Best remembered as one of the president's few true intimates, Brooks was also a nationally recognized man of letters, who mingled with the likes of Mark Twain and Bret Harte. Temple draws on archives and papers long thought lost to re-create Brooks's colorful life and relationship with Lincoln. Brooks's closeness to the president made him privy to Lincoln's thoughts on everything from literature to spirituality. Their frank conversations contributed to the wealth of journalism and personal observations that would make Brooks's writings a much-quoted source for historians and biographers of Lincoln.
A carefully researched and well-documented scholarly resource, Lincoln's Confidant is the story of an extraordinary friendship by one of the luminaries of Lincoln scholarship.
Best remembered as one of the president's few true intimates, Brooks was also a nationally recognized man of letters, who mingled with the likes of Mark Twain and Bret Harte. Temple draws on archives and papers long thought lost to re-create Brooks's colorful life and relationship with Lincoln. Brooks's closeness to the president made him privy to Lincoln's thoughts on everything from literature to spirituality. Their frank conversations contributed to the wealth of journalism and personal observations that would make Brooks's writings a much-quoted source for historians and biographers of Lincoln.
A carefully researched and well-documented scholarly resource, Lincoln's Confidant is the story of an extraordinary friendship by one of the luminaries of Lincoln scholarship.
Lincoln's Confidant: The Life of Noah Brooks
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Lincoln's Confidant: The Life of Noah Brooks
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Overview
Best remembered as one of the president's few true intimates, Brooks was also a nationally recognized man of letters, who mingled with the likes of Mark Twain and Bret Harte. Temple draws on archives and papers long thought lost to re-create Brooks's colorful life and relationship with Lincoln. Brooks's closeness to the president made him privy to Lincoln's thoughts on everything from literature to spirituality. Their frank conversations contributed to the wealth of journalism and personal observations that would make Brooks's writings a much-quoted source for historians and biographers of Lincoln.
A carefully researched and well-documented scholarly resource, Lincoln's Confidant is the story of an extraordinary friendship by one of the luminaries of Lincoln scholarship.
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9780252042171 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | University of Illinois Press |
| Publication date: | 02/01/2019 |
| Series: | The Knox College Lincoln Studies Center |
| Pages: | 304 |
| Product dimensions: | 6.00(w) x 9.10(h) x 1.30(d) |
About the Author
Read an Excerpt
CHAPTER 1
From Maine's "Aristocracy of the Sea"
IN THE VERY MIDST of a fierce and unreasonable snow storm one evening early in April of 1863, the little United States Steamer Carrie Martin took a quiet and unannounced departure from the Navy Yard at Washington, D.C. With much churning of water, she nosed out into the Potomac River and headed downstream carrying a small group of V.I.P's who were on their way to visit General Joseph Hooker's Army of the Potomac at Falmouth, Virginia. On board in her rather plain cabins were President and Mrs. Abraham Lincoln, their lively and unsuppressable son, "Tad" (whose birthday the First Family was celebrating that day with this special water excursion), and four close friends of the President's.
Father Abraham, the Commander-in-Chief, some time later on this trip spied a vessel on the Potomac waters and promptly identified it to one of his traveling companions as a "ship." With a merry twinkle in his eyes, this boon comrade explained soberly to the President that the particular vessel in question was actually a three-masted schooner! Thereupon the Chief Executive laughed heartily at his error and promised that in the future he would be able to explain the difference between the two.
This gentleman who corrected Lincoln's naval nomenclature was the son of a master shipbuilder and had been born on the rugged and rocky coast of Maine. There as a lad he had grown up in his father's Castine shipyard and had rapidly absorbed all the fundamentals of ships and sailing. Who was this knowledgeable confidant of the Civil War President? His name was Noah Brooks.
In his own day Noah Brooks, indefatigable journalist and litterateur, had "more acquaintances than any man of his years not in what is called public life," though in after years few Americans remembered him, except for specialists in American literature and students of Abraham Lincoln. "No man living had better opportunity to know Lincoln's mind than Noah Brooks," reported John Conness, friend of Lincoln and senator from California, 1863-1869. Another "mutual friend" stated that Brooks "was so intimate with the President that he visited him socially at times when others were refused admission, took tea with the family, spending evenings with him, reading to him, and conversing with him freely on social and religious topics, and in my opinion knows more of the secret inner life and religious views of Mr. Lincoln, at least during the term of his presidency, than any man living."
Lincoln's Springfield law partner, "Billy" Herndon, scoffed at this statement and called Brooks a "would-be keeper of Lincoln's conscience while in Washington." Herndon's choice for presidential confidant was J. G. Nicolay, Lincoln's private secretary, but Herndon did not know the Lincoln of Washington D.C. who struggled with the problems of a civil war, nor did he take into account the fact that Lincoln had actually chosen Brooks to replace Nicolay as his private secretary. Only an assassin's bullet kept him from that position of honor and trust. To clear the way for Brooks, Lincoln finally "induced" Nicolay "to go abroad." On March 11, 1865, he was nominated for the position of consul to Paris, and the Senate confirmed the appointment, which would allow Nicolay to depart without losing face. One major fault of Nicolay and his assistant, John Hay, was their tactless relations with Mrs. Lincoln. Neither Nicolay nor Hay got along with her. And she, with the help of others, apparently succeeded in removing them both since Hay was also conveniently appointed secretary of the legation at Paris. But Brooks never assumed his post because Nicolay stayed on to finish up the affairs of his office, and Lincoln was shot before the secretaries sailed on June 24.
Brooks would have made a good private secretary for Lincoln. He was quiet, could keep confidential matters to himself, and understood the peculiar quirks of Mrs. Lincoln. He was kind to her and she reciprocated his benignity. In fact, he was one of the three people she remembered and talked about even in her period of mental instability in 1875. A correspondent obtained an interview with her at Dr. R. J. Patterson's Bellevue Insane Retreat at Batavia, Illinois, and she talked of only three persons: her husband, Noah Brooks, and Judge James B. Bradwell. She knew that Brooks was devoted to Lincoln, and others also shared her feeling of confidence in Brooks. Truman H. Bartlett (1835-1923), a sculptor, wrote on the back of his copy of Brooks's photograph: "Nearer to Lincoln when President than any others, save Nicolay & Hay — from 1862 to the death of L[incoln] & really knew more about L[incoln]."
Lincoln and Brooks had met several times during the Fremont campaign in Illinois, and their friendship was renewed when Brooks went to Washington in 1862 as the correspondent of the Sacramento Daily Union. There, Brooks "saw him almost daily until his tragical death." However, there was something special about Brooks. Lincoln had many good friends, but only a very few intimate comrades. "Noah Brooks," a contemporary said, "was one of the few men about the President who never asked anything for himself and Lincoln rewarded him by giving the best gift he had to offer — his friendship." He did ask for things upon occasion, but not for himself. "Often when I would ask a favor for some poor soldier or friendless deserving youth," Brooks confided, "he would give his whole attention to the matter, as though that were his most important business on hand, and would laughingly say: 'It seems to me you have a knack for picking up just such cases that nobody else thinks of.'"
But Brook's claim to fame does not rest only upon the fact that he was an intimate friend of Lincoln. Brooks won "world-wide fame" as a journalist and a man of letters. He was known and respected by the leading writers of his era, and his facility for rapid composition allowed him to hold an editor's post and still write numerous articles and books in his spare moments. "Noah Brooks," declared one of his club friends, "was an example of a peculiarly American and interesting type of man of letters, mingling with the journalism which was his chief occupation, the writing of fiction, narratives of travel and observation, personal sketches in the nature of memoires pour servir and serious biography and history." Nearly everything connected with literature or history interested Brooks. For example, when the fate of Poe's Fordham cottage hung in the balance he pleaded for its preservation because of Poe's "great literary importance."
Personal Description
Brooks was somewhat below average height, being about five feet five inches. He walked with a short, quick step, wore size eight shoes, and in his later years weighed in the vicinity of 180 pounds. His complexion was fair, like his father's, and his nose was aquiline. He had a marked New England accent, which he never lost despite his many travels. As to his personality, he was of a "genial and social nature" with rare conversational abilities. Writers who knew Brooks testify to his "personal charm" and sterling qualities. He was always ready to make new friends and relate his large accumulation of interesting incidents or reminiscences. And he possessed many fascinating memories of his association with the leading literary figures of the day, not to mention Lincoln. Among these were Mark Twain and Bret Harte. Needless to say, he was an extrovert, a fluent conversationalist, and a facile writer. Brooks was generally to be found wherever the company was the most interesting, the food supreme, and the camaraderie light and gay.
With such a personality he was the perfect club man. "During his years of unattached literary and journalistic life in New York he knew everybody." He was one of the organizers and founders of the Authors Club as well as a member of the Lotos Club and the famous Century Association. His tastes were most expensive. In his eating habits he was a gourmet "and enjoyed visits hither and yon in search of top eateries in the city" One of his choice delicacies was raw oysters which he always sought whenever available. He was a Bohemian in many ways, and although a practicing orthodox Congregationalist, he enjoyed his glass of port wine with the evening meal. It would seem that this journalist could see little connection between a man's stomach and his soul. Is there? In the Authors Club of New York he was in his element when telling stories or listening to others. Here, he toyed with a fancy pair of pince-nez glasses on a cord while he smoked his favorite cigars and exchanged jolly conversation with his friends until the early hours of the morning.
If there was a noticeable flaw in Brooks's nature, it was his total disregard for money. He never had a care for the morrow. Saving money was not one of his attributes; he spent his wages freely and never worried when he did not have money. His friends always came to his rescue with loans or gifts. From his moderate earnings he gave freely to young people who he thought would make good if given an opportunity. He also gave freely of his time and influence "to further the interests of those who were struggling to make a start in life, helping to open them to avenues to success," explained the minister who preached his funeral. Nevertheless, he was always able to dress and live like a gentleman. Many of Brooks's writing friends were noted for their careless dress and their lack of interest in appearance. But in the Eastern circle of authors there were three notable exceptions to this rule: Edmund Clarence Stedman, Bret Harte and Noah Brooks. By studying the many photographs of Brooks which the author assembled, it is easy to see that he followed the yearly fashions more closely than most women. He was a fastidious dresser. The worst insult that he could give to a man was to say that he was "a liar and his clothes don't fit."
One of the best keys to his personality is the set of answers which he penned into Edmund Clarence Stedman's album. These self-appraisals were written about 1878; although obviously some of the answers were written in jest, many of them ring true.
Colour? Greenback.
Flower? Heliotrope.
Tree? The brave old oak.
Object in Nature? The Sea.
Hour in the Day? Dinner-hour.
Season in the Year? A California Spring.
Perfume? Heliotrope.
Gem? Opal.
Style of Beauty? I like 'em all.
Names? Charlie — Mabel.
Painters? Helios, Rubens, Hans, Makart, Diaz.
Musicians? All but Wagner.
Piece of Sculpture? The California Butter Woman.
Poets? The Divine Williams, Tennyson, Whittier.
Poetesses? Mrs. Browning, Jean Ingelow.
Prose Authors? Addison, Goldsmith, Dickens, Irving.
Character in Romance? J.S.C. Abbott's Napoleon.
In History? Abraham Lincoln.
Book to take up for an hour? Never have so much time.
What book (not religious) would you part with last? Richardson's Dictionary.
What epoch would you choose to have lived in? The present.
Where would you like to live? Where SHE is.
Favorite amusement? Building castles in Spain.
Occupation? Loafing.
What trait of character do you most admire in man? Cheeriness.
In woman? Sweetness.
What do you most detest in each? Insincerity.
If not yourself, who would you rather be? Tupper.
Idea of happiness? Lots of money and nothing to do.
Of misery? Work and poverty.
Bete noire? Work.
Dream? To find HER.
Dread? That I shall not find HER.
Your distinguishing characteristics? Laziness and good nature.
Of your better half? Patience under tribulations.
The sublimest passion? Give it up.
The Sweetest words? "I love you"
Saddest words? "She's not at home."
Aim in life? To have a good time and help others.
Motto? Dum vivimus, vivimus."
When he represented himself as lazy he told something of a truth. Indolence was part of his temperament, and yet he was industrious in that he wrote many articles and books in addition to his newspaper work. But since he had to earn a living, writing was the easiest way because it cost him little effort. Just as he talked fluently, he also wrote easily. Like Lincoln, he tried his hand at many jobs and failed for lack of interest. Journalism was the niche into which he best fitted.
Ancestry
Brooks was descended from pure New England stock which time became members of Maine's "aristocracy of the sea." The pride of the family was Brooks's great-nephew, Frank Brooks Upham (1872–1939), an Annapolis graduate who in 1933 rose to the rank of full admiral in the United States Navy and was the commander of the whole Asiatic Fleet. Today the Uphams still follow the sea or serve in the army.
The earliest American ancestor of Noah Brooks arrived in Plymouth Colony in 1635 on board the Blessing. She was a thirty-ton ship, built of locust and launched by John Winthrop on July 4, 1631 (O.S.), and had the honor of being one of the first ships built in the Colonies. This forefather of the Brooks family was William Brooke (the spelling gradually evolved into Brooks), and his former home was Edgerton, County of Kent, England. He cleared the port of London on June 17, 1635, and under this date there appear in the English port record these words: "Theis vnder-written names are to be transported to New-England imbarqued in the Blessing JO: LECESTER M[aster] the p[ar]ties having brought Certification] from the Minister [and] Justices of their conformitie being no Subsedy Men, tooke ye oaths of Alleg[iance and] Supremacie."
The word "transported" in this instance merely means that they were passengers — not felons. Emigrants from England were required to prove their conformity to the accepted church discipline, to swear allegiance to the crown, and to recognize the king as the head of the Anglican Church. Since subsidy men were liable for the subsidy tax — therefore, men of means — they generally were not allowed to emigrate. This would deprive the king of income.
Among the thirty-four names which follow this caption is that of William Brooke, twenty years of age. Immediately following the entry is that of his brother, Gilbert, who was fourteen. Quite naturally these brothers stayed close during their initial years in Plymouth Colony. William Brooke and his brother left England, no doubt, in order to better their lot. The year 1635 fell in that memorable decade of heavy English migration to the American Colonies. In this period, roughly 1630–1640, many thousands of Englishmen left their homeland to live in America or the West Indies. These emigrants felt that economic conditions could be no worse in the colonies than in depression-riddled England.
Just where the Blessing put the Brooke brothers ashore is not certain, but they probably landed at Plymouth. Their next destination was Marshfield, a settlement just north of Plymouth. Here, they commenced their young lives anew — probably both as indentured servants. At least it is certain that Gilbert sold his services, for a period of years, to William Vassell. Gilbert's master was a man of position who had been a patentee of the Massachusetts Bay Colony and was at Boston in 1630. He returned to America on the same ship as the Brooke brothers.
Eight years after settling in Marshfield, William and Gilbert achieved their first major goal; they were made "freemen," a position which entitled them to participate in the affairs of the town and to hold public office. William soon became a leader among his fellow townsmen, and in the following year, 1644, he was named to the grand jury. Two years later, he obtained an official position: surveyor of the highways for Marshfield. And, in 1649, he was again elected to this office.
Sometime after 1649 these brothers left Marshfield and moved farther north to Scituate, a town located approximately twenty miles above Plymouth and founded about 1628. Here, the focus must fall upon William since he was the ancestor of Noah Brooks. William took the "Oath of Fidelity" in 1657 and became a "freeman" of Scituate the following year. Evidently, a freeman from one settlement could not transfer his rank to another without first taking new oaths and affiliating with the local church.
William Brooke was now well started on the road to financial independence and personal satisfaction, and even more honors followed. On the 5th of June 1667, he was named one of the two constables of Scituate. This new constable was a "householder," and he earned his living by farming a piece of land which lay south of Till's Creek, known later as Dwelly's Creek. At an unrecorded date, he married Susanna Dunham, a widow from Plymouth, but since William could not write, his name did not long survive the phonetic spelling of the parish clerks. Soon the "e" was dropped from his surname, and in the church records it appears as Brook. It was not long after this change that the pens of clerks, probably for easier pronunciation, added an "s" to his family name. His only surviving son, Nathaniel, was born in 1646 and was the second of eight children.
(Continues…)
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Table of Contents
Series Editors' Preface xi
Introduction Michael Burlingame xiii
"Noah Brooks, 1830-1903" Wayne Calhoun Temple 1
Notes 221
Editors' Acknowledgments 271
Index 273