A genius for friendship

Upon his arrival in New Salem, he was challenged to a match by Jack Armstrong, the leader of a gang called Clary’s Grove Boys. The match is famous in the annals of Lincoln lore and was examined in extraordinary detail by Lincoln scholar Douglas Wilson in the first chapter of his book Honor’s Voice. Although several conflicting eyewitness accounts of the match exist, the accounts generally agree that Armstrong narrowly escaped losing to Lincoln by some sort of sharp practice. The match ended in rancor, but Lincoln and Armstrong immediately became fast friends. Their friendship had momentous consequences in Lincoln’s legal career.
Lincoln’s law practice grew apace with the national political crisis of the 1850’s. In 1857, immediately prior to Lincoln’s ascent to the national political stage by virtue of his epic battle with Senator Stephen Douglas in the senate race the following year, Lincoln’s friendship with his former wrestling foe Jack Armstrong led to the most famous trial of Lincoln’s legal career.
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Article tells a great story about that trial. Worth reading

I highly recommend Team of Rivals, a book documenting Lincoln's Cabinet composed largely of his political rivals (and each others' rivals as well). Those who opposed him the most led the mourners following his assassination. Some weeping openly at the loss...

MAJ Dale E. Wilson, Ph.D. I have been reading everything I can find on Lincoln since I was first able to read. I plan on going to Springfield IL to his Presidential Library within the next couple of years. It didn't exist the last time I was there. Thanks for the share.