A piece of a fence rail split by Abraham Lincoln himself?
Kudos, Roger!!!! It's on display at the Smithsonian.
The exhibit said: "This fence-rail piece is one of the many souvenirs made made for friends and political supporters of presidential candidate Abraham Lincoln. This particular piece is attributed to Lincoln's cousin and rail-splitting partner, John Hanks. It was sold by another cousin, Dennis F. Hanks, at the Northwest Soldiers' Home Fair at Chicago in May 1865 for the charitable relief and care of soldiers. The fair opened a little more than a month after Lincoln's assassination in April 1865. Dennis Hanks wrote the label for each fence for his illiterate cousin John Hanks, who added his X as an affidavit."
Some more info is here:
http://americanhistory.si.edu/lincoln/railsplitter
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Well, it's the 12th here, so here's #12. I'm sorry it's another very small one so will only appear after logging on:
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Guess what?
Whatever it is, it is very tiny. Any chance you could make it bigger, Eva?
I think two helpful distinct features are still visible. However, here's a bigger cutting:
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I know it's late at night where you are Eva and that I'm clearly fishing for clues, but does this object have anything to do with the assassination of Lincoln? If so I will delve more deeply into it otherwise I'll let the real Lincoln experts take over.
This very specimen has first of all to do with the CW.
Oh goodie, you put up another picture. It looks like it could be part of a gun boat.
I agree with Dave. Is it the USS Montauk?
Excellent guesses, Dave and Scott, and quite close. It's not the USS Montauk, Scott. This is the USS Montauk (on the left*):
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So, what is #12?
*[Precisely: USS Montauk (1862-1904) - at left, and USS Lehigh (1863-1904) - at right.Laid up at the Philadelphia Navy Yard, Pennsylvania, circa late 1902 or early 1903.]
Very good, Dave! This is correct.
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The description reads: "View on deck looking forward on the starboard side, while the ship was in the James River, Virginia, 9 July 1862. The turret, with the muzzle of one of Monitor's two XI-inch Dahlgren smoothbore guns showing, is at left. Note dents in turret armor from hits by Confederate heavy guns and crewmembers atop the turret.
Officers at right are (left to right): Third Assistant Engineer Robinson W. Hands, Acting Master Louis N. Stodder, Second Assistant Engineer Albert B. Campbell (seated) and Acting Volunteer Lieutenant William Flye (with binoculars)."
This and more pictures are here:
http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/sh-us...onitor.htm
...and here's another interesting website (via which I found the photos):
http://users.wowway.com/~jenkins/ironclads/ironclad.htm
When you started this thread I wasn't sure what to expect, but I've enjoyed it, keep up the good work!
I second Gene, Eva. This has been a wonderful addition to the forum. Kudos to you!