Abe Saves His Favorite Dog
Posted on February 20, 2015
Guest post by Paula Alexander of Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial.
The following is an account of the Lincoln family crossing the Wabash River entering into Illinois. This story is one of the most famous of the human interest events in Lincoln's life.
Excerpt from a letter written by Peter Smith of Lawrence County, IL, July 17, 1860, about a conversation he had with Abraham Lincoln:
“About 30 years ago I did drive my father's ox waggon and team moving my father's family through your town of Lawrenceville and I was afoot but not barefoot. In my young days I frequently went barefooted but on that occasion I had on a substantial pair of shoes - it was a cold day in March and I never went barefooted in cold weather.
I will remember that trip thro' your County as long as I live. I crossed the Wabash at Vincennes and the river being high the road on the low prairie was covered with water a half mile at a stretch and the water covered with ice - the only means by which I could keep the road was by observing the stakes on each side placed as guides when the water is over the road.
When I came to the water I put a favorite fist (fice) dog I had along into the wagon and got in myself and whipped up my oxen and started into the water to pick my way across as well as I could - after breaking the ice and wading about 1/4 of a mile my little dog jumped out of the waggon and the ice being thin he broke through and was strugging for life.
I could not bear to lose my dog and I jumped out of the waggon and waded waist deep in the ice and water, got hold of min and helped him out and saved him."
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