Writing is not easy. The work of researching is only part of it--then I have to tell the story. I am writing about Lincoln's Inaugural Trip from Springfield to Washington, D.C. Elmer Ellsworth was in charge of crowd control, and everything was fine until Philadelphia. That is where detective Allan Pinkerton told Lincoln about an assassination attempt planned for Baltimore. I will write that part tomorrow. It is complicated, and there is a ton of information. How much should I include? Is it too much about Lincoln and not enough about Ellsworth? Do I have enough sources? If the newspapers I am using come from an online site, does this still count as a primary source? Sometimes I wish I were back at college--there would be answers to my questions and guidance from a dissertation committee.
The most exciting part so far has been Election Night in Springfield. It was exciting to write, especially with Ellsworth as a main character in the proceedings. I knew who won, but I could feel the excitement building as the night wore on--waiting for that final telegram from New York with the delegate count that would put Lincoln over the top.
More tomorrow--will Lincoln survive the assassination attempt? Will he get to DC? Did he really dress up like an old lady?-oh no--that was Jeff Davis at the end of the war . . . LOL!
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