Trivia 6-28-16

[Trivia Master]

Reminder - no trivia June 29 - July 12 enjoy the break!

Name the man who, early in his career, challenged Abraham Lincoln to a duel, became the only man to serve in the U.S. Senate from three states (at different times) and rose to the rank of Major General during the Civil War, only to be demoted and cashiered?

Also, what weapon did Lincoln choose to fight the duel and why?

Name the three states this man represented in the U.S. Senate

credit: @JohnCfromMD

Edit - JohnCfromMD, welcome to the trivia game and to CivilWarTalk. I usually issue such welcoming messages after a player has answered a question for the first time, but in your case, you chose to submit a question as your initial foray into the trivia game.

Hope you'll come back and play (and/or submit more questions) again.

Hoosier

 

[Wallyfish]

James Shields
Large cavalry broadswords
Illinois, Missouri, Minnesota

Good question.

Edit - The question also asked for players to state the reason why Lincoln chose swords as the weapons for this duel.

Hoosier

 

[FarawayFriend]

The name of the man was James Shields.

Lincoln chose cavalry broadswords "of the largest size" because he feared that when chosing pistols, Shields would have shot and killed him.
"Since Lincoln was challenged by Shields he had the privilege of choosing the weapon of the duel. He chose cavalry broadswords "of the largest size." "I didn't want the d—-d fellow to kill me, which I think he would have done if we had selected pistols," he later explained. For his own part, he did not want to kill Shields, but "felt sure [he] could disarm him" with a blade. At six feet, four inches tall, Lincoln planned to use his height to his advantage against Shields, who stood at a mere five feet, nine inches tall."
http://www.civilwar.org/education/history/lincoln-hub/abraham-lincolns-duel.html

The three states Shields represented in Senate were: Illinois, Minnesota and Missouri
http://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/minute/Senator_for_three_states.htm

 

[donna]

James Shields

He served:

Illinois 1849-1855

Minnesota 1858-1859

Missouri in 1879

Lincoln chose cavalry broadswords of "the largest size".

Edit - The question also asked for players to state the reason why Lincoln chose swords as the weapons for this duel.

Hoosier

 

[Montana Territory]

Before Major General James Shields, a Democrat, had risen to high rank in 1862, he had challenged Abraham Lincoln to a duel in late 1842. Lincoln selected the cavalry broadsword as the weapon to fight it, because of Shields' reputation as an excellent marksman and his own advantage, because of his long arm reach, demonstrated by easily cutting and tree branch above Shields' head. After the incident, Shields served as Senator from a record of three states, including Illinois, Minnesota, and Missouri.

 

[Reb]

James Shields
Lincoln chose a cavalry saber as Shields was deemed an excellent shot with a pistol, and Lincoln knew he had a distinct advantage with a sword due to his height and reach advantage.
Missouri, Minnesota, Illinois

 

[Stony]

James Shields (May 10, 1810 – June 1, 1879)
Cavalry broadswords of the largest sides. Lincoln didnt want Shields to kill him, which he felt he would have if they had used pistols. Lincoln felt confident he could disarm him with the sword. Abe would use his height advantage over the shorter Shields. Abe hit a limb and they decided on a truce.
U.S. Senator for Illinois, Minnesota and Missouri.

 

[Bruce Vail]

Fremont?

 

[1stMN]

James Shields

Cavalry broadsword, Shields was a great shot with a gun.

Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri.

Source:

 

[JohnDLittlefield]

James Shields- Illinois state auditor
Since Lincoln was challenged by Shields he had the privilege of choosing the weapon of the duel. He chose cavalry broadswords "of the largest size." "I didn't want the damned fellow to kill me, which I think he would have done if we had selected pistols," he later explained. For his own part, he did not want to kill Shields, but "felt sure [he] could disarm him" with a blade. At six feet, four inches tall, Lincoln planned to use his height to his advantage against Shields, who stood at a mere five feet, nine inches tall. As the two men faced each other, with a plank between them that neither was allowed to cross, Lincoln swung his sword high above Shields to cut through a nearby tree branch. This act demonstrated the immensity of Lincoln's reach and strength and was enough to show Shields that he was at a fatal disadvantage. With the encouragement of bystanders, the two men called a truce.

Lincoln did not like to talk about the duel. An officer once asked him, in the Oval Office, if it was "true…that you once went out, to fight a duel and all for the sake of the lady by your side?" Lincoln replied, "I do not deny it, but if you desire my friendship, you will never mention it again."
source: http://www.civilwar.org/education/history/lincoln-hub/abraham-lincolns-duel.html

Shields served as Senator for Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri

 

[Copperhead-mi]

James Shields represented the states of Illinois, Minnesota and Missouri in the Senate during his years in Congress.
Lincoln chose a cavalry broadsword as the weapon of choice in his duel with Shields since his height and longer arms gave him an advantage against the 7 inch shorter Shields.

Source:
"Bledsoe recommended to Lincoln, who had the choice of weapons, that he select cavalry broadswords. 'I know Shields well,' Bledsoe counseled, 'and his courage is not of the truest stamp; there is altogether too much of bluster and bravado about the man . . .; he is trying to make you back out, and you can make him back out very easily. . . . if you will choose broadswords.' Bledsoe assured Lincoln that Shields 'will never fight you in the world. You are at least seven inches taller than Shields, and your arms are three or four inches longer than his; so that you could cut him down before he could get near enough to touch you. I know you will never do this; because he will never fight you with broadswords. He will show the white feather first.' (Shields was approximately five feet eight inches tall; Lincoln was six feet four inches.)"
Burlingame, Michael, Abraham Lincoln: A Life, Volume I. p. 191

 

[MRB1863]

James Shields (May 10, 1810 – June 1, 1879) was an Irish AmericanDemocratic politician and United States Army officer, who is the only person in United States history to serve as a U.S. Senator for three different states. Shields represented Illinois from 1849 to 1855, in the 31st, 32nd, and 33rd Congresses, Minnesota from 1858 to 1859, in the 35th Congress, and Missouri in 1879, in the 45th Congress. He also served as Illinois Auditor of Public Accounts from 1841 to 1843 and as Commissioner of the General Land Office from 1845 to 1847.

Shields almost fought a duel with Abraham Lincoln on September 22, 1842. Lincoln had published an inflammatory letter in a Springfield, Illinois, newspaper, the Sangamon Journalthat poked fun at Shields, the State Auditor. Lincoln's future wife and her close friend continued writing letters about Shields without his knowledge. Taking offense to the articles, Shields demanded "satisfaction" and the incident escalated to the two parties meeting on an island located between Missouri and Illinois called Bloody Island to participate in a duel (as dueling was illegal in Illinois and the island was under Missouri jurisdiction).[2] Lincoln took responsibility for the articles and accepted the duel. Lincoln had the opportunity to choose the weapon for the duel and he selected the cavalry broadsword, as Shields was an excellent marksman. Just prior to engaging in combat, Lincoln made it a point to demonstrate his advantage (because of his long arm reach) by easily cutting a branch just above Shields' head. The two participants' seconds intervened and were able to convince the two men to cease hostilities, on the grounds that Lincoln had not written the letters

Source: Wiki

 

[ErnieMac]

James Shields.

Lincoln hoped Cavalry Broadswords would give him a decided advantage because of his physical strength, height and arm reach. (Lincoln was 6'-4" and Shields was 5'-9").

Illinois, Minnesota and Missouri.

Note: Shields was not actually demoted. He was nominated for a promotion to Major General, but the confirmation was defeated in the US Senate and he later resigned.

http://www.historynet.com/abraham-lincoln-prepares-to-fight-a-saber-duel.htm
http://www.civilwar.org/education/history/lincoln-hub/abraham-lincolns-duel.html

 

[Brenal]

James Shields

Lincoln had the opportunity to choose the weapon for the duel and he selected the cavalry broadsword, as his long arm reach would give him a distinct advantage and Shield's was an excellent marksman with firearms.

Shields represented Illinois from 1849 to 1855, in the 31st, 32nd, and 33rd Congresses, Minnesota from 1858 to 1859, in the 35th Congress, and Missouri in 1879, in the 45th Congress.

 

[kholland]

James Shields

Lincoln chose cavalry broadswords as Shields was an excellent marksman.

Shields represented Illinois, Minnesota and Missouri (in that order)

 

[SD_CivilWarTvlr]

James Shields

Calvary Broadsword

Illinois, Missouri, Minnesota

Edit - The question also asked for players to state the reason why Lincoln chose swords as the weapons for this duel.

Hoosier

 

[truthckr]

James Shields (May 10, 1810 – June 1, 1879)
Lincoln chose the cavalry broadsword as Shields was an excellent marksman and Lincoln's height advantage gave him an advantage with the sword .
Elected senator from Illinois, Minnesota, and Missouri

 

[GELongstreet]

James Shields, Senator from Missouri, Minnesota and Illinois. Lincoln did choose the cavalry broadsword.

Edit - The question also asked for players to state the reason why Lincoln chose swords as the weapons for this duel.

Hoosier

 

[CheathamHill]

-James Shields

-Since Lincoln was challenged by Shields he had the privilege of choosing the weapon of the duel. He chose cavalry broadswords "of the largest size." "I didn't want the d—-d fellow to kill me, which I think he would have done if we had selected pistols," he later explained.

-illinois, minnesota, missouri

 

[Northern Light]

James Shields (May 10, 1810 – June 1, 1879) was an Irish American Democratic politician and United States Army officer, who is the only person in United States history to serve as a U.S. Senator for three different states. Shields represented Illinois from 1849 to 1855, in the 31st, 32nd, and 33rd Congresses, Minnesota from 1858 to 1859, in the 35th Congress, and Missouri in 1879, in the 45th Congress. He also served as Illinois Auditor of Public Accounts from 1841 to 1843 and as Commissioner of the General Land Office from 1845 to 1847. Lincoln had the opportunity to choose the weapon for the duel and he selected the cavalry broadsword, as Shields was an excellent marksman. Just prior to engaging in combat, Lincoln made it a point to demonstrate his advantage (because of his long arm reach) by easily cutting a branch just above Shields' head. The two participants' seconds intervened and were able to convince the two men to cease hostilities, on the grounds that Lincoln had not written the letters.[3][4]
(Wikipedia)