This hebdomad we ’re fly the coop a series of posts by Matt Soniak about Abraham Lincoln ’s raid into forensic weather forecasting . If you missed the first installment yesterday , check it out .
In the summer of 1831 , 22 - year - honest-to-goodness Abraham Lincoln arrived in New Salem , a small Ithiel Town along the Sangamon River in Menard County , Illinois . He had come there to work as a clerk for a man named Offut , a local store owner .
Offut liked Lincoln and incline to shoot a line about the new salesclerk to his customers , claiming Lincoln could outrun or outfight any man in the county . Bill Clary , whose family was the namesake of a settlement southwest of Ithiel Town called Clary ’s Grove , was disbelieving of Offut ’s bluster . Clary ’s Grove was known for a group of young toughs led by Jack Armstrong . Historian Benjamin Thomas called the Clary ’s Grove Boys a “ rough and boisterous , happy - go - prosperous crew ” that “ came to New Salem to drink in , gossip , swop and play . Physical strength and courage were their apotheosis . In individual and free - for - all fights they had demonstrated their superiority over the boys from other settlements , and they ruled the town when they chose to . ” Bill Clary figured that Lincoln could n’t whip any of his boy , and certainly not Armstrong . Tired of Offut ’s big talking , he differentiate the shopkeeper to put his money where his mouth was and bet ten dollars that Jack Armstrong would prove to be “ a better gentleman than Lincoln ” in a wrestle catch .
Lincoln did n’t desire to take part in the match , but he eventually give in to Offut ’s protest . The match took place in front of Offut ’s store , and all of New Salem come out to watch and look money , whisky , knives and other property on the achiever .
Most punter backed Armstrong , but it was only a few minute into the catch when , according to attorney John T. Stuart , who was there to see the competition , Armstrong realized “ he had got hold of the wrong client . ” The two young men wriggle firmly , doing their best to throw the other , but both remained on their human foot . confident he could n’t throw Lincoln fairly , Armstrong adjudicate to “ foul ” the clerk . The attempt at cheating enraged Lincoln and , putting his height and long munition to secure manipulation , he grabbed Armstrong by the throat , lift him off the solid ground , and throw off him out like a wet rag .
The rest of the Clary ’s Grove Boys reportedly rush Lincoln , kicking and plug his branch and trunk in an effort to knock him down . Lincoln choose the rape in stride , hold his solid ground and laughing as he was kicked . Eventually , everyone descend down . The boys lay off complain and Lincoln let Armstrong go . The two men throw off hands , Lincoln having proved to everyone in townsfolk that he had to courage and forte to “ belong to ” in townspeople . Armstrong later called Lincoln “ the salutary buster who ever break into camp . ” Many Lincoln historians have call the ordeal one of the limit here and now of Lincoln ’s biography .
Lincoln shortly became close friends with Armstrong and his married woman , Hannah . He often stay at their rest home , where he divide rails , helped the Clary ’s Grove Fannie Farmer with their oeuvre and even hit the books surveying so he could found the lines of their lands .
When Lincoln see about Duff ’s effectual troubles from Hannah , he reached out to her . Despite the fact that he was in use gear up for his Senate crusade against Steven Douglas – and the fact that he was not well - practiced in condemnable police force , and had lost one-half of his one dozen murder trials – he offer to take Armstrong ’s character pro bono .
He write to Hannah :
Hannah Armstrong drove to Springfield to refer Lincoln and see if he could get Duff out on bail before his test . Lincoln tried , but could not secure his protagonist ’s outlet . Lincoln and Mrs. Armstrong pass to the county jail to see Duff and tell him he ’d have to sit fast until his trial set about the next spring . There , Mrs. Armstrong met Duff ’s cellmate , a former schoolteacher serving a conviction for theft . He proposed to her that if she bought him a new pair of glasses and some Scripture to pass his time , he would learn Duff how to read while he awaited trial . Mrs. Armstrong agreed , and the undermentioned May , a literate Duff Armstrong allow for the county lockup to be put on tribulation .
Check back tomorrow to get word about Lincoln ’s clever trial scheme .
