Abraham Lincoln Recalls The Troops

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.

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Abraham Lincoln and Idaho Territory

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.

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Book Review: A New Birth Of Freedom: The Translator

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.

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PBS "Antiques Roadshow" Discovers Abraham Lincoln Letter

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

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Honoring Mr. Lincoln On His Birthday

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. 

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"The Abolitionists" Premieres On PBS American Experience

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.  

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Film Review: Steven Spielberg's "Lincoln"

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.

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