Lincoln, the unknown

36• LINCOLN THE UNKNOWNkeep me in the background, I have been too familiar with disappointmentsto be very much chagrined."A few days later a horseman dashed into New Salem withthe startling news that the great Sac Indian chief, Black Hawk,was on the war-path with his braves, burning homes, capturingwomen, massacring settlers, and spreading red terror alongRock River.In a panic Governor Reynolds was calling for volunteers;and Lincoln, "out of work, penniless, a candidate for office,"joined the forces for thirty days, was elected captain, and triedto drill the Clary's Grove Boys, who shouted back at his commands,"Go to the devil."Herndon says Lincoln always regarded his participation inthe Black Hawk War "as a sort of holiday affair and chickenstealingexpedition." It was just about that.Later, in the course of a speech in Congress, Lincoln declaredthat he didn't attack any redskins, but that he made"charges upon the wild onions." He said he didn't see any Indians,but that he had "a good many bloody struggles withthe mosquitoes."Returning from the war, "Captain Lincoln" plunged againinto his political campaign, going from cabin to cabin, shakinghands, telling stories, agreeing with every one, and makingspeeches whenever and wherever he could finda crowd.When the election came he was defeated, although he re-but three of the two hundred and eight votes cast inceived allNew Salem.Two years later he ran again, was elected, and had to borrowmoney to buy a suit of clothes to wear to the legislature.He was reelected in 1836, 1838, and 1840.There was living in New Salem at that time a ne'er-do-wellwhose wife had to take in boarders while he fished and playedthe fiddle and recited poetry. Most of the people in town lookeddown upon Jack Kelso as a failure. But Lincoln liked him,chummed with him, and was greatly influenced by him. Beforehe met Kelso, Shakspere and Burns had meant little to Lincoln;they had been merely names, and vague names at that.But now as he sat listening to Jack Kelso reading "Hamlet" andreciting "Macbeth," Lincoln realized for the first time whatsymphonies could be played with the English language. What a