437

324. George Brinkerhoff (William H. Herndon Interview).

[1865—66]

Geo M Brinkerhoof—

Says on the 8th of august Meeting AD 1860 Lincoln made his appearance on the ground, Fair Grounds in a Carriage—. That the People Surrounded the Carriage—sunk it in the mud—stuck tight—broke in the top of the Carriage—Came near smothering Lincoln—Brinkerhoff & others backed up Crowders horse into the Crowd where Lincoln was—picked him up—slipped him over the horses tail on to the saddle—led the horse to town—Lincoln held on to the Knob of the Saddle—a little german man—a chicago wide awake ran from the fair grounds—got to Ls house before L did—helped L off—L said who are you—belong to Chicago wide awake—"Tell 'em to come down to my house to-night—want to shake hands with 'em—" Wide Awakes did go down—and he did shake hands with them—&c

Library of Congress: Herndon-Weik Collection. Manuscript Division. Library of Congress. Washington, D.C. 3846; Huntington Library: LN2408, 2:176—77

nts

Notes.

1. Uniformed semimilitary units of Republican partisans in the 1860 campaign that participated in torchlight parades, sang songs, kept order at meetings, and served as poll-watchers.