Story of Lincoln's Rescue Of Three Men Told In Words of Witness by J. Lin Roll
From "Old Sangamo Town"

"The story is best told in the language of my father, John Eddy Roll, who at the time was living with his parents, William and Mary Roll, they having settled in Sangamo Town in the year 1828."

 

"'We took the canoe to the water's edge and pushed it in. John Seaman and Waters Carman, (each anxious to get the first ride) jumped into the little craft as soon as it touched the water. The canoe shot out into the river with Seaman in the stern and Carman working the paddle. The preceding winter was the one of the historic Deep Snow, and spring rains and melting snow had swollen the Sangamon until it was far out of its banks.'"

"'In a few moments the two men in the dugout found themselves at the mercy of the turbulent waters, powerless to control the boat, or get back to shore. After making a frantic effort to paddle ashore they headed for the wreck of an old flatboat which had sunk, leaving a stanchion sticking above the water. As they approached the wreck of the old boat, Seaman managed to keep hold of the stanchion, but Carman, being thrown into the water, was unable to reach either the wrecked flatboat or the canoe, which was rapidly floating down the river.'"

"'The whole procedure had been watched with considerable consternation by Lincoln and those on Shore. Just below the flatboat was an old elm tree which stood on the banks of the river when the stream was within its banks, but which now was far out from the shore, its branches touching the water.'"

"'Lincoln called to Carman to swim to the tree. He, after some difficulty, reached the tree and pulled himself into the branches. The water was extremely cold and Carman was almost frozen. Lincoln called to Seaman to let go the flatboat stanchion and swim to the tree. He plunged into the water and by desperate efforts reached the tree in safety. The situation now was more critical than ever. The men were half frozen and exhausted, and it was only a question of time when they could hang on no longer.'"

"'The canoe had swept down the river and there was no other boat at hand. By this time quite a crowd had gathered. Lincoln was instinctively conceded the leadership in the efforts to save the men. A log nearby was selected and around the end Lincoln tied a rope. It was rolled into the water and towed some distance up the stream with the expectation that it would be carried by the current to the tree.'"

"'A daring young fellow named Jim Dorrell got astride the log and it was pushed out into the stream. In the excitement he seized a branch of the tree and the log was swept from under him. He climbed into the tree with the other two. The log was pulled back to shore.'"

"'Lincoln now resolved to go to the tree. He straddled the log and was pushed out into the stream. The log again went to the tree and he threw the rope over the stub of a limb, then gradually broke the speed of the log, slowly drawing it up to the tree and held it there until the three men had climbed astride the log. He then directed the men on the shore to hold tightly to the rope and the current swept the log ashore.'"

"'I shall never forget the cheer that went up for Able Lincoln as he reached dry land with the three men. The incident made a hero of Abe all along the Sangamon.'"