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15. William G. Greene to William H. Herndon.

Home June 7th 1865

Dear Sir

Yours of June 1st recd. You will correct my statement as regards the Flat boat remaining at New Salem upon consultation with friends I am satisfied that the boat was reloaded & pased down the sang. River as far as Beardstown Mr Lincoln footed it back to N. Salem Then Commenced his clk. ship &c. The Trip to New Orleans that Rowan Herandon has referance to was prior to Mr Lincoln coming to Ills it was the Load of Hoop poles & was carried down the Wabash River the time he & the Negroes had such fight &c

Berry & Lincoln did replenish their stock of goods by purchassing the remnant of Rowan Herandon &c. Store. I still persist in the assertion that Mr Lincoln had no Teacher after he came to New Salem that he was self Taught it may be true that & I suppose it is true that Mentor Graham a verry kind & communicative man, did give Mr Lincoln many explanations & elucidations both in English Grammar & Surveying just as John T. Stuart did in the Law I have seen Graham since I recd. your letter he still persists that he taught him but when I questioned him wher when & what school house he had to admit that it was on the street behind the Counter when at Diner &c &c Just as you continually teach Law to inquiring friends friend Graham has always been remarkable for his willingness to instruct the Youth of the community in which he lived & I agin repeat that he has many a time bored M Lincoln for hours as he a hundred times has your humble servant giving explanations for which I now am thankful

You will now make such alterations in my letter as will be necisary &c

Verry Truly
W. G. Greene.

P.S. Mr Lincoln prior to being Post-master acted as Dep PO. Master under Sam Hill I do not know how long or any thing further of his Deputy PO. master ship

W. G. G.

You will of course write my letter over & make it a modl for consistency & simplicity

W. G. G.

Library of Congress: Herndon-Weik Collection. Manuscript Division. Library of Congress. Washington, D.C. 2154 — 55; Huntington Library: LN2408, 1:477 — 78

nts

Notes.

1. See §5. Although AL made two flatboat trips to New Orleans (1828 and 1831), Greene believed he made only one.