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Why should the 166th Ohio regiment be considered famous? - David Lockmiller - 07-14-2025 10:00 AM
What did the 166th Ohio Regiment do during the American Civil War to immortalize President Abraham Lincoln?
RE: Why should the 166th Ohio regiment be considered famous? - David Lockmiller - 07-15-2025 05:45 AM
I have been truly surprised by the number of attempted guesses thus far - a grand total of zero.
President Lincoln made a speech to these soldiers as they departed service to their country as a regiment of soldiers. As far as I know, this is the only detailed documented speech by President Lincoln of this nature. And, this is despite the fact that he began his speech that day to the soldiers with these words: "I almost always feel inclined, when I say anything to soldiers, to impress upon them, in a few brief remarks, the importance of success in this contest."
As some members of the Lincoln Discussion Symposium may remember, the speech was made the day before President Lincoln asked the members of his cabinet to sign the "Blind Memorandum" on August 23, 1864. It must certainly have been a low point in his own morale. But it was an important speech about the importance of democracy. The speech to these departing military service members is as follows:
SOLDIERS--I suppose you are going home to see your families and friends. For the services you have done in this great struggle in which we are engaged, I present you sincere thanks for myself and the country.
I almost always feel inclined, when I say anything to soldiers, to impress upon them, in a few brief remarks, the importance of success in this contest. It is not merely for the day, but for all time to come, that we should perpetuate for our children's children that great and free government which we have enjoyed all our lives. I beg you to remember this, not merely for my sake, but for yours. I happen, temporarily, to occupy this big White House. I am a living witness that any one of your children may look to come here as my father's child has. It is in order that each one of you may have, through this free government which we have enjoyed, an open field, and a fair chance for your industry, enterprise, and intelligence; that you may all have equal privileges in the race of life with all its desirable human aspirations--it is for this that the struggle should be maintained, that we may not lose our birthrights--not only for one, but for two or three years, if necessary. The nation is worth fighting for, to secure such an inestimable jewel.
As noted on another thread: Fred Borch is a lawyer and historian. He was Professor of Legal History and Leadership at The Judge Advocate General's Legal Center and School for 18 years. He noted:
When Lincoln was born in 1809, the United States was only 22 years old—the Constitution having been ratified in 1788. There were still Americans living who had fought in the Revolution—and Lincoln knew them or knew of them. These revolutionaries had witnessed the creation of a new system of government based not on kings, queens, and aristocrats but on the idea that men could rule themselves with a system of laws. To Lincoln and his contemporaries, America was a unique experiment—a republic based on a constitution with a president, congress, and judiciary. Had the southern states been allowed to leave the Union to create a slave-based Confederacy, the Union would have been shattered. Lincoln’s great achievement was preserving the Union—as he lived among the Americans who had been a part of the Revolution, understood what it had achieved, and did not want to see it destroyed.
RE: Why should the 166th Ohio regiment be considered famous? - STS Lincolnite - 07-16-2025 12:59 PM
(07-15-2025 05:45 AM)David Lockmiller Wrote: I have been truly surprised by the number of attempted guesses thus far - a grand total of zero.
President Lincoln made a speech to these soldiers as they departed service to their country as a regiment of soldiers. As far as I know, this is the only detailed documented speech by President Lincoln of this nature. And, this is despite the fact that he began his speech that day to the soldiers with these words: "I almost always feel inclined, when I say anything to soldiers, to impress upon them, in a few brief remarks, the importance of success in this contest."
As some members of the Lincoln Discussion Symposium may remember, the speech was made the day before President Lincoln asked the members of his cabinet to sign the "Blind Memorandum" on August 23, 1864. It must certainly have been a low point in his own morale. But it was an important speech about the importance of democracy.
It should be noted that Lincoln did make at least two other speeches of the same tenor around the same time in August of 1864. He spoke to the 164th Ohio on August 18 and the 148th Ohio on August 31. Both are in the collected works and all of the speeches are similar to each other.
As you say, these speeches were during the same month that Lincoln wrote the “blind memorandum.” His speeches were, I’m sure, at least partially intended as an encouragement to soldiers returning home to advocate for a vote for the Lincoln administration (for themselves and their families and communities) in the 1864 election cycle.
RE: Why should the 166th Ohio regiment be considered famous? - David Lockmiller - 07-16-2025 10:29 PM
(07-16-2025 12:59 PM)STS Lincolnite Wrote: It should be noted that Lincoln did make at least two other speeches of the same tenor around the same time in August of 1864. He spoke to the 164th Ohio on August 18, 1864.
Speech to the One Hundred Sixty-Fourth Ohio Regiment
SOLDIERS---You are about to return to your homes and your friends, after having, as I learn, performed in camp a comparatively short term of duty in this great contest. I am greatly obliged to you, and to all who have come forward at the call of their country. I wish it might be more generally and universally understood what the country is now engaged in. We have, as all will agree, a free Government, where every man has a right to be equal with every other man. In this great struggle, this form of Government and every form of human right is endangered if our enemies succeed. There is more involved in this contest than is realized by every one. There is involved in this struggle the question whether your children and my children shall enjoy the privileges we have enjoyed. I say this in order to impress upon you, if you are not already so impressed, that no small matter should divert us from our great purpose. There may be some irregularities in the practical application of our system. It is fair that each man shall pay taxes in exact proportion to the value of his property; but if we should wait before collecting a tax to adjust the taxes upon each man in exact proportion with every other man, we should never collect any tax at all. There may be mistakes made sometimes; things may be done wrong while the officers of the Government do all they can to prevent mistakes. But I beg of you, as citizens of this great Republic, not to let your minds be carried off from the great work we have before us. This struggle is too large for you to be diverted from it by any small matter. When you return to your homes rise up to the height of a generation of men worthy of a free Government, and we will carry out the great work we have commenced. I return to you my sincere thanks, soldiers, for the honor you have done me this afternoon.
I believe that the speech to the 166th Ohio Regiment was a much better effort on the part of President Lincoln. Perhaps his mind was greatly more focused in anticipation of the task to be accomplished the following day.