Tough Tarbell Trivia

[Gene C]

Would this have anything to do with Lincoln's health problems in 1864 & 1865?
My guess -
That Abraham Lincoln enjoyed Chinese food and Mary Surratt made killer egg roles that John would deliver after adding poison he obtained from the pharmacy were David Herold worked.

Which reminds me of this song, that unknown to most historians,
when John's plan didn't succeed and according to a hidden message that was mysteriously uncovered in 1959 and turned into the lyrics for this hit song, Mary Surratt may have had a house guest (Confederate Spy) named Ivy Ladala (last line of the song) who would sneak around the White House at night trying to poison Lincoln or spread smallpox.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gG11rVMQxDU

or maybe not -

[Rob Wick]

Sorry gentlemen, but no.

Next clue. Lincoln was called a "d a m n fool" because of it and the person who called him that would make his own mark on the world.

Best
Rob

[AussieMick]

His decision to choose Simon Cameron as a member of his Cabinet?

[Rob Wick]

That certainly was a foolish thing to do, but it isn't what I'm looking for.

Best
Rob

[Gene C]

Oliver Wendell Holmes called Lincoln a d'd fool when the confederate army was making an attack on Washington in 1864 at Ft Stevens and Lincoln made himself a target for rebel sharpshooters when he stood up to observe the battle.

[AussieMick]

I think Gene may have it except. .. was it Holmes?

[Rob Wick]

Gene has a part of it correct. It did happen during the Fort Stevens incident, but there's more to the story that I'm looking for.

Best
Rob

[Rob Wick]

Guess I will go ahead and call this one.

The correct answer is that Tarbell was commenting on a story in the New York Times where a man named William P. Broome claimed that when Lincoln was visiting Fort Stevens, he was actually hit by a Confederate bullet. The bullet was fired at long range and didn't have enough force to penetrate the skin, but it ricocheted off of Lincoln's pants leg, according to Broome. Lincoln supposedly brushed it aside and never said anything about it. The story, with Tarbell's comments, appeared in the January 13, 1907 edition of the paper.

Tarbell said she had never heard of that before, but didn't immediately reject it. However, the paper printed another story on February 10 in which it quoted numerous people who were at the fort when Lincoln was who said they never heard of it.

I did find a letter in Tarbell's papers that came from someone who, in the 1930s, said they knew Broome, and that they thought the story should be investigated by Tarbell. There was no response in her papers to the letter.

Best
Rob

[Gene C]

I have delayed posting this because I couldn't remember where I read it, but I finally found it.

In regards to Ft. Stevens, Ruth Painter Randall in 'I Mary" mentions that Mary went along with President Lincoln, "probably because she refused to stay behind when he was running a risk....."If he was in danger she was going to share it."..."Mary was terribly frightened and begged her husband to leave the fort, but he refused to do so until he was ready"

But what I remembered most is this
"The incident was a great ordeal to Mary, but what really hurt her most was that the enemy got away. She later made a spirited remark about it to Mr. Stanton, the Secretary of War. After the crisis was over, he said to her one day, "Mrs. Lincoln, I intend to have a full-length portrait of you painted, standing on the ramparts at Fort Stevens overlooking the fight."

"That is very well", Mary retorted. "and I can assure you of one thing Mr. Secretary, If I had a few ladies with me the Rebels would would not have been permitted to get away as they did!" (p. 198-199)

Unfortunately, the source is not referenced, and I do not recall reading it anywhere else.
That would have been an interesting scene to witness.

[RJNorton]

After the crisis was over, he said to her one day, "Mrs. Lincoln, I intend to have a full-length portrait of you painted, standing on the ramparts at Fort Stevens overlooking the fight."

"That is very well", Mary retorted. "and I can assure you of one thing Mr. Secretary, If I had a few ladies with me the Rebels would would not have been permitted to get away as they did!" (p. 198-199)

Unfortunately, the source is not referenced, and I do not recall reading it anywhere else.
That would have been an interesting scene to witness.

Gene, Ruth Painter Randall's source is Francis Carpenter's Six Months at the White House. I have a paperback copy of Carpenter's book, and the story is on pp. 301-302. Carpenter reports that two or three weeks after the Ft. Stevens' battle Edwin Stanton visited the Lincolns at the Soldiers' Home, and the above conversation took place between Mary and Stanton.

Carpenter was not present for the conversation. He prefaces his report of the conversation with the words "it was said that." Thus, Carpenter's source is not in his book.

[David Lockmiller]

I thought that I would add more to Carpenter's description of the situation and the aftermath occuring between Mary Lincoln and the Secretary of War:

The second week in July(1864) the whole country, and Washington in particular, was thrown into a fever of anxiety by the rebel raid upon that city under Early and Breckinridge. The night of Sunday, the 10th, I have always believed the city might have been captured had the enemy followed up his advantage. The defenses were weak, and there were comparatively few troops in the city or vicinity. All day Monday the excitement was at the highest pitch. . . . During Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday, the President visited the forts and outworks, part of the time accompanied by Mrs. Lincoln. While at Fort Stevens on Monday, both were imprudently exposed -- rifle balls coming, in several instances, alarmingly near!

The almost defenseless condition of the city was the occasion of much censure. Some blamed General Halleck; others General Augur; others the Secretary of War; and still others the President.

Subsequently the rebel force returned to Richmond almost unharmed. I saw no one who appeared to take this more to heart than Mrs. Lincoln, who was inclined to lay the responsibility at the door of the Secretary of War.

Two or three weeks later, when tranquility was perfectly restored, it was said that Stanton called upon the President and Mrs. Lincoln one evening at the "Soldiers' Home." In the course of conversation the Secretary said, playfully (emphasis added), "Mrs. Lincoln, I intend to have a full-length portrait of you painted, standing on the ramparts at Fort Stevens overlooking the fight!"

"That is very well", Mary retorted. "and I can assure you of one thing, Mr. Secretary, if I had a few ladies with me the Rebels would would not have been permitted to get away as they did!"

[Rob Wick]

Here's a question I am still having a hard time wrapping my head around.

What did Ida Tarbell suggest be used in 1921 in place of military armaments?

Best
Rob

[Steve]

Is it chemical weapons? She opposed banning them, but I would think they could be considered armaments

[Rob Wick]

That is correct. Tarbell attended the disarmament conference in Washington. She gave reports on what happened and one of the reports gave her opinion that chemical weapons were more humane than bullets. Given Tarbell's desire for world peace, I find it ironic that she believed that.

Best
Ron

[Rob Wick]

Although I doubt Google will help in this instance, no Googling please.

To whom was the author here talking about when he wrote of a Tarbell acquaintance, "To our readers who have heard the doctor speak, [recounting his speech] would remind them of tincture of vanilla made from vanilline instead of from the fresh bean.”?

Best
Rob