inauguration as he did for his first. New books about Lincoln seem to appear weekly. His character is used in television commercials, including a new series of ones for Lincoln automobiles (yes, that line was named after Lincoln). In short, Mr. Lincoln seems to be almost everywhere we look.

It's difficult to say why Lincoln still resonates with so many people, old and young, women and men. Is it because he was so honest, a trait which is terribly lacking in our era of lying politicians and cheating athletes? Is it simply because we're commemorating the 150th anniversary of the American Civil War? Could it be his rise from absolutely nothing to his achieving the highest office in our land? Or is it his martyrdom after he was struck down by a treasonous coward just as he was ready to experience the conclusion of our greatest war?

Probably each of us who is endlessly fascinated with Mr. Lincoln has his or her own reason or reasons for that fascination. I am often asked during my lectures what led to my own fascination. The short answer is, I have no idea. My parents took me to his Birthplace Memorial in Kentucky when I was 4 or 5, a visit I don't remember. But I was "hooked" from that visit and remain "hooked" by the story and legacy of the greatest of our Presidents of the United States.

Happy Birthday, Mr. Lincoln. Thank you for your inspiration and leadership.

"The Abolitionists" Premieres On PBS American Experience

noreply@blogger.com (Geoff Elliott) — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 22:26:00 +0000

The Emancipation Proclamation was signed by Abraham Lincoln 150 years ago on January 1, 1863. He has been known as The Great Emancipator by many people ever since. But his journey to issuing that document was a long one, complete with many stops and starts, twists and turns. But for years, his approach to ending slavery favored a gradual emancipation, with freedom to the slaves given in exchange for compensation to their owners. Abolitionists, on the other hand, were people who worked, struggled, and even died to bring an immediate end to the "peculiar institution" throughout the United States. Without the efforts of these major abolitionists exerting pressure and influence on both Congress and Abraham Lincoln, the institution of slavery may have continued for many more years.

The PBS award-winning program American Experience is bringing the story of five important abolitionists in a three-part series titled "The Abolitionists" debuting on Tuesday January 8, 2013 from 9:00 - 10:00 p.m. ET and continuing on the following Tuesdays, January 15th, and January 22nd, 2013 at the same time.

These are the interconnected stories of Frederick Douglass, Angelina Grimke', John Brown, Harriet Beecher Stowe, and William Lloyd Garrison, each of whom actively worked and spoke out against the evils of slavery. Frederick Douglass was born and slave and escaped to freedom, eventually becoming a powerful speaker, writer, and author, one of the most eloquent in American history. Harriet Beecher Stowe fought against slavery, authoring Uncle Tom's Cabin, which caused further outrage against slavery when thousands read her book across the North. Angelina Grimke' was a daughter of privilege growing up on a plantation in South Carolina and saw the horrors of slavery first hand. She later left her family and became one of the most outspoken foes of slavery, giving lectures and writing tracts against it. William Lloyd Garrison was founder, publisher, and editor of The Liberator, the most influential of the anti-slavery newspapers throughout the North. And John Brown was unfortunately led to violence by his virulent hatred of slavery and slave-owners, eventually being executed after he and a tiny band of men stormed the Federal Arsenal in Harper's Ferry, VA in a misguided attempt to incite a slave revolt.

At various points in time during the 1840's and 1850's, the lives of these five brave individuals crossed paths, Douglass and Garrison teaming for a while, Douglass nearly becoming involved in Brown's raid at Harper's Ferry, and so forth.

Abolitionists did not have the support of everyone across even the Northern states where slavery was already banned or at least mostly nonexistent. Some, including Garrison, were jailed. Others were attacked by mobs and killed in the violence. They were called agitators, radicals, troublemakers for helping to fan the flames of disunion. Their story is a fascinating one which every American should learn about.

I've had the good fortune to be sent a preview copy of the entire mini-series "The Abolitionists" courtesy of a publicity agent for PBS. I watched with rapt attention the entire documentary and it is superb, as is anything shown on American Experience. The actors who portray these five abolitionists are outstanding, and the narration is equally fine. As with any documentary, there are brief excerpts of interviews with leading historians, including David W. Blight, the Director of the Gilder Lehrman Center for the Study of Slavery, Resistance, and Abolition. Other historians featured are Carole Berkin, Lois Brown, Erica Armstrong Dunbar and a host of other experts on abolition, slavery, and the individual abolitionists portrayed in the mini-series.

I encourage everyone to watch "The Abolitionists". Their story must never be forgotten.

Film Review: Steven Spielberg's "Lincoln"

noreply@blogger.com (Geoff Elliott) — Sun, 18 Nov 2012 21:14:00 +0000

When I first read years ago that famed director Steven Spielberg was undertaking a project to make a movie about Abraham Lincoln, our greatest President Of The United States, I was excited as well as apprehensive. To be sure, Mr. Spielberg has directed some of the most beloved films ever made, including "Jaws," "Saving Private Ryan," and "Schindler's List." He's also given us "Hook" and "Indiana Jones and The Crystal Skull," proof that even a famous director comes up with clunkers. Then I happened to read that Mr. Spielberg had purchased the filming rights to author Doris Kearns Goodwin's best-selling "Team of Rivals: The Political Genius Of Abraham Lincoln." It's a good book, but it's also the "Lincoln-Book-Which-Will-Not-Die" and, in my opinion, undeserving of the excessive hype surrounding it since it was published in 2005. There are other Lincoln books which are significantly better, such as "Lincoln" by the late historian David Herbert Donald.

Then Mr. Spielberg's interest in "Lincoln" seemed to fall by the wayside as he brought us the aforementioned 4th Indiana Jones movie, "The Adventures of Tintin" and "War Horse." In fact, Spielberg's original choice to portray Lincoln, esteemed actor Liam Neeson, dropped out of the project claiming that he was too "old" to effectively play him.

But then the project gathered momentum as it was announced that our greatest living actor, Daniel Day-Lewis, had been cast as Mr. Lincoln. Sally Field as Mary Lincoln and Tommy Lee Jones as Representative Thaddeus Stevens also joined the cast. Between these three actors, they have earned five Academy Awards ® for their craft. Rounding out this exceptional cast is David Strathairn as Secretary of State William H. Seward, Hal Holbrook as Lincoln adviser Preston Blair, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Lincoln's son Robert.

Mr. Spielberg was wise not to try to create a traditional biopic of Abraham Lincoln. To do justice to such an extraordinary life as Lincoln's would be nearly impossible in a film of only 2-3 hours in length. Instead, he chose to focus on Lincoln's fight for passage of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, which forever banned institutionalized slavery in the United States. It was a wise decision. It permitted tight focus on one of the most dramatic months in U.S. history, when Congress was trying to decide if the slaves would be truly "forever free."

The acting. Oh my, the acting. This is one of the finest overall acting performances by a movie cast in decades. It almost goes without saying that Daniel Day-Lewis' portrayal of Abraham Lincoln can immediately be declared the greatest depiction of Lincoln in cinematic history. Mr. Day-Lewis "Lincoln" is the closest we will ever come to the real Lincoln. We can't possibly know how Abraham Lincoln sounded, but all accounts tell us his voice was pitched high and thin. To prepare his "voice" for Lincoln, Day-Lewis listened to old recordings of farmers from the regions of Kentucky and Indiana where Lincoln lived. The resulting voice/accent which Day-Lewis uses might be startling to many audience members, but it is as accurate as it can possibly be.

Daniel Day-Lewis took an entire year to prepare for this part. He is notoriously choosy about the roles he takes, and this is only his fifth movie of the past fifteen years. Day-Lewis who is of course British, traveled to Lincoln's town of Springfield, IL to tour the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, the Lincoln home, and spent hours talking with Lincoln scholars in his attempt to get to "know" the President. He studied books about Lincoln's gait, how he held his head and had stooped shoulders. The result is a truly astonishing portrayal of Mr. Lincoln. So exceptional that I felt as if I was in the presence of greatness, not just seeing "Lincoln" as he most likely was, but seeing what is probably the greatest performance of this year. In fact, it might be judged in the future as one of the most skillful performances ever seen on film. If Mr. Day-Lewis does not win his third Academy Award ® as Best Actor for this brilliant and stunning performance, it will be a travesty.

Ms. Sally Field is outstanding in her role as the haunted Mary Lincoln. She is in her own right one of the best actors of her generation, having also won two Best Acting Oscars ® for roles in "Norma Rae" and "Places In The Heart." Quite simply, this is Ms. Field's best role and work in decades. Her portrayal of Mary Lincoln is the right mix of grief, frustration, and anger at having lost two children already, including Mary and Abraham's seemingly favorite, Willie, who died of typhus in 1862. The scene where "Mary" berates "Lincoln" for not showing (in her opinion) enough grief for their son is spectacular. Ms. Field more than holds her own against Mr. Day-Lewis. Don't be surprised if she is nominated for Best Supporting Actress.

Tommy Lee Jones as Representative Thaddeus Stevens, who wanted to have complete equality, not only freedom, for slaves, is also outstanding. Stevens was himself curmudgeonly as Mr. Jones seems to be in most of his roles, but Jones' performance is a wonderful portrayal of a man who deeply cared about ALL people, especially the ones who were held in slavery. In fact, a scene toward the end of the movie is highly moving in which Jones conveys the emotions of a man who has just won a long and bitter struggle. I would expect Mr. Jones will achieve his own Oscar ® nomination for his performance.

David Strathairn, always so good, is an excellent Secretary of State "William Henry Seward." He depicts Seward as a somewhat "stuffy" man of refined tastes, who is such a loyal aide to Abraham Lincoln that he feels free to argue and at times yell at the President. It is also an accurate to life portrayal.

Spielberg chose the outstanding play and screenwriter Tony Kushner to bring the story to life. The script is a marvel, with effective dialog and a wonderful historical accuracy. Spielberg's cinematographer Janusz Kaminski has brought a perfect look and feel to the film. The colors and lighting are soft which add to the overall effect of the solemn nature of the film. And Spielberg's directing might be his finest work since "Schindler's List". It is a subdued, authentic, and restrained direction which is thankfully lacking (mostly) the sentimentality that sometimes appears in his films.

Some parents have asked me in person and via email if this film is age appropriate for children who are 11 or 12 years old. The film is rated PG-13 for language, a quick scene of brutal hand-to-hand combat, and the gore of dead bodies and amputated limbs. "Lincoln" himself uses a scatological term in a joke he tells, but the historic Lincoln didn't shy away from language and off-color stories. The language is not gratuitous nor excessive, and honestly it's probably nothing that children that age haven't already heard on the school bus or playground. If your child (or children) loves Abraham Lincoln, as so many seem to do, don't hesitate to take them to see this movie.

The performances by the actors and director, the screenplay, and the cinematography all combine to make "Lincoln" a film of extraordinary achievement. I believe it will withstand the test of time and will be deemed one of Spielberg's greatest films, if not his career masterpiece. It is a tour de force of drama, emotion, some humor, and enthralling acting. At the end of the showing, most of the audience applauded and more than a few were in tears.

If I had to rate this film in only one word, that word would be: "Perfection". Thank you, Steven Spielberg, cast and crew, for bringing Abraham Lincoln to life.

The Lincolns' 170th Wedding Anniversary

noreply@blogger.com (Geoff Elliott) — Sun, 04 Nov 2012 21:44:00 +0000

Today marks the 170th anniversary of the wedding of Abraham Lincoln and Miss Mary Ann Todd in Springfield, Illinois. On November 4, 1842 the two were joined in matrimony at the home of Mary's sister and brother-in-law, Ninian and Elizabeth Edwards. It was a small wedding with only 30 guests or so in attendance. As a wedding gift, Lincoln gave his new bride a simple gold wedding ring which was inscribed "Love Is Eternal."

The wedding was a hastily arranged event, with Lincoln announcing only the day before that he and Mary wanted to get married that night, but the timing was such that the wedding took place on Friday, November 4. The image above is of the original marriage certificate as filed with the state of Illinois.

Mr. Lincoln and Miss Todd had become acquainted when she moved to Springfield into the Edwards home in 1839. They met shortly after at a town dance, with Lincoln stating that he wanted to dance with Miss Todd "in the worst way." It is said that Mary quipped later that he certainly had danced with her in the "worst way." Nonetheless, the two courted and had a basic understanding that they would marry, until something caused them to break up by 1841. Only through the intercession of friends did the two resume a courtship in 1842.

The quick announcement of Lincoln's desire to "get hitched" as he called it have caused many researchers over the years to speculate that Mary Todd perhaps seduced him into marrying her. The fact that their first child, Robert, was born on August 1, 1843 does perhaps lend credence to the speculation. Of course, it is also possible that Mary became pregnant on their wedding night as the birth of Robert falls within the 9-month gestation period. Unless someone stumbles upon a previously undiscovered letter between Abraham and Mary or finds a diary of either one, we'll never know for certain.

By most accounts, the Lincolns' marriage was not an easy one. He was often gone from Springfield, traveling on the law circuit for weeks at a time. Lincoln could be distant and lost in thought, often not paying as much attention to his wife as she would have liked. Mary was highly-strung, anxious, and prone to mood swings which could be withering for anyone subjected to them. Modern historians consider her to have been suffering from bi-polar disorder (manic-depression).

Still, the Lincolns were devoted to one another and seemed to love one another very much. He affectionately called her "Molly" or "Mother" after their children were born. She referred to him as "Father" or "Husband." He worried for her mental state after the deaths of their children Eddie (1850) and Willie (1862). And she of course never recovered after her husband was assassinated as she sat by his side on the tragic night of April 14, 1865.

Happy Anniversary, Mr. and Mrs. Lincoln.

The U.S. Constitution Turns 225

noreply@blogger.com (Geoff Elliott) — Sun, 30 Sep 2012 19:50:00 +0000

September 17, 2012 marked the 225th anniversary of the adoption of the United States Constitution, the document which remains the law of the land in our republic. To commemorate the anniversary of this founding document, TIME magazine has released a book titled "The Constitution: The Essential User's Guide" meant to help people today understand how it remains relevant to important issues facing our nation today.

For example, the book contains a detailed examination of the 14th Amendment, the so-called "Birthright Amendment" which guarantees U.S. citizenship to any person born in the United States. This amendment was written to reverse the 1857 Dred Scott decision of the U.S. Supreme Court, when it ruled that no slaves were citizens of the U.S. The amendment guaranteed citizenship to the former slaves retroactively. But now it's at the heart of a great debate in our nation since it also means that a child born to illegal (or legal) immigrants are U.S. citizens at birth. Some U.S. Congressmen and Senators want to further amend the Constitution to prevent this from happening. The authors of this TIME book hope to help people today understand the history of the amendment and why or why not it should itself be amended.

The Constitution was at the center of the debate between North and South in the decades leading up to the outbreak of secession and the American Civil War. The Southern states of course wanted to perpetuate and spread slavery into new territories of the United States, while the North, including Abraham Lincoln wanted to contain it to where it already existed. Once Lincoln was elected in 1860, a total of 11 states felt that they could legally secede from the Union, while Lincoln held that they could not.

Many of the actions which Lincoln took during the Civil War were questioned on Constitutional grounds. For example, the clause which permits the suspension of the Writ of Habeas Corpus is not clear as to if Congress or the President holds the power to do so. During the war, Lincoln chose to interpret the Constitution as giving the President the authority, and he took it. Congress (made up of the Union states at this time, obviously) later granted him the authority to do so, and the Supreme Court upheld the Habeas Corpus Act decades later during WWI.

Many important Constitutional issues affect our nation even today. Issues such as abortion, same-sex marriage, the Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare"), and numerous others are constantly in the news. TIME's "The Constitution: The Essential User's Guide" is available to help us all understand better this venerable document on its 225th anniversary. With a forward by retired Supreme Court justice Sandra Day O'Connor, the first woman ever to serve on the court, this book is an outstanding resource for those who wish to examine the Constitution as it relates to modern America.

Film Review: Death And The Civil War

noreply@blogger.com (Geoff Elliott) — Sat, 08 Sep 2012 20:11:00 +0000

The American Civil War holds the fascination of millions of people throughout our nation as well as around the world. There is almost a romantic attachment to it for many as they read about the "Lost Cause," study the military strategies of the generals, and watch countless movies which depict the valor of the armies and individuals on the battlefields. But for the people of 150 years ago who suffered the loss of a husband, a son, a brother, there was nothing remotely romantic about a war which caused death on a previously unimaginable scale. The latest research places the estimated number of deaths at 750,000, or roughly 2.5 percent of the total American population (including both northern and southern states). Projected to today's population figures, that equates to the loss of 7 million lives. More Americans died in the American Civil War than in all other American wars combined.

Debuting September 18, 2012 on the long-running history program American Experience on PBS is "Death And The Civil War." Created by filmmaker Ric Burns (brother of Ken, creator of the masterpiece "The Civil War" for PBS in 1990), this film describes how profoundly the nation was affected by the slaughter of the war. It's based upon the book "This Republic Of Suffering" written by the noted historian and president of Harvard University, Dr. Drew Gilpin Faust. The book was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in 2009 and was named to the New York Times "10 Best Books of 2008" by that paper's editors. I've been asked by a publicist for this film to watch a preview copy and review it here on The Abraham Lincoln Blog. I present it here.

As this documentary points out, both sides in the American Civil War were "woefully unprepared" for the hundreds of thousands of deaths. There were no national cemeteries at the beginning of the war. No plan to bury the dead, for identifying the bodies, for notifying the families. No one, either Union or Confederate, could have known at the beginning of the war that mass death was coming. Lincoln had asked for recruits to serve for a 90-day period, thinking the war would be brief, as did the leaders of the Confederacy. Indeed, by June 1861, two months after Ft. Sumter, combined deaths stood at 20. Realization didn't sink in until after First Bull Run (or Manassas) in July of that year that the war would not end quickly nor with a small number of casualties and death.

The film helps the viewer understand the concept of what a "good death" meant to Americans in the decades leading up to the war. People expected to die at home, surrounded by family and loved ones, their final words recorded for posterity, perhaps. They truly believed that in Heaven, their bodies would be whole again, restored to health. The survivors could visit a grave, knowing that their departed lay in peace. But the war changed all that as their husbands and sons died alone or in the company of men they barely knew. Records might indicate a soldier was barely injured, when in fact he had died. Others were told their loved one had died, only to be stunned when the loved one came home alive. Many families never knew for sure what had happened; almost 140,000 Union dead remain unidentified.

Even as the war continued into 1862 and 1863, the governments of both sides still didn't assume much, if any, responsibility for their soldiers, living or dead. A young woman named Clara Barton, who went on to found the American Red Cross, organized her own army of nurses to tend to the wounded. The U.S. Sanitary Commission, a private organization, was also begun to treat the sick and wounded soldiers of the Union. The Confederacy also had private relief efforts.

Still, there were no coordinated efforts to bury the dead soldiers until long after the war began. Surviving troops of a particular battle might bury their comrades if they had the strength. Townspeople occasionally joined in as they did after Gettysburg. Many times, the dead were left where they fell, so that even into the late 1860's, bones were strewn across the scarred land. The first concentrated effort to properly bury soldiers occurred in the late autumn of 1863, when the first "national cemetery" was opened in Gettysburg, PA. Technically, though, the cemetery was then owned by the state. It was that cemetery which was dedicated on November 19, 1863 when President Lincoln gave his immortal address.

The film spends time analyzing the Gettysburg Address with a full recitation of it, plus brief analysis by the interviewed historians. It points out, quite accurately, that in only 271 words, Lincoln was able to provide meaning to the deaths of the soldiers, to reassure Americans that "these dead shall not have died in vain." That the cause for which they fought and died was a noble one, one to assure that government of the people would not die. At this point in the war, unfortunately, more than half of the total deaths resulting from it were yet to occur.

After the war ended, the U.S. Government finally went into action to arrange for proper burials of as many remains as possible. Congress passed legislation creating the National Cemetery system in 1867, appointing Edmund Whitman to coordinate the establishment of cemeteries, identification of as many of the dead as possible, and the proper burial of the them. It should be noted that this effort was made for the Union troops, not the Confederate soldiers. The Federal Government was not about to pay respect to the soldiers which sought to destroy the nation. This, in turn, caused bitterness and outrage among the citizens of the newly-restored southern states. So the citizens of the south, mostly women, set up their own organizations to provide a fitting burial for their own soldiers killed in action. A couple of the historians in the film seem to think that the government in Washington was harsh in not taking care of the southern dead, but as Vincent Brown (Harvard) points out, the Confederacy and its soldiers fought for the right to have a slave-owning nation.

The film concludes with a fascinating look at how Memorial Day (or Decoration Day as it was called then) was begun in the late 1860's, both north and south, as the survivors wanted ways of commemorating their loved ones who fought for what they believed.

"Death And The Civil War" is a haunting, sobering, and deeply affective film. It follows the now familiar method of historical documentaries by showing historical photos interspersed with interviews of various experts. Dr. Drew Gilpin Faust is the main expert, since the film is based on her book I mentioned earlier. Notable other historians in the film include Dr. David Blight (Yale) and Steven Hahn (Penn). Their insight is top notch as one would hope for from some of our greatest historians.

As can be expected of any documentary on American Experience, the film is gorgeous with outstanding cinematography, recreations, rare photos, and appropriate music. The narration, by the actor Oliver Platt, is informative although I found the rhythm and pauses in his reading to be mildly distracting.

Given the topic of the film, it can be difficult to watch if the viewer happens to be squeamish. Historical pictures of corpses, some in decay, are shown, as are photos of skulls or skeletons. Testimonies of those who buried the dead are read, complete with descriptive terms of "stench" and even "exploding corpses." If you have a weak stomach or are easily affected by descriptions of death, be warned.

At only two hours in length, the film doesn't require a significant commitment to watch as those by Mr. Burns' brother, Ken do. Still, I wish it was even 30 minutes longer so yet more information could have been presented. Lincoln's assassination at the end of the Civil War, for example, also profoundly affected Americans for decades, yet this event is mentioned only very briefly in the film. The deaths of the soldiers deeply moved him as well, a topic which he covered in his Second Inaugural Address in March 1865, only one month prior to his own demise.

"Death And The Civil War is a superbly crafted film and I cannot recommend it enough to anyone who is interested in the war. PBS' American Experience is the most-watched history show on television for a reason, thanks to the quality of the programs it airs. "Death And The Civil War" is no exception. It is, quite simply, a triumph. Congratulations to Mr. Burns, Dr. Faust, PBS, and "American Experience." You may read more about the film and view a preview of it on the American Experience website.

"Death And The Civil War" premieres Tuesday, September 18, 2012 at 8:00 p.m. on PBS. Check local listings for showings on your local PBS station.

First Official Picture of Daniel Day-Lewis As Abraham Lincoln

noreply@blogger.com (Geoff Elliott) — Tue, 07 Aug 2012 15:29:00 +0000

Courtesy of The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield, IL and www.slashfilm.com, here is the first official image of the actor Daniel Day-Lewis in full make up as Abraham Lincoln. As nearly every Lincoln buff knows, Mr. Day-Lewis will star in Steven Spielberg's film "Lincoln" due for release on November 9, 2012. Based on the book-which-will-not-die, Doris Kearns Goodwin's "Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln," Spielberg's film is rumored to follow the final four months of the president's life.

I realize that makeup artists can work wonders, but this image makes it appear as though a previously-unknown photograph of the real Lincoln has been discovered. It's stunning. Let's hope that the film will be as breathtaking as this photo.

Lincoln and Congress Change History

noreply@blogger.com (Geoff Elliott) — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 00:44:00 +0000

When the Congressmen and Senators (mostly Democrats) of the Southern states chose to resign from the legislative branch of government when secession began in 1860, the door was left wide open for the remaining members (nearly all Republican) to pass pieces of legislation. President Abraham Lincoln signed these Congressional Acts into law throughout his presidency. The early days of July 1862 saw the signing into law of some of the most historic pieces of Congressional legislation in our history.

July 1st of that crucial year featured Lincoln signing into law the United States' first-ever graduated national income tax. The Revenue Act of 1862 imposed a 3% tax on any annual income in excess of $600 (about $13,600 in 2012 dollars) with a tax of 5% imposed on incomes greater than $10,000 (roughly $227,000 in 2012). The Act was signed into law by Lincoln in order to provide money for fighting the Civil War. The legislation called for the expiration of the tax in 1866. It replaced the flat-tax which had been imposed in 1861, the Revenue Act of 1861 repealed by the 1862 Act.

The next day featured an incredible flurry of signings into law of legislation, some of which affect us even today. My previous post discusses the Morrill Land-Grant Act of 1862 which led to the creation of nearly 100 institutions of higher learning across the United States.

Lincoln also signed that day the Pacific Railroad Act of 1862, which eventually led to the building of the nation's first transcontinental railroad. The Act permitted the Union Pacific Railroad to construct a railroad from east to west, the eastern terminus being in Council Bluffs, IA and Omaha, Nebraska. It also called for the Central Pacific Railroad to begin construction in California (western terminus) and continue east. Eventually, of course, the two railroads linked in Promontory Point, Utah in 1869. Ironically, it was Lincoln himself who had been invited to choose the eastern terminus (or beginning point) of the Union Pacific Railroad in 1857.

A Treaty of Commerce between the United States and The Ottoman Empire (now modern Turkey) was also signed on July 2, 1862 by Lincoln. The treaty basically established the process for business, including customs and duties, for business between the two governments.

Finally on July 8, 1862, Lincoln signed the Morrill Anti-Bigamy Act of 1862. The new law banned bigamy or polygamy in the Utah Territory, "disincorporated" the Mormon Church, and restricted its ability to own land. Although the Act did become law, the U.S. government did not enforce it and the act was superseded by other legislation in the 1880's.

These Congressional Acts and Lincoln's signing of them, are just a few examples of the numerous pieces of legislation passed by a Republican Congress during the American Civil War. I would never advocate one-party government for our nation today. But 1862 serves as proof that when Congress and the President can work together, great things can be achieved for the betterment of all of us. I wish today's "leaders" would learn from the examples set 150 years ago.

The Morrill Land-Grant Act 150th Anniversary

noreply@blogger.com (Geoff Elliott) — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 23:58:00 +0000

July 2, 2012 marks the 150th anniversary of the signing of one of the most important pieces of legislation in the history of the United States of America. Abraham Lincoln signed the Morrill Land-Grant Act on July 2, 1862. The Act led to the creation of numerous universities and colleges which have gone on to be some of the finest in the nation.

The photo above is of Vermont Congressman (later U.S. Senator) Justin Smith Morrill, who sponsored the legislation later named for him. The purpose of the Act was to provide each state with federal public lands for the establishment of public universities or colleges for teaching the agricultural and mechanic arts. Under the Act, each state would be allocated 30,000 acres of public land for each representative and senators the particular state had in Congress as of the Census of 1860. Therefore, the more populous states received more land than did the western states. Once the states agreed to receive the federal lands, it was up to them to either sell the lands to raise money for construction of the institution(s) or to use the land itself for the colleges.

Such an Act had first been proposed at least 20 years prior to passage, but Southern states were opposed to such a use of federal lands. When the Act was originally passed in 1859, President James Buchanan, always a friend to the South, vetoed it. With the secession of the Southern states beginning in 1860, the Act gained fresh momentum and President Lincoln signed the new Act. The states then in rebellion against the federal government were specifically banned from receiving any public lands under the legislation, but the Act was later used to expand the benefits to those states once the Civil War was over. The Act was renewed in 1890 to force the Southern states to prove that race was not used to prevent admissions of students. And in 1994 the Act was used again to provide for Native-American institutions of learning.

The Hawkeye State, Iowa, has the proud claim of being the first to accept the terms of the Morrill Land-Grant Act of 1862. The Act helped provide financial support to Ames College, which is now Iowa State University. The list of land-grant institutions is an impressive one. Just some of the universities are: University of Maryland; Pennsylvania State University; West Virginia University; Purdue University; Clemson; Texas A&M; Michigan State University; and The Ohio State University. There are two private universities which were created under the auspices of the Act, and they are among the best in the nation: Cornell University in New York and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Few people may have ever heard of the Morrill Land-Grant Act of 1862 and even fewer have ever heard of Justin Smith Morrill. But thanks to his sponsorship of this Act, countless millions have benefited from it.

Most people know of Abraham Lincoln's lack of formal education. By his own estimates, he had not more than twelve (12) months of formal schooling in his entire life. That fact embarrassed him throughout his life, and he was a strong supporter of education. He encouraged education in many speeches, and in personal letters to those who sought his advice.

Thanks to Representative Justin Smith Morrill and President Abraham Lincoln, all of us have excellent institutions of higher learning where we all can further our own education. We all should be grateful to these two men. The Morrill Land-Grant Act of 1862, signed into law 150 years ago today.

Lincoln Document Thief Gets Seven Years

noreply@blogger.com (Geoff Elliott) — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 17:28:00 +0000

In July of last year, I posted an article about two men who were arrested and charged with the attempted theft of rare, historic documents written by several U.S. Presidents, including Abraham Lincoln. The man pictured above, Barry Landau, was one of the men charged.

Yesterday, Mr. Landau (now convicted in the case), was sentenced in federal court in Baltimore to serve a term of seven years. After that sentence is completed, he is to serve a supervised release of three years.

Landau and his partner stole at least 6,000 documents over the course of a few years. Some of those documents were sold to dealers. The thefts occurred in Ohio, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and other states.

The full article about Landau's sentence may be read here. In my opinion, his sentence and the accompanying fine aren't enough punishment. One cannot put a price on historical documents.

Movie Review - Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter

noreply@blogger.com (Geoff Elliott) — Tue, 26 Jun 2012 01:21:00 +0000

A little more than two years ago a mashup novel purporting to reveal the secret life of Abraham Lincoln landed in bookstores throughout the world. "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter" by author Seth Grahame-Smith claimed that a previously unknown diary of Lincoln's had been discovered which told of Lincoln's real mission in life: to destroy all vampires. The book was a surprise hit, effectively mixing the history of the real Abraham Lincoln and his fictional self as a hunter of the evil undead. (click here for my review of the book)

In fact, the book was such a hit that it has now been turned into a major motion picture, released last week to a lot of publicity and excitement among fans of all things vampires as well as those intrigued by seeing their favorite president as action hero. The film stars Benjamin Walker ("Flags Of Our Fathers") as Mr. Lincoln; Dominic Cooper ("My Week With Marilyn") as Lincoln's "instructor" Henry Sturgess; Mary Elizabeth Winstead ("Live Free Or Die Hard") as Mary Lincoln; and Rufus Sewell ("The Pillars Of The Earth") as vampire leader "Adam." The director is Russian Timur Bekmambetov ("Wanted"), who co-produced along with famous filmmaker Tim Burton ("Nightmare Before Christmas"). The screen play was written by the novelist of the book, Seth Grahame-Smith.

The film opens in 1818 when young Abraham Lincoln is only 9 years old. His father, Thomas, has a confrontation with Jack Barts, the local slave trader, over the beating of a young enslaved boy, who happens to be a close (and fictional) friend of Abraham. The confrontation turns ugly and Barts seems to promise retribution. Sometime later, as Abe is reading in his bunk at night, a mysterious figure sneaks into the cabin and attacks his mother, Nancy Hanks Lincoln. She dies a horrible death as a result, the attacker being none other than Barts, who also happens to be a vampire. After his mother dies, Lincoln then sets out on a quest, promising himself that he will avenge his mother's death.

As Lincoln grows into young adulthood, he has his confrontation with Barts, but it nearly ends in tragedy as Lincoln discovers he lacks the necessary skills to combat Barts effectively. Luckily, Lincoln finds a savior in an English man, Henry Sturgess, who becomes his mentor, imparting his expert vampire hunting skills to the tall, strong Illinoisan. Sturgess seems to have a special hatred of vampires, perhaps even more than Lincoln, and provides Abraham with list of "targets" after Lincoln moves to Springfield in 1837. With his newly acquired skills, Mr. Lincoln dispatches a handful of these "targets" in Springfield, who pose as the living.

Life isn't completely full of violence for Mr. Lincoln. He is introduced to Miss Mary Todd, a fetching and eligible young woman of style and intelligence, and they begin a courtship, which is a somewhat pleasant distraction from the "killings" the viewer has already witnessed. He also develops a close friendship with Joshua Speed (as in real life) who will go on to play an important role in Lincoln's quest.

Meanwhile, slavery is threatening to tear the nation apart. But in this film, the slaves are held in bondage not by not people, but vampires, who use them as a food supply. Lincoln understands the dire threat to the Union and enters politics as a way to help contest the further spread of evil throughout the country. Eventually, his political journey leads to him becoming President Of The United States. At this point, he tries to use the power of his words in the fight against the vampire element which has started a Civil War, but another personal tragedy leads him to once more pick up his ax, ready to eliminate the scourge of the nation: VAMPIRES!

Walker's performance as Abraham Lincoln is for the most part accurate in its portrayal, especially when it comes to his quiet resolve and determination as both a young man and after he becomes President. He brings a depth to the role that is surprising considering the film's obvious focus on action and special-effects. Hopefully the sheer madness of claiming Lincoln was a vampire hunter won't obscure the fact that Walker is a revelation in his nicely done performance.

Dominic Cooper is excellent as Lincoln's friend and mentor Henry Sturgess. Eventually the viewer finds out just why Henry hates vampires so, and feels sympathy for him. Cooper plays Sturgess spot on with the character in the novel, for which he and the director are to be commended.

Elizabeth Mary Winstead isn't given a lot to do as Mary Lincoln in the film, but she is very charming and appealing in the role. We don't get to see any of the real-life Mary Lincoln's extreme temper and bi-polar tendencies, but that isn't really necessary here.

The premise of the movie (and novel) is, of course, ridiculous, over-the-top, and campy. But as I wrote in my review of the novel, it all somehow works. In fact, it works well. The film's combat sequences between Mr. Lincoln and his various enemies are stylish, exciting, and at times even gripping. While I wish this film (and so many others) would use the "Matrix"-like slow-motion effects much less than they do, they are nonetheless well-done and effective. The "choreography" of the fight scenes is quite good. I'm not sure if the ax twirling is actually done by Walker or if it's cinematic sleight-of-hand. It's at times dazzling. Yes, some of the film is gory as to be expected, but I've seen "slasher" films which are far worse.

As for the "history" imparted in "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter," well, we need to remember that this is obviously mostly fiction. Some of the "facts" are true: Lincoln's mother did die when he was 9. He moved to Springfield in 1837, where he met his friend Speed and his future wife Mary. The scene where the U.S. Capitol dome is shown unfinished during his inauguration is accurate, as is the platform on which he stood to take the oath of office. The Washington Monument is shown incomplete, which is also accurate. We cannot expect complete 100% accuracy, of course. (That will be expected of Stephen Spielberg's "Lincoln" bio-pic coming out in December)

I've read the novel and seen the film. I have to be honest and state that I enjoyed the book more than I did the film. As in any film adaptation of the novel upon which it is based, there are things left out, things added, and different events altogether. The novel is, at times, gripping. The film sometimes dragged a bit in my opinion. The vampires could be a bit scarier; the ending of the film vs. that of the novel left something to be desired. I would strongly recommend seeing this in 3-D, which actually adds a good bit to this movie, when it's unfortunately only a gimmick for so many others. The movie earns its "R" rating for violence, a brief (and unnecessary) "F" word, and a very quick sex scene including a glimpse of nudity. Definitely not a film for teens much under the age of 17.

All in all, I liked this movie. It's exciting, entertaining, and harmless fun. It's not overly long and holds the viewer's attention.

But the best thing of all about "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter" (both the film and the novel) is that it has renewed interest in the real Abraham Lincoln among countless people. Mr. Lincoln is endlessly fascinating. Even as a Vampire Hunter.

My rating:

3.5 axes out of 5.0

Daniel Day-Lewis Stunning Resemblance To Lincoln

noreply@blogger.com (Geoff Elliott) — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 19:56:00 +0000

About one year ago, the famous actor Daniel Day-Lewis was named by director Steven Spielberg to star in the Spielberg's biographical film about Abraham Lincoln. Filming has been under way in Richmond, Virginia since March 2011, with release due in December 2012.

The image above is of Day-Lewis with his Lincoln appearance. I think it's an absolutely uncanny resemblance, even better than the resemblance that most re-enactors achieve. This photo was taken at a restaurant in Richmond while the actor was having lunch, and has since gone "viral" on the Internet.

Daniel Day-Lewis is a devotee' of the "method" style of acting, a process where the actor *becomes* the character he or she is portraying through extensive study of the character's writings, thoughts, mannerisms, etc. Supposedly Day-Lewis has been "in character" as Abraham Lincoln since filming began. Even off-camera, he still uses the same thin, high-pitched voice Lincoln was known for. Additionally, the script apparently doesn't list the actor's name; it lists him as Abraham Lincoln.

Day-Lewis is a two-time Oscar winner, as is the actress signed to portray Mary Todd Lincoln: Sally Field. Others in this star-studded cast include James Spader, Hal Holbrook, Tommy Lee Jones, David Strathairn, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

Just looking at this photo makes me confident that Daniel Day-Lewis will be brilliant in this role, as he is in any role he plays. The other actors will be outstanding as well. Let's hope that Steven Spielberg directs to the best of his ability as in "Saving Private Ryan" and not as he did "AI: Artificial Intelligence" when he ruined Stanley Kubrick's vision of a dark world by turning into a "Disney" film. In fact, Disney's Touchstone Pictures is releasing this Lincoln film, which makes me worry that it won't be a serious, in-depth look at Abraham Lincoln's final months.

The film is, of course, based on Doris Kearns Goodwin's book "Team Of Rivals: The Political Genius Of Abraham Lincoln", the book which will not die. The book is well-written and is quite good, but in my personal opinion, it did not deserve the excessive publicity it has achieved.

All that aside, I am eagerly anticipating the release of this film, scheduled for December 2012. I will keep my readers posted on any breaking news.

Lecture On Abraham Lincoln and Ohio

noreply@blogger.com (Geoff Elliott) — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 19:56:00 +0000

On Saturday November 5, 2011, I had the privilege to speak about Abraham Lincoln to an enthusiastic audience at the Granville Public Library in Granville, Ohio. It was the fourth lecture I've presented about Abraham Lincoln over the past few months. The topic was Lincoln's many and varied ties to the Buckeye State. His two most powerful cabinet members, Secretary of War Edwin Stanton and Secretary of The Treasury, Salmon Chase, were Ohioans. Lincoln himself gave many speeches both prior to and after his election to the presidency. Several of the highest ranking generals in the American Civil War were Ohioans as well. And two of Lincoln's funerals were held here in April 1865.

Granville is about 30 miles due east of the state capital of Columbus and is one of the oldest towns in Ohio, founded just two years after the state achieved its statehood in 1805. It's also a college town, and is home to Denison University, founded in 1831. Granville is a lovely and historic village, founded by settlers who came from Granville, Massachusetts and Granby, Connecticut.

The person who invited me to speak at the library is Ms. Julia Walden, the Reference and Adult Librarian. She "found" me through my Twitter feed "Mr_Lincoln" in which I tweet facts and trivia about Abraham Lincoln. Ms. Walden graciously asked me to come speak to local Lincoln enthusiasts and helped me to select the "Lincoln And Ohio" topic. The library in Granville is apparently well-used and loved by the people there and I enjoyed visiting it. I also got to meet Mr. Dave Thomas from the Friends Of The Library organization. The photo I've included at the beginning of this post is of a statue in front of the library, showing an older boy reading to a young girl.

In addition to hosting me at the library, Ms. Walden and the staff were kind enough to arrange a night's lodging at the historic Buxton Inn, an easy walk from the library. The inn is one of the oldest still operating in Ohio, dating all the way back to 1812. It's supposedly one of the most haunted inns in America, but I can honestly say I didn't see or hear any ghosts that night, and neither did my wife. Instead, we found a wonderful room full of antiques, old prints, and beautiful furniture. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay and I'd recommend it highly to anyone. Below is a photo of the inn.

All in all, it was a great experience. I love writing and speaking about Abraham Lincoln, with the goal of helping to educate others about his life and legacy. It was the first time I've lectured outside of my hometown area and I hope it's not my last opportunity to do so.

Thank you to the kind people of Granville, who made my first visit to your town so memorable and wonderful!