Old Abe Lincoln Make a Tall, Tall Tale

Jesse Walker | March 11, 2009

What's really interesting to me about this story is the way the watchmaker revised his memory of the message after the event. Slavery ended, Lincoln became a folk hero, and a story accordingly evolved.

Comments

TofuSushi|3.11.09 @ 2:33PM|#

I'll bet president Obama has a watch just like that with a better inscription.

|3.11.09 @ 2:38PM|#

What's really interesting to me about this story is the way the watchmaker revised his memory of the message after the event.

As I was reading the true message, my brain jumped ahead of my eyes and I was sure it was going to be a pro-Confederacy or pro-slavery message. Alas, it wasn't. That would have been serious revision. And hilarious to boot.

Kolohe|3.11.09 @ 2:43PM|#

I was sure it was going to be a pro-Confederacy

The article does say:

"The name "Jeff. Davis," the president of the Confederacy, is also etched on a different part of the brass plate, in different handwriting. It remains unexplained

I was sure the story would include something about how a soldier had to hide the watch when he was captured and sent to Andersonville.

Jesse Walker|3.11.09 @ 2:44PM|#

As I was reading the true message, my brain jumped ahead of my eyes and I was sure it was going to be a pro-Confederacy or pro-slavery message. Alas, it wasn't.

That would have been hilarious, wouldn't it? They open the watch and discover the inscription, "Fire away, boys! Fort Sumter belongs to the South!"

Actual Watch Inscription|3.11.09 @ 2:47PM|#

The gold is buried in Sad Hill Cemetery in a grave marked "Unknown" next to Arch Stanton.

Warty|3.11.09 @ 2:50PM|#

Good...bad...I'm the one with the gun.

|3.11.09 @ 2:52PM|#

"Fort Sumpter [sic] was attacked by the rebels on the above date thank God we have a government willing to keep the darkies down."

James J.B. |3.11.09 @ 2:55PM|#

It's funny b/c this story reminded me of all of the "spooky" comparisons between Lincoln and Kennedy. You know - for example - Lincoln had a secretary named Kennedy and JFK had one named lincoln. The funny thing is that People forget the one rarely known comparison - that Johnson (Kennedy's VP) had a big lincoln, and Lincoln had a Big Johnson!!!!!
LOL ;)

|3.11.09 @ 2:56PM|#

Blockquote>The gold is buried in Sad Hill Cemetery in a grave marked "Unknown" next to Arch Stanton.

shew-whewoo-woo-woo Wah-wah-waaah

What would have been really prescient, would be if it read; Suck it Geraldo

Andersonville Soldier\'s best |3.11.09 @ 2:56PM|#

"I was sure the story would include something about how a soldier had to hide the watch when he was captured and sent to Andersonville."

So your father gave me the watch and made me promis that it would get to you. So for three years I kept that watch in my ass, just as he had done. And now I'm giving it to you.

|3.11.09 @ 2:57PM|#

"BE SURE TO DRINK YOUR OVALTINE"

Bronwyn|3.11.09 @ 3:32PM|#

Thank you, Mr. Walken at 2:56. I was waiting for it, and you did not disappoint!

Andersonville Soldier\'s best |3.11.09 @ 3:36PM|#

Had to. Huge Walkin fan. Love that scene.

miche|3.11.09 @ 3:36PM|#

Love Mr. Walken too.

Andersonville Soldier\'s best |3.11.09 @ 3:57PM|#

I'm just two degrees separated from Walkin via Michael Jordan and Kevin Bacon.

Andersonville Soldier\'s best |3.11.09 @ 3:58PM|#

And yet for some reason I keep misspelling his name.

|3.11.09 @ 4:06PM|#

I don't know, I kinda read it that the watchmaker was pro Confederacy, the thank god we have a govt was sarcastic, as in look what the government has gotten us into.

|3.11.09 @ 4:29PM|#

thank god we have a govt was sarcastic

Antebellum snark!

Kunal|3.11.09 @ 5:25PM|#

Antebellum snark!

If it happened on 4-13-1861, its not antebellum any more.

|3.11.09 @ 7:51PM|#

its not antebellum any more

Damn H&R and its book-learned posters.

I knew somebody would bust me on that. I'm going back to posting on the CW message boards; I'm like totally the smartest one there.

|3.11.09 @ 8:16PM|#

I just heard this story on NPR yesterday. Either I missed it, or they didn't mention the other inscriptions.

(I only tuned in to NPR by accident. Honest. Cross my heart, hope to die, stick a needle in my eye)

|3.11.09 @ 10:11PM|#

""""I kinda read it that the watchmaker was pro Confederacy, the thank god we have a govt was sarcastic, as in look what the government has gotten us into."""

He referred to the confederacy as rebels. I think it stands at face value. Someone who is thankful that government will protect him from an armed rebellion. The citizenry runs to government for protection in times of crisis.