Lindsey Graham (10:54)
It's five o' clock in the evening on September 22, 1842. On a small boat, Elias H. Merriman, a Springfield physician, rows Abraham Lincoln across the Mississippi River. He speeds up his strokes and glides the vessel onto a nearby island, where they're supposed to meet James Shields. After days of arguing, Lincoln and Shields agreed to end their conflict once and for all in a duel. It was not a decision Taken lightly, dueling is illegal in Illinois and most surrounding states. Even if one man survives the encounter, he risks being arrested for murder. As the challenged party, Lincoln was permitted to choose the location and weapons of the duel. For the site of the contest, he chose Bloody Island, a popular dueling spot since its position mid river means it slips between jurisdictions of Missouri and Illinois. Elias agrees with Lincoln's choice. Today he is Lincoln's second, and he doesn't want either he or Lincoln to face charges if Shields ends up dead. As Elias steps onto dry land, he reaches back and helps Lincoln out of the boat. Then he escorts Lincoln to the patch of land identified for the duel, where Shields and his second, John D. Whiteside, wait for them on the sidelines. Elias recognizes a handful of the combatant's friends who stand at a safe distance with concerned looks on their faces. The 2 seconds Elias and John lay a wooden plank on the ground, they mark a line a few feet back either side of the plank. Each of the duelists must remain behind the plank but in front of the line, otherwise they will forfeit the contest. Lincoln and Shields step forward and each pick up a cavalry broadsword, testing the weight of the heavy blades in their hands. It's an unusual weapon for a duel, but Elias thinks that Lincoln has chosen well. He isn't that confident with a pistol, and with a 7 inch height advantage, Elias knows Lincoln will have the longer reach with a sword. But Elias is confused when Lincoln stands back and swings his sword before the duel begins. Shields looks on, puzzled. Lincoln is swinging high in an exaggerated movement that wouldn't ever threaten an opponent. Instead, the swift arc of the blade chops through a tree branch above Shield's head. Elias realizes that Lincoln's wild swing was a deliberate move to prove that his tall frame and long arms give him a distinct advantage. As the branch falls to the ground, Lincoln looks into Shield's eyes. Elias senses a moment of hesitation. Temptation from the challenger. As Lincoln stares down Shields, Elias then hears a voice behind him. It's one of Shields and Lincoln's mutual friends, saying that the coral is out of control and nobody wants to see blood spilled today. He suggests that now might be a good time for the two dueling parties to reconsider their options. The two seconds Elias and John talk it over while Shields and Lincoln stand apart, sword still in hand. John agrees to concede Lincoln's main sticking point. He unilaterally withdraws the letter he delivered to the courthouse on Shield's behalf. Elias suggests that Lincoln will apologize for any ill feeling the notes in the newspaper have caused. And then each second walks over and explains the deal to the duelers. Both men readily agree to its terms. Elias can sense the relief in Lincoln now that the matter has been resolved to both men's satisfaction. And within a few minutes, Elias and Lincoln return to their boat and recross the Mississippi back to Illinois. As they approach the shore, a few bystanders wait for them. They've heard rumors about a duel between two Illinois politicians. They want to see which of the combatants is returning alive and which may be returning bloodied or even dead. They're disappointed though, as both Lincoln and Shields step out of their boats alive and well. In the years following their last minute truce, Lincoln and Shields will set aside any hard feelings and forge an unlikely friendship. But as the years pass, time and careers will pull the men apart again. Shields will go on to serve as a US Senator for Illinois and Minnesota. Lincoln will serve a term as a Whig in the U.S. house of Representatives before emerging as a leader in the new Republican party. But eventually, the two men's paths will cross again. In 1860, Lincoln will win the presidential election and will be forced to steer America through one of its darkest chapters as he presides over a nation at war with itself. The Commander in Chief will enlist the help of his former enemy who will take up arms as a Brigadier General. Together, the two former adversaries will fight for a Union victory. And on an unexpected anniversary amid the two turmoil, Lincoln will make one of his most momentous political acts to date. It's September 22, 1862, just outside Washington D.C. exactly 20 years since President Abraham Lincoln's duel with James Shield. Inside his summer cottage, Lincoln invites his cabinet members to join him at a table. As they sit down, Lincoln pulls out a document he hopes will change America. A year ago, civil war broke out between the north and south over long standing disagreements about slavery and states rights. For much of it, the war has not gone in the Union's favor. In the six months since James Shield's division found victory at the Battle of Kernstown, the Union has suffered several unexpected and demoralizing losses. But five days ago, the Union ground out an important victory at the Battle of Antietam. Lincoln wants to take advantage of the rare success to issue a proclamation he and his cabinet have been working on for months. One that will free the slaves in the Confederacy when the New year begins. Today, Lincoln reads aloud the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation one final time to ensure the members of his cabinet fully understand its meaning. He knows the proclamation is supported enthusiastically by some members of his Cabinet, but only reluctantly by others. As he finishes, Lincoln takes a moment to look into the eyes of each of the seven men gathered. Then he asks his Cabinet whether they agree with the words of the proclamation. When they indicate they do, Lincoln picks up a pen and signs his name at the bottom of the page. When he picks up the document and hands it to his Secretary of State, Lincoln probably does not realize that it is 20 years to the day since his office almost duel with James Shields. And in those years since then, both he and Shields were embarrassed by their youthful hot headed quarrel and quickly closed down the conversation if anybody brought it up. But their last minute truce will have profound consequences for the nation's future. Because of their actions on that day, Shields and Lincoln will both be alive and both able to contribute to a Union success in the Civil War 20 years later, a feat that may never have been possible had they gone through with their duel on Bloody Island. September 22, 1842 Next on History Daily.
