Why was Abraham Lincoln called the rail splitter?
Why was Abraham Lincoln called the rail splitter?
“Lincoln was the likely choice but his supporters felt he needed a catchier nickname than “Old Abe” or “Honest Abe.” Thus, Richard J. Oglesby and John Hanks, a first cousin of Lincoln’s mother, located a split-rail fence supposedly built by Lincoln in 1830. “Lincoln the rail splitter.” c1909.
What year was the rail splitter published?
1860
Lieb, C. (1860) The Rail Splitter, Newspaper.
What is a railsplitter Maul?
In this larger-than-life portrait, Abraham Lincoln holds a heavy, long-handled hammer, or maul, to split logs. Lincoln’s supporters nicknamed him “The Railsplitter” to recall his frontier past and displayed this painting at their lively campaign rallies.
What does a rail splitter do?
a person or thing that splits logs into rails, especially for fences.
Who created the political cartoon the rail splitter?
Joseph E. Baker
Figure 1: The “Rail Splitter” at Work Repairing the Union, 1865, a cartoon drawn by Joseph E. Baker.
How old was the youngest soldier in the Civil War?
William Black. The Civil War’s youngest wounded soldier on record, he was twelve when his left hand and arm were shattered by an exploding shell. John Clem joined the 22nd Michigan Volunteer Infantry Regiment as a drummer boy at 11 years of age, (Murphy) and became a mounted orderly on the staff of George Henry Thomas.
What was the Radical Republicans?
The Radical Republicans were a faction of the Republican Party during the American Civil War. They were distinguished by their fierce advocacy for the abolition of slavery, enfranchisement of black citizens, and holding the Southern states financially and morally culpable for the war.
What is the Rail Splitter at work repairing the Union?
The “Rail Splitter” at Work Repairing the Union is a political cartoon created by Joseph E. Baker in 1865. The cartoon was made to represent how President Abraham Lincoln is being a nice man attempting to repair the Union after the devastating Civil War.
What was the most common job that most soldiers had before the Civil War?
The majority of soldiers North and South had been farmers before the war. Union rosters contained references to more than 300 different careers, including accountant, surveyor, locksmith, teacher, carpenter, shoemaker, black- smith, painter, mason, teamster, and mechanic.
Where did the term ” rail splitter ” come from?
“RAIL SPLITTER”. “RAIL SPLITTER” was a nickname for Abraham Lincoln; it originated in the Illinois State Republican Convention at Decatur on 9 May 1860, when Richard J. Oglesby, later governor of Illinois, and John Hanks, who had lived with the Lincolns, marched into the convention hall with two fence rails placarded, ” Abraham Lincoln,…
What did John Hanks do with the Railsplitter?
The affidavit reads: “This is to certify that this is one of the genuine rails split by A Lincoln and myself in 1829 and 30.” John Hanks sold pieces of other fence rails to Lincoln supporters during the presidential campaign of 1860. This piece, cut from a larger rail, was later sold to raise money for Union soldiers.
Who was the person who sold the rails to Lincoln?
Piece of fence rail with affidavit from John Hanks, Lincoln’s cousin. The affidavit reads: “This is to certify that this is one of the genuine rails split by A Lincoln and myself in 1829 and 30.” John Hanks sold pieces of other fence rails to Lincoln supporters during the presidential campaign of 1860.
Where are Lincoln’s initials on the Railsplitter?
The initials “A L” appear on one side of the wedge. John Spears, a neighbor, recalled the day Lincoln went to a blacksmith shop and asked to have his initials cut into the wedge. The blacksmith hesitated, claiming he was “no scholar.” Lincoln borrowed the tools and marked the wedge himself.