or not, I can say for one, that I have no other so great as that of
being truly esteemed of my fellow-men by rendering myself worthy of
their esteem. How far I shall succeed in gratifying this ambition is yet
to be developed. I am young and unknown to many of you. I was born, and
have ever remained in the most humble walks of life. I have no wealthy
or popular relations or friends to recommend me. My case is thrown
exclusively upon the independent voters of the country; and, if elected,
they will have conferred a favor on me for which I shall be unremitting
in my labors to compensate. But if the good people in their wisdom shall
see fit to keep me in the background, I have been too familiar with
disappointments to be very much chagrined."

"CAPTAIN LINCOLN"

Lincoln had hardly launched in his first political venture when, in
April, 1832, a messenger arrived in New Salem with the announcement from
Governor Reynolds, of Illinois, that the Sacs and other hostile tribes,
led by Black Hawk, had invaded the northern part of the State, spreading
terror among the white settlers in that region. The governor called upon
those who were willing to help in driving back the Indians to report at
Beardstown, on the Illinois River, within a week.

Lincoln and other Sangamon County men went at once to Richmond where a
company was formed. The principal candidate for captain was a man named
Kirkpatrick, who had treated Lincoln shabbily when Abe, in one of the
odd jobs he had done in that region, worked in Kirkpatrick's sawmill.
The employer had agreed to buy his hired man a cant-hook for handling
the heavy logs. As there was a delay in doing this, Lincoln told him he
would handle the logs without the cant-hook if Kirkpatrick would pay him
the two dollars that implement would cost. The employer promised to do
this, but never gave him the money.

So when Lincoln saw that Kirkpatrick was a candidate for the captaincy,
he said to Greene, who had worked with him in Offutt's store:

"Bill, I believe I can make Kirkpatrick pay me that two dollars he owes
me on the cant-hook now. I guess I'll run against him for captain."

Therefore Abe Lincoln announced himself as a candidate. The vote was
taken in an odd way. It was announced that when the men heard the
command to march, each should go and stand by the man he wished to have
for captain. The command was given. At the word, "March," three-fourths
of the company rallied round Abe Lincoln. M