Lincoln on Lincoln

2. Finding a New Life in New Salem

2 FINDING A NEW LIFE IN NEW SALEM 1831-1837 An adventurer from Kentucky, Denton Offutt promised cousin John Hanks, stepbrother John Johnston, and Lincoln 50 cents a day and 60 dollars to trade a flat-boat load of pork, corn, and live hogs down to New Orleans. Offutt came from a respected Kentucky family but somehow had acquired a reputation as inept and shifty ("always had his eyes open to the main chance") (Thomas, New Salem, 43). APRIL 1831 They found Offutt at Springfield, but learned from him that he had failed in getting a boat at Beardstown. This lead to their hiring themselves to him at $12 per month, each; and getting the timber out of the trees and building a boat at old Sangamon Town on the Sangamon river, seven miles N.W. of Springfieldl ... [They] finished and took her out in the course of the spring. The time at which we crossed the mill dam, being in the last days of April, the water was lower than it had been since the breaking of winter in February, or than it was for 21 LINCOLN ON LINCOLN several weeks after. The principal difficulties we encountered in descending the river, were from the drifted timber , which obstructions all know is not difficult to be removed.2 At the Sangamon Town sawmill on Prairie Creek they cut timber on government land nearby, spent about four weeks making the boat, and reached the New Salem mill dam about 19 April (Howells, Life, 27). When the boat grounded on the dam, Lincoln bored a hole in the overhanging end trying to free it. It was in connection with this boat that occurred the ludicrous incident of sewing up the hogs eyes. Offutt bought thirty-odd large fat live hogs, but found difficulty in driving them from where purchased to the boat, and thereupon conceived the whim that he could sew up their eyes and drive them where he pleased. No sooner thought of than decided, he put his hands, including A. at the job, which they completed-all but the driving. In their blind condition they could not be driven out of the lot or field they were in. This expedient failing, they were tied and hauled on carts to the boat. JULY 1831 1\s father, with his own family and others mentioned, had, in pursuance of their intention, removed from Macon to Coles county. John D. Johnston, the stepmother's son, went to them; and A. stopped indefinitely, and, for the first time, as it were, by himself at New-Salem, before-mentioned. This was in July 183l. 22 Finding a New Life in New Salem SEPTEMBER 1831 During this boat enterprize acquaintance with Offutt, who was previously an entire stranger, he conceved a liking for A. and believing he could turn him to account, he contracted with him to act as clerk for him, on his return from New-Orleans, in charge of a store and Mill at New-Salem. Offutt rented the mill at the dam and left Lincoln in charge of the goods in September. His assistant clerk said Lincoln and he "slept on the same cot, and when one turned over the other had to do likewise" (W&D 17; Howells, Life, 28). APRIL 1832 In less than a year Offutt's business was failing-had almost failed-when the Black-Hawk war of 1832 broke out. A. joined a volunteer company, and to his own surprize, was elected captain of it. He says he has not since had any success in life which gave him so much satisfaction. Before being elected captain he had announced in the Sangamon Journal, 15 March, that he was running for the legislature. (He lost the race 6 August.) His election as captain dates from 21 April. The system had the candidates stand still while voters walked to their choices. Intensely disliked, his opponent had no votes at all, leaving the field to Lincoln. Subsequent lore makes his military career seem fun-and-games, but the war was no comic opera. Enlisting for twenty-eight days, his men traversed muck and mire, clothes torn by briers, stumbling upon scenes of recent massacres abuzz with flies and mosquitoes feasting on severed legs and scalped skulls, all festering in the humid heat. Most troops quit at 23 LINCOLN ON LINCOLN the end of their twenty-eight days, but Lincoln re-enlisted...