Lieutenant Jefferson Davis promptly administered to Abraham Lincoln his
first oath to support the Constitution and laws of the United States.
Two men destined to immortal fame had met and passed with scarcely a
glance at each other. The young army officer was too much of a gentleman
to mark the ill-fitting blue jeans of the awkward captain of militia.
Great events, after all, make men great. Only the eye of God could
foresee the coming tragedy in which these two would play their mighty
roles.
At the end of the brief struggle on the frontier, Black Hawk's people
were scattered to the four winds and the brave old warrior, with a
handful of his men, sought Colonel Taylor's command to surrender.
Again, the Colonel sent his most accomplished officer, the Lieutenant
whom he had forbidden to enter his house,--to treat with the fallen
Chief.
The Lieutenant received with kindly words the broken-hearted warrior,
his two sons and sixty braves, and conducted them at once as prisoners
of war to the barracks at St. Louis.
The cholera was raging at Rock Island, and on the boat two of the Indian
prisoners were seized with the fatal disease. The Lieutenant, at the
risk of his life, personally ministered to their needs. The two stricken
men made known to the commander in broken words and signs that they had
sworn an oath of eternal friendship.
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