Our American Holidays: Lincolns Birthday | Page 9

This man was
eager for the captaincy. He put in his days and nights "log-rolling"
among his fellow volunteers; said he had already smelt gun-powder in
a brush with Indians, thus urging the value of experience; even thought

he had a "martial bearing"; and he was very industrious in getting those
men to join the company who would probably vote for him to be
captain.
Muster-day came, and the recruits met to organize. About them stood
several hundred relatives and other friends.
The little candidate was early on hand and busily bidding for votes. He
had felt so confident of the office in advance of muster-day, that he had
rummaged through several country tailor-shops and got a new suit of
the nearest approach to a captain's uniform that their scant stock could
furnish. So there he was, arrayed in jaunty cap, and a swallow-tailed
coat with brass buttons. He even wore fine boots, and moreover had
them blacked--which was almost a crime among a country crowd of
that day.
Young Lincoln took not one step to make himself captain; and not one
to prevent it. He simply put himself "in the hands of his friends," as the
politicians say. He stood and quietly watched the trouble others were
borrowing over the matter as if it were an election of officers they had
enlisted for, rather than for fighting Indians. But after all, a good deal
depends in war, on getting good officers.
As two o'clock drew near, the hour set for making captain, four or five
of young Lincoln's most zealous friends with a big stalwart fellow at
the head edged along pretty close to him, yet not in a way to excite
suspicion of a "conspiracy." Just a little bit before two, without even
letting "Abe" himself know exactly "what was up," the big fellow
stepped directly behind him, clapped his hands on the shoulders before
him, and shouted as only prairie giants can, "Hurrah for Captain Abe
Lincoln!" and plunged his really astonished candidate forward into a
march.
At the same instant, those in league with him also put hands to the
shoulders before them, pushed, and took up the cheer, "Hurrah for
Captain Abe Lincoln!" so loudly that there seemed to be several
hundred already on their side; and so there were, for the outside crowd
was also already cheering for "Abe."

This little "ruse" of the Lincoln "boys" proved a complete success.
"Abe" had to march, whether or no, to the music of their cheers; he was
truly "in the hands of his friends" then, and couldn't get away; and it
must be said he didn't seem to feel very bad over the situation. The
storm of cheers and the sight of tall Abraham (six feet and four inches)
at the head of the marching column, before the fussy little chap in brass
buttons who was quite ready, caused a quick stampede even among the
boys who intended to vote for the little fellow. One after another they
rushed for a place in "Captain Abe's" line as though to be first to fall in
was to win a prize.
A few rods away stood that suit of captain's clothes alone, looking
smaller than ever, "the starch all taken out of 'em," their occupant
confounded, and themselves for sale. "Abe's" old "boss" said he was
"astonished," and so he had good reason to be, but everybody could see
it without his saying so. His "style" couldn't win among the true and
shrewd, though unpolished "boys" in coarse garments. They saw right
through him.
"Buttons," as he became known from that day, was the last man to fall
into "Abe's" line; he said he'd make it unanimous.
But his experience in making "Abe" Captain made himself so sick that
he wasn't "able" to move when the company left for the "front," though
he soon grew able to move out of the procession.
Thus was "Father Abraham," so young as twenty-three, chosen captain
of a militia company over him whose abused, hired-hand he had been.
It is little wonder that in '59 after three elections to the State Legislature
and one to Congress, Mr. Lincoln should write of his early event as "a
success which gave me more pleasure than any I have had since." The
war was soon over with but little field work for the volunteers; but no
private was known to complain that "Abe" was not a good captain.

III

MATURITY
LINCOLN'S MARRIAGE--A PEEP INTO LINCOLN'S SOCIAL
LIFE
In 1842, in his thirty-third year, Mr. Lincoln married Miss Mary Todd,
a daughter of Hon. Robert S. Todd, of Lexington, Kentucky. The
marriage took place in Springfield, where the lady had for several years
resided, on the fourth of November of the year mentioned. It is
probable that he