4th Grader as Abraham Lincoln, Grand Central Station, New York, NY, 2013. View more at The New York Times Magazine Blog
A wonderful tribute to Abraham Lincoln on his birthday
Harry Houdini and the Ghost of Abraham Lincoln
Mary Lincoln passed away on July 16, 1882, but it appears that, even as late as 1924, there was some curiosity about the spirit realm still surrounding Mary’s descendants. Enough curiosity, it seems, that world-renowned magician Harry Houdini helped to dispel the notion of at least one “spirit photograph” featuring himself and Abraham Lincoln.
On Feb. 13, 1924, just one day after what would have been Abraham Lincoln’s 115th birthday, Houdini typed out a letter to Mary Edwards Lincoln Brown, the grand-daughter of Ninian and Elizabeth Edwards, Mary Lincoln’s sister. The letter reads:
State Lake Theatre,
Chicago, Ill. Feb. 13, 1924.
Mrs. Mary Edwards Lincoln Brown,
Lincoln Homestead,
Springfield, Ill.
My dear Mrs. Brown:
Enclosed you will find Spirit Photograph of your renowned ancestor, and although the Theomonistic Society in Washington, D.C. claim that it is a genuine spirit photograph, as I made this one, you have my word for it, that it is only a trick effect.
Mrs. Houdini joins me in sending you kindest regards,
Sincerely yours,
Houdini
Boys In Blue: Diary entry from Sgt. Ashford H Magee of the 77th Illinois Infantry Company E
In Memory
Dr. C.M. Colquet of leo “A” 1st Ala Arty. Ft. Morgan age 40 years, Departed this life 4th July 1864. If a man dies Shall he live again.
All the days of my appointed time will I wait till my chance comes
Rest, rest, rest in peace.
“Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth upon this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.
Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived, and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives, that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.
But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate—-we can not consecrate—-we can not hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember, what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us, the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here, have, thus far, so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—-that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they here gave the last full measure of devotion—-that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain; that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom; and that, government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.” Abraham Lincoln, November 19, 1863
Boys In Blue: Col. Daniel Brown Bush, 2nd Illinois Cavalry Regiment
Before Colonel Daniel Brown Bush, Jr. enlisted in the Union Army, he was the owner and editor of the “Pike County Journal” in Pittsfield, IL and was one of the first newspaper editors to endorse Abraham Lincoln as a candidate for President. On February 9, 1860 Daniel Bush published an editorial written by John Nicolay, who would go on to become one of Abraham Lincoln’s private secretaries. A section of the editorial read:
Give us Lincoln as the candidate and we can promise the electoral vote of Illinois for the Republicans as a sure result…He maintains the faith of the Fathers of the Republic, he believes in the Declaration of Independence, he yields obedience to the Constitution and laws of his country. He has the radicalism of Jefferson and of Clay and the conservatism of Washington and Jackson. In his hands the Union would be safe.
Certainly Daniel Bush believed in the cause of the Union because a year and a half later he enlisted as a Major in the Second Illinois Cavalry Regiment, taking part in the battles at Forts Henry and Donelson as well as Shiloh. As a Lieutenant Colonel, Bush commanded the Second Illinois at the Battle of Vicksburg. He was discharged as Colonel of the Second Cavalry on July 24, 1865 and would eventually find his way to Portland, OR where we would live until his death in 1913. Upon his death, the “Sunday Oregonian” wrote in his obituary:
For the past three months he has been almost helpless and, like our old friend, Colonel Newcomb, he has been living over again the stirring scenes of his early manhood, frequently imagining himself at the head of his loved regiment, and when the time came for him to answer the last roll call he answered is as placidly as did our old English Colonel, and slipped away from the troublous things of this lower life. He had fought the good fight, like the brave true soldier he was, and could well afford to go where alarums are never heard and conflicts never come.
©2012 Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum
Boys In Blue: 1st Lt. Michael F Swartzcope, 31st Illinois Infantry, Company A
Michael F. Swartzcope of Illinois stood six-foot-five and a half and at 41 years of age he mustered into the 31st Illinois Infantry as a Private. Census records tell us that Michael worked as both a cooper and a surveyor before the war began. Over six foot tall and a surveyor…sound familiar? By the end of the war, Michael was promoted to 1st Lieutenant and Quartermaster. Michael’s Lincolnesque life continued after the war; Lincoln was a lawyer, and Swartzcope followed a law career as well, serving as a judge in Jackson County, IL from 1865 to 1869. Judge Swartzcope passed away on March 22, 1901 at the age of 80 at the Home for Disabled Veterans in Danville, IL.
©2012 Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum
Letters Home: The Brush Family Letters
When we last left the Brush family, William had written to his brother Charles on March 28, 1863 and spoke of good health and problems with a Colonel in his regiment. Almost two weeks later, on April 10, William and Charles’ father, H.L., wrote to Charles about William, “…I feel he is very sick…” Three days later, on April 13, 1863 1st Lieutenant William E. Brush of Company D, 104th Illinois Infantry, passed away.
In the lengthy letter that follows, H.L. writes again to Charles with details of William’s death including allegations of poisoning by someone in his regiment.
Ottawa Apl. 16th/63
Dear Charles
I wrote you 14th of Williams sickness and death. I can hardly realise that so kind, so good, so young, so endeared a Son, one in whom so many hopes & desires were centered, one for whom I would have cheerfully sacrifised even life itself, has left us forever, evry hours increases my regrets, and magnifys my loss. The poor Boy when he saw that he was struck down with his sickness appeared to be overwhelmed with grief that he could not go with the Regmt. (they had that afternoon recd orders to leave for Murfreesboro,) His disease also was very singular & violent & rapid in its course, typhoid is generally protracted continuing sometimes weeks, but he was attacked on dress parade Thursday P.M. & died ¼ of nine Monday morning. Yesterday his remains were followed to his last resting place, by a very large procession. They^Young Ladies wove and surmounted the Coffin with a beautiful garland of flowers. The singing at the grave was most beautiful, & melting, Mother says she never was at a funeral where it seemed so pleasant & yet she is almost stricken down herself & heartbroken, I am almost tempted to make you a visit, that I may relate to you the scenes of his last two days. Yet after all the respect which has been paid to him and the general regret expressed at his sudden death, it all appears as vanity, for it cannot alleviate our sorrow, nor heal for a moment the wound in our hearts which his death has made. I feel that if you both could have been in the same Regmt. that this sad and sudden termination of his career and usefulness would not have happened, you could have attended to him when sick & called to his aid good counsel, but why these vain regrets, as the choir sang, “peacefully lay him down to rest, so may we hope that he rests in the bosom of his Saviour that his rest is eternal glory. He was very much respected by the Officers & men of the command in all the Regmts, those who knew him spoke warmly of his virtues, his exemption from “every bad habit-as they expressed it. He made rapid proficiency as an officer & had gained despite of his persecuting Capt. the confidence of his Co. even The Capt. had asked his forgiveness & commended him warmly to the Company, acknowledging that his conduct towards him had been wrong. I have no doubt but that his sickness was caused by his indefatigable endeavours to merit & win a high position, & put down the prejudice which an unprincipled man had maliciously raised against him. He neglected no duty, & would not even come home although Coln. Moore gave him permission, for fear they would draw unfavorable inferences I do not believe there ever was a case where a kind hearted patriotic & gifted young^ officer was so maligned & shamefully treated and by a man pledged to be his friend, and who was under obligation, to him for his position a man too infinitely inferior to him in every sense & position—Mother is very anxious to have you resign & return home, she fears that you will be prostrated by that enervating climate. In fact if you can honorably do so, It would decidedly be my counsel & choice. You have received what benefits there are of any growing out of a military life, a southern climate, & active exercise, and it is a good time if you can to return and resume the study of the law. Cook is so decidedly your friend that you will do well with him, and by resigning you stand a better chance for some office that may yet spring up, and although I was very much gratifyed to hear through Clark that Coln Earl has the highest opinion of you as an excellent & efficient Adjutant. Yet you must bear in mind that Mother & myself bereft of another Son, we should go down broken hearted to the grave, and that you are incurring risks in that climate, even in Memphis, and you may be ordered farther south, where evry northern man or a large majority fall victims to the fatal fevers of the South, a man to successfully withstand them but possess a firm & excellent constitution. Now can you not so manage it as to leave the profession of arms, resign & come home. My dear William had sent me sometime ago 400$ $145 to repay my advances the balance on his own & I found in his wallets over 200$ which he had drawn day before up to the ? th March He was so overpowered by his disease, that he was much deranged the Friday after he was taken sick, only a few hours, he had only intervals after I reached that his faculties were clear
On Sunday about 11 A.M. he wished me to sit on the bed with him & hold his hand, he placed his other hand on my shoulder It was then he expressed his love for the Savior, his trust in Him& desired me to pray with him. He did not hold his mind on any thing long, but was overpowered with the violence of his disease producing a terrible sense of weakness he appeared to have no wish as to the disposition of his effects, in fact I believe he did not think of dying, when wandering he was in Battallion drill or dress parade or some of his duties. Oh how heart— rending it was to me to see him grapple with the King of terrors to see him breathe his life away—Oh that I may be spared another so heart rending a scene—His friends feel that Collins’s inhuman conduct was one cause of his death. Some suspicions are entertained in which I cannot share, that poison was administered to him. Doctr Hopkins is terribly excited, when he heard from Bassindale his sergeant, & friend to the last, his relation of the symptoms & also what I knew, he declared “it was foul play Somewhere,” but Doctr Wing, stated that such rapid & violent cases occur in Military life, never in Civil—How is this, what does Surgeon Welch say, does the typhoid exhibit symptoms of insanity first ____?_, burning in the throat, marking its commencement, great thirst vomiting, and in less than 15 hours involuntary discharges in the bed, eyes red & watery, countenance ghastly are such the characteristics of typhoid. If they are I prefer civil life. The Doctor wrote to Davis yesterday to come down & make a Post Mortem examination. He has not yet come but that justice may be done all parties, we shall insist on a Post mortem examination. I presume they will find that Doctr Wing is correct, but should poison exhibit itself, then I am well satisfyed, who is at the bottom of it, & nothing can save him—But you know how little things are magnifyed and the examination will bring it all right and under the state of feeling is proper & necessary, yet I believe they will not find poison. I write this fearing you may hear something exaggerated from some other source, do not intimate any thing I have written, as it is a dreadful suspicion even as against a Rebel & if true, secrecy is absolutely necessary to detection do not permit it to disturb your feeling, for I think the result will be as I have stated if not will write you immediately I hope you will not go into a Black Regmt you will incur tenfold exposure to malarious climate. They will be ordered on most extra hazardous positions a sort of forlorn hope. No compensation increased tenfold would induce me , remain if you will not resign, with the 53d If you need any thing will send it, in Williams valise, do you want any of his effects, he had just purchased a fine Poncho, his blankets are very good ones if you should remain & want them will send them to you, he had no sash, I found your Pistol & his, Moore Revolver in his satchel, everything all right, I found when we had taken him from the camp quarters (on his straw tick) to Professor Sawyers house, we then placed him on a good feather bed, with two good mattrass under it, happening to look down on the straw tick I saw something in the hay which I found to be his wallet, with his money—He had just purchased a very fine dress coat, which Lucy said became him very much. I purchased a fine pair Pants & Gloves and he was laid out in these. He looked very natural and calm. I found a letter in his valise from you. How little did we anticipate this sad result. How it admonishes us to be always, by a correct life and a living faith in the Saviour, ready & willing to obey his summons, write me how you get along, do you have any of that old cough. Mr Cook left last Monday for Chicago to find me he expected to meet me at Chicago but I had gone with Lucy after the corpse had been escorted to Depot to Mr Dickinsons & have not seen him as he is attending court in Chicago I shall not receive any money which I have furnished you heretofore you must accept of it as a gift. hope if you buy one you will get a reliable horse. I will get you a saddle if you want, But would prefer to have you ride homeward on a Steamer, we are all well except Allie who had croup yesterday is better this morning. Send you Republican- Mother and all send Love, & sympathise with you for the loss of your best friend & dear Brother
Afftly yr Father
H.L. Brush
©2011 Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum
BOYS IN BLUE
William H Steel, 34th Illinois Infantry, Company F
From the back of this photo:
“Steel with flag borne by 34th Illinois Infantry Company F at the Battle of Stone River, Dec. 31, 1862. Steel was shot seven times—three bullets remained in his body. All color guards and bearers of the flag were killed or wounded. The colors fell in the hands of the 2nd Arkansas regiment under the command of Pat Cleborn, Confederate States of America.”
William H Steel survived the wounds he received in battle, but would not fight again in the war. He would go on to marry and lived in Dixon, IL until the age of sixty-three years.
His obituary, at the time, reads:
“Mr. Steel entered the war in September, 1861. He enlisted in Co. F. 34th Infantry and was mustered Sept. 7, 1861. He was badly wounded at the Battle of Murphysboro, Tenn. on December 31, 1862. He had been found be his brother Charles behind rebel lines, seven bullet holes in his body. Mr. Steel was never able after that battle to do any more soldiering. He was a color bearer for his company and while he was in the army proved a brave soldier.”
©2011 Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum
Orion Howe served as a drummer boy in the 55th Illinois Infantry, Company C, enlisting at the age of 14. Orion was severely wounded in the 1863 Battle of Vicksburg. He is one of the youngest American soldiers to receive the Medal of Honor, and the poem, “Before Vicksburg” by George H. Boker appeared in the September 1864 issue of The Atlantic Monthly and tells the story of Orion’s bravery at Vicksburg.
©2011 Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum
