The Black Hawk war was not much of a war after all, and our hero did not engage directly with the enemy face to face. Yet two officers in that war, Colonel Zachary Taylor and Captain Abraham Lincoln, subsequently became Presidents of the United States.
One of the most humorous speeches Abraham Lincoln ever made in Congress had reference to this war. General Cass was the Democratic candidate for President, and certain congressional orators made capital out of the General’s connection with the Black Hawk war.
Lincoln rose in his seat, and said, among other things, “By the way, Mr. Speaker, do you know that I am a military hero? Yes, sir, in the days of the Black Hawk war, I fought, bled, and came away. Speaking of General Cass’s career reminds me of my own. I was not at Stillman’s defeat, but I was about as near it as Cass to Hull’s surrender; and like him I saw the place very soon afterward. It is quite certain that I did not break my sword, for I had none to break;1
but I bent my musket pretty badly on one occasion. … If General Cass went in advance of me in picking whortleberries, I guess I surpassed him in charges upon the wild onions. If he saw any live, fighting Indians, it was more than I did, but I had a good many bloody struggles with the mosquitoes; and, although I never fainted from loss of blood, I can truly say I was often very hungry … . If I should ever turn Democrat, and be taken up as a candidate for the Presidency by the Democratic party, I hope they will not make fun of me by attempting to make me out a military hero.”| Previous chapter/page | Back | Home | Email this | Search | Discuss | Bookmark | Next chapter |