>> WITH HIS LIFE'S HONOR IN
QUESTION, A FUTURE PRESIDENT
FOUGHT A DUEL IN LOGAN COUNTY.
OLD OFF AND READY WAS A WAR HE
ROW WHO BECAME THE 12th U.S.
PRESIDENT.
LINCOLN IS EVERYWHERE YOU LOOK
IN TONIGHT'S OUR TOWN, AND BOTH
CIVIL WAR PRESIDENTS WERE
KENTUCKIANS BY BIRTH.
IT'S HAIL TO THE CHIEF ON
"KENTUCKY LIFE"'S PRESIDENT'S
SHOW COMING RIGHT UP!
[ MUSIC ]
>> HELLO, I'M DAVIE SHUFFETT.
WELCOME TO "KENTUCKY LIFE"!
WE'RE HERE AT LEXINGTON'S
HISTORIC BODILY BODELY BULLOCK'
IT'S PERFECT PLACE FOR OUR
PRESIDENT'S SHOW.
MARY TODD ATTENDED SCHOOL NEXT
DOOR AND DOWN THE STREET IS
TRANSYLVANIA UNIVERSITY WHOSE
ALUMNI INCLUDE VICE PRESIDENTS,
LEGISLATORS AND MORE THAN 30
GOVERNORS.
IN THEIR INAUGURATIONS, EACH OF
THE KENTUCKY GOVERNORS HAD TO
SWEAR THEY NEVER FOUGHT A DUEL.
BUT ONE OF AMERICA'S MOST FAMOU
DUEL WAS FOUGHT IN KENTUCKY WIT
A PARTICIPANT WHO WOULD GO ON T
BECOME AN AMERICAN PRESIDENT.
THE COMMON MISCONCEPTION ABOUT
DUELING IS IT WAS ALWAYS TO THE
DEATH.
>> IT WAS FAIRLY UNCOMMON IN A
DUEL TO TRY TO KILL EACH OTHER.
IN A DUEL YOU SETTLE A MATTER O
HONOR.
SO, TYPICALLY, IF YOU JUST SHOW
UP, CONGRATULATIONS YOU'RE NOT
COWARD, YOU PUT YOUR GRIEVANCES
ASIDE AND EVERYONE REQUIRES WIT
THEIR HOAR IN HONOR IN TACT.
JACKSON WAS A POLERRIZING
FIGURE.
YOU EITHER LOVED HIM OR HATED
HIM.
>> BEFORE HIS PRESIDENCY,
JACKSON WAS PRACTICING LAW IN
TENNESSEE.
HE WAS ALSO AN AVID HORSE
BREEDER AND THE ORIGINS OF THE
GRUDGE WITH CHARLES DICKINSON
BEGAN AT THE TRACK.
>> DICKINSON WENT TO A TAVERN
AFTERWARDS AND STARTED KIND OF
RUNNING HIS MOUTH A LITTLE BIT.
HE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
JACKSON.
WHAT HE MOST LIKELY TALKED ABOU
WAS RACHEL JACKSON, ANDREW
JACKSON'S WIFE, BELOVED WIFE.
>> DICKINSON WAS REFERRING TO
THE FACT THAT RACHEL HAD MARRIE
JACKSON NOT KNOWING HER FIRST
HUSBAND HAD FAILED TO FINALIZE
THEIR DIVORCE.
>> JACKSON FOUND OUT ABOUT IT.
GIVEN THAT HE IS A GENTLEMAN ON
THE FRONTIER, HE FELT AS THOUGH
HE HAD NO CHOICE, BUT TO
CHALLENGE DICKINSON TO A DUEL.
>> DUELING WAS ILLEGAL IN
TENNESSEE BUT NOT IN THE BORDER
STATE OF KENTUCKY.
THE TWO CHOSE TO FACE OFF IN
LOGAN COUNTY WITH MANY ROOTING
FOR DICKINSON, WHO WAS KNOWN AS
THE BEST SHOT IN THE STATE OF
TENNESSEE.
>> YOU COULD TELL HOW BOTH SIDES
THOUGHT THE DUEL WAS GOING TO G
BY THE WAY THEY TRAVELED TO
KENTUCKY.
DICKINSON LOADED UP A COUPLE OF
WAGON, THEY GOT HIS BUDDIES
TOGETHER, STOPPED AT TAVERNS
ALONG THE WAY.
DICKINSON HELD SHOOTING
DEMONSTRATIONS.
FROM 20 PACES HE WOULD SHOOT
THROUGH A SPIDERWEB OR SOMEONE
WOULD YOU HOLD UP A PIECE OF
STRIRCHG AND HE WOULD SHOOT A
BULLET AND CUT IT IN HALF.
SO HE HAD A REPUTATION OF NOT
EXACTLY A GUY YOU WOULD WANT TO
PICK A GUN FIGHT WITH.
JACKSON TICK HIS BEST FRIEND AN
A SURGEON.
SO IF ONE OF YOUR SECONDS TO A
DUEL IS A DOCTOR, YOU HAVE AN
IDEA YOU'RE NOT QUITE AS
OPTIMISTIC AS THE OTHER GUY IS.
I BELIEVE BOTH WERE PRETTY SET
ON CARRYING THIS DUEL OUT.
I DO BELIEVE THAT BOTH SIDES
WENT TO KENTUCKY WITH THE
INTENTION THAT ONLY ONE WAS
GOING TO BE COMING BACK.
>> ON MAY 13, 1806, JACKSON AND
DICKINSON MET AT HARRISON'S MIL
ON THE RED RIVER.
BY DESIGN, JACKSON LET DICKINSO
FIRE FIRST.
>> SO DICKINSON SHOOTS FIRST BY
DESIGN.
THE SMOKE FROM THE GUN AND THE
LOOSENESS OF JACKSON'S OVERCOAT
MADE IT SUCH THAT DICKINSON HAD
TO WATCH JACKSON'S REACTION TO
SEE IF HE HIT HIM.
JACKSON TOOK A HALF STEP BACK,
REGAINS HIS POSITION AND
DICKINSON CRIED OUT, DID I MISS
HIM?
HE'S NOT USED TO MISSING.
JACKSON RAISES HIS PISTOL,
FIRES, IT DOESN'T GO OFF AND
JACKSON IS SO MAD AT DICKINSON
THAT HE MAKES HIM STAND THERE
WHILE HE FIXES HIS GUN AND HE
SHOTGUN AND IT WENT OFF.
>> SOME CLAIM JACKSON'S SHOOTING
TWICE IS A BREECH OF ETIQUETTE.
>> THE RESULT OF THE MISFIRE IS
UPDATE.
AT BEST, TO BE MOST FORGIVEN OF
JACKSON, IT WAS A QUESTIONABLE
MOVE.
>> WHEN JACKSON FIRED, IT WAS
CLEAR DICKINSON WAS MORE TALLY
WOUNDED.
>> THE BULLET WAS CLEAR, WENT IN
ONE SIDE OUT THE OTHER.
KNOT MUCH COULD BE DONE.
HIS SECONDS CARRY HIM TO A
NEARBY CAB BIN WHILE THEY TRIED
TO MAKE HIM COMFORTABLE.
ONE STORY IS HE BLED THROUGH TW
MATTRESSES BEFORE DYING 14 1/2
HOURS AFTER JACKSON SHOT HIM.
>> BUT IT'S WHAT HAPPENED AS
JACKSON HEADED BACK TO NASHVILL
PEOPLE WOULD TALK ABOUT FOR
YEARS TO COME.
JACKSON'S SURGEON NOTICED BLOOD
COMING FROM HIS BOOT.
>> HE SAYS, GENERAL, HAVE YOU
BEEN HIT?
AND JACKSON IN WHAT MIGHT BE TH
UNDERSTATEMENT OF JACKSON'S, YO
KNOW, QUOTABLE CAREER SAYS, OH,
I THINK HE PINKED ME A LITTLE,
THEN FELL OFF HIS HORSE.
>> DICKINSON HAD INDEED BEEN
SUCCESSFUL IN WOUNDING JACKSON.
>> DICKINSON HIT HIM WHERE HE
WANTED TO BUT BECAUSE HE PULLED
HIS JACKET A BIT, THE BULLET
MISSED HIS HEART AN INCH AND AN
A HALF TOWARD THE MIDDLE OF HIS
CHEST.
THE BULLET SHATTERED ON
JACKSON'S STERNUM, COLLAPSED A
LUNG, BROKE A COUPLE OF RIBS.
THE SURGEON DECIDED IT'S MORE
DANGEROUS TO TRY TO GET THE
FRAGMENTS THAN LEAVE IT ALONE.
THEY SEWED HIM UP AND HE LIVED
WITH THE BULLETS FOR THE REST O
HIS LIFE.
>> JACKSON WAS NOT PROSECUTED
FOR MURDER BECAUSE DUELING WAS
LEGAL IN KENTUCKY AND THE DUEL
HAD LITTLE EFFECT ON HIS
SUCCESSFUL CAMPAIGN FOR THE
PRESIDENCY IN 1829.
>> WHAT FASCINATES ME ABOUT
JACKSON IS HE REPRESENTS THE
BEST AND WORST OF AMERICA IN TH
19th CENTURY.
GIVEN HE WAS A SLAVE AND
PLANTATION OWNER IS LARGELY
CREDITED WITH SIGNING THE INDIA
REMOVAL ACT OF 1930 INTO LAW.
BUT HE WAS ALSO A SELF-MADE MAN
HE BROUGHT HIMSELF UP THROUGH
RANKS AND WAS ABLE TO ESTABLISH
HIMSELF AS ONE OF THE NATION'S
PRIMARY CITIZENS.
HE WENT FROM FAIRLY WELL-KNOWN
TENNESSEE TO NATIONAL HE ROUGH,
TO AN AMERICAN ROCK STAR WITH
THE BATTLE OF NEW ORLEANS, THAT
JACKSON REPRESENTS, YOU KNOW,
THE SELF-MADE MAN OF AMERICA AN
KIND OF THE ANYTHING IS POSSIBL
IN THIS NEW WORLD, BUT ALSO
LIVED OUT THE PREJUDICES OF THE
DAY.
>> HOWEVER, IN THE END,
DICKINSON MAY HAVE PLAYED A PAR
IN JACKSON'S DEATH.
>> WHEN JACKSON DIED IN 1845, HE
COMPLAINED OF SYMPTOMS THAT LOO
AN AWFUL LOT LIKE LEAD
POISONING.
GIVEN THEY NEVER TOOK THE BULLE
FRAGMENTS OUT OF HIS CHEST, IT'
LOGICAL TO ASSUME THAT LEAD
POISONING DID CONTRIBUTE
SOMEWHAT TO HIS DEATH, IN
ADDITION TO OLD AGE AND HARD
LIVING.
BUT IT'S BEEN SAID THAT CHARLES
DICKINSON DID SHOOT AND KILL
ANDREW JACKSON, IT JUST HAPPENE
TO BE 39 YEARS AFTER ANDREW
JACKSON SHOT AND KILLED CHARLES
DICKINSON.
>> TONIGHT WE'RE LOOKING AT
KENTUCKY'S CONNECTIONS TO THE
HIGHEST OFFICE IN THE LAND.
AT ket.org/"KENTUCKY LIFE,"
YOU WILL FIND STORES ABOUT OTHE
KENTUCKIANS PAST AND PRESENT.
AND ON OUR Facebook PAGE, TELL
US WHO YOU THINK IS THE GREATES
KENTUCKIAN.
ZACHARY TAYLOR WAS RAISED,
MARRIED AND BURIED IN KENTUCKY
BUT HIS PRESIDENTIALLE HOME
STATE IS LOUISIANA.
JUST ONE TO HAVE THE
CONTRADICTIONS IN THE LIFE AND
CAREER OF THE 12th U.S.
PRESIDENT.
ZACHARY TAYLOR THE 12th
12th PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED
STATES WAS BORN IN VIRGINIA IN
1784, BUT HIS FAMILY IMMEDIATEL
MOVED THE INFANT JUST OUTSIDE
THE TINY RIVERTOWN OF LOUISVILL
WHERE ZACH RIWOULD SPEND MOST
HIS LIFE.
HIS FATHER BUILT THEIR HOME ON
THE FAMILY PLANTATION,
SPRINGFIELD, OVERLOOKING BROWNS
BROWNSBORO ROAD NEAR THE MODERN
DAY WATERSON EXPRESSWAY.
>> THE HOUSE WAS UNDER
CONSTRUCTION SEVERAL YEARS AND
FINISHED BY 1790.
IT WAS A SIDE HALL COLONIAL.
THIS WAS THE FRONTIER AND ONE O
THE BOOKS I'VE GOT SAID THAT, B
THE DOOR, EVERY NIGHT, THE RIFL
WAS PUT DOWN IN ANTICIPATION
THAT MAYBE THE INDIANS WOULD
ATTACK.
>> SPRINGFIELD WAS A PLANTATION,
EXPOSING TAYLOR TO AN ISSUE THA
WOULD FOLLOW HIM TO HIS
PRESIDENCY.
>> THE TAYLOR FAMILY WERE SLAVE
HOLDERS.
SO TAYLOR GREW UP IN A
SLAVE-HOLDING FAMILY AND
SOCIETY.
KENTUCKY WAS A SLAVE STATE.
>> AFTER SPENDING HIS YOUTH AT
SPRINGFIELD, TAYLOR JOINED THE
ARMY.
ZACHZACH RIPROVED TO BEZACHARY
IN THE SOUTH, IN ONE ENGAGEMENT
HE EARNED THE NAME ROUGH AND
READY WHILE FIGHTING SEMINOLE
INDIANS IN FLORIDA.
HIS STATURE AS A HE HERO GREW I
THE MEXICAN WAR.
>> HE HAD GREAT ODDS AGAINST HIM
AS FAR AS NUMBER OF FORCES AND
HE LED IN ONE BATTLE AFTER
ANOTHER FROM PALO ALTO TO
MONTERREY AND HUGE VICTORY OF
BENO VISTA.
>> BECAUSE HIS TIME IN THE SOUTH
WOULD BE MEASURED IN YEARS,
TAYLOR AND WIFE BOUGHT A HOME I
LOUISIANA.
>> HE LIVES MOST HIS LIFE AT
HOME BASE, WHEN HE'S NOT SERVIN
OFF MILITARY POSTS, IN
LOUISIANA, AND HE HAS A FARM AN
PLANTATION DOWN THERE AND HE
HIMSELF IS A SLAVE HOLDER.
>> BUT ALL THE WHILE, ZACHARY
TAYLOR REMAINED A KENTUCKIAN,
OFTEN RETURNING TO THE HOME
WHERE HIS CHILDREN WERE BORN.
ONE DAUGHTER WOULD MARRY A
FUTURE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED
STATES, THE CONFEDERATE UNITED
STATES.
>> SARAH KNOX TAYLOR MARRIED
JEFFERSON DAVIS WHO, OF COURSE,
SERVED UNDER ZACHARY TAYLOR IN
THE BLACKHAWK WAR, WAS ONE OF
HIS OFFICERS.
>> TAYLOR DISAPPROVED OF THE
MARRIAGE, NOT WANTING HIS
DAUGHTER TO LIVE THE TOUGH
MILITARY LIFE HIS MARGARET HAD
ENDURED.
JEFFERSON DAVIS WOULD ACTUALLY
RESIGN HIS COMMISSION TO GAIN
SARAH'S HAND IN MARRIAGE.
SADLY, JUST THREE MONTHS AFTER
THE WEDDING, SARAH DIED OF
MALARIA ON THE WAY TO THE DAVIS
HOME.
>> AFTER SHE DIED, THERE WAS A
POINT WHERE TAYLOR AND JEFFERSO
DAVIS ENDED UP AT THE SAME
PLACE, AND TAYLOR CAME UP AND
PUT HIS ARM AROUND JEFFERSON
DAVIS AND SAID, MY DAUGHTER WAS
A BETTER JUDGE OF CHARACTER THA
I WAS.
>> TAYLOR'S POPULARITY AS A
MILITARY HERO AND HIS HISTORY
WITH SLAVERY DREW THE ATTENTION
OF THE SOUTHERN WIG PARTY.
THEIR AGENDA WAS TO EXTENT
SLAVERY INTO NEW STATES BEING
ADMITTED TO THE UNION AND IN
1848 CHOSE TAYLOR AS THEIR
PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE TO CARRY
THE BANNER.
HIS POPULARITY CARRIED HIM TO
VICTORY.
BUT AS PRESIDENT, TAYLOR LED HI
ADMINISTRATION TO DO JUST THE
OPPOSITE OF HIS PARTY'S WISHES.
>> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THREW
HIS SOUTHERN SUPPORTERS IS, UPO
HIS ELECTION TO PRESIDENT, HE
ACTUALLY PROPOSES THAT
CALIFORNIA AND NEW MEXICO COME
IN AS FREE STATES AND THIS, OF
COURSE, WAS A SHOCKER TO THEM,
BECAUSE THEY SAID, HERE'S A
SLAVE HOLDER, HERE'S A
SOUTHERNER, HE'LL BACK US.
>> PANAMAANIMOSITY GREW BETWEEN
AND THE SOUTH AND THE COUNTRY
WAS ON THE VERBAL OF WAR.
SOUTH CAROLINA, AS IT WOULD DO
TEN YEARS LATER, THREATENED TO
SUSSECEDE.
>> HE SAID, WE'LL MARCH DOWN
WITH AN ARMY AND STOP YOU
BECAUSE YOU CANNOT SECEDE, THIS
IS THE UNITED STATES.
YOU CAN'T JUST DECIDE YOU'RE
GOING TO LEAVE IT BECAUSE THING
AREN'T GOING YOUR WAY.
>> BUT THIS FIGHT WOULD SUDDENLY
END JULY 4, 1850.
ON A HOT DAY AFTER LAYING THE
CORNERSTONE FOR THE NEW
WASHINGTON MONUMENT, TAYLOR SAT
DOWN TO COOL OFF WITH A
SEEMINGLY INNOCENT BOWL OF
CHERRIES AND A PITCHER OF MILK.
FIVE DAYS LATER, ZACHARY TAILOR
WOULD DIE.
>> HE DIED OF WHAT WAS CALLED
CHOLERA MORBIS WHICH WAS REALLY
A SEVERE ATTACK OF
GASTROENTERITIS.
HE MAY HAVE ACTUALLY RECOVERED,
BUT THE MEDICAL THEORIES AND
PRACTICES OF THE DAY PRETTY MUC
ASSURED HIS DEATH, BECAUSE THEY
BLED HIM, PURGED HIM, BLISTERED
HIM AND OVER THE COURSE OF
SEVERAL DAYS AFTER HE INITIALLY
TOOK SICK, IT SO WEAKENED HIM I
ESSENTIALLY HELPED KILL HIM.
>> HE WAS BURIED IN KENTUCKY IN
THE FAMILY CEMETERY JUST
300 YARDS FROM HIS HOME OF
SPRINGFIELD.
CONSPIRACY THEORIES AROSE
SUGGESTING HE WAS ACTUALLY
POISONED, MAKING HIM OUR FIRST
ASSASSINATED PRESIDENT.
IN 1991, TAYLOR'S BODY WAS
EXHUMED AND AN AUTOPSY FOR
ARSENIC PERFORMED.
THE TEST PROVED NEGATIVE, AND
TAYLOR WAS LAID BACK TO REST.
AFTER SUCH A SHORT PRESIDENCY,
MOST KENTUCKIANS WOULD FORGET
THAT ZACHARY TAYLOR CONSIDERED
THIS HIS HOME.
>> THIS WAS HOME.
THIS WAS HOME.
KENTUCKY WAS HOME, AS SEEN BY
THE FACT THAT THIS IS WHERE HE'
BURIED.
THERE WAS AN ARTICLE IN THE
LOCAL PAPER YEARS AGO THAT WAS
TALKING ABOUT THE THINGS THAT
LOUISVILLE ISN'T, AND THEY SAID
FOR INSTANCE, LOUISVILLE IS NOT
THE HOME OF A PRESIDENT.
WELL, YES, IT IS.
>> SHORTLY AFTER WORLD WAR I,
THE UNITED STATES ACQUIRED THE
LAND AROUND HIS GRAVE, CREATING
THE ZACHARY TAYLOR NATIONAL
CEMETERY.
IT IS HOME TO VETERANS FROM
EVERY AMERICAN WAR, INCLUDING
TAYLOR'S FATHER, WHO SERVED IN
THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR, AND IT I
STILL HOME TO THE ONLY UNITED
STATES PRESIDENT BURIED IN
KENTUCKY.
>> TAYLOR NEVER VOTED IN A
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION BEFORE HI
OWN.
AS A CAREER MILITARY MAN, HE
SAID HE DIDN'T WANT TO VOTE
AGAINST A POTENTIAL
COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF.
OUR AWARD WINNING KET
DOCUMENTARY "LINCOLN, I, TOO, A
A KENTUCKIAN," EXAMINED HOW
LINCOLN'S TIES TO KENTUCKY
INFLUENCED HIS POLITICAL LIFE
AND DECISIONS.
LINCOLN'S LEGACY DEFIANCE
AMERICA.
HODGENVILLE IS TONIGHT'S OUR
TOWN.
>> ABE LINCOLN WAS ACTUALLY BORN
HERE, NOT IN NORTH CAROLINA OR
ILLINOIS OR ANY OTHER PLACE YOU
MIGHT COME TO THINK OF, BUT
ACTUALLY BORN HERE IN
HODGENVILLE, KENTUCKY.
WE HAVE ANYWHERE FROM A QUARTER
MILLION TO TO HALF A MILLION
VISITORS A YEAR.
LINCOLN IS ONE OF THE MOST
POPULAR BUSINESS NAMES ANYWHERE
IN THE UNITED STATES BECAUSE IT
IMPLIES HONESTY, INTEGRITY,
FORTHRIGHTNESS, ET CETERA.
HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY, WE HAVE
ABOUT 42 BUSINESSES AND
ORGANIZATIONS IN THE AREA THAT
CARRIED THE LINCOLN NAME.
WE ALSO MAKE USE OF HIS NAME AN
HIS REPUTATION.
HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY, WE TRY T
HAVE A LITTLE FUN, NOT ALL
SERIOUSNESS WITH MR. LINCOLN,
AND EVENT THROUGHOUT THE YEAR
THAT DO PROMOTE THE HISTORY AND
THE HERITAGE AND, YET, AT THE
SAME TIME, OFFER THE LOCAL FOLK
AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A LITTLE
FUN.
ONE OF THE MOST OUTSTANDING
THINGS ABOUT HODGENVILLE IS THE
SPIRIT OF THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE
HERE, PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE CARE
VERY MUCH ABOUT THEIR NEIGHBOR,
THEY'RE VERY INVOLVED IN WHAT'S
GOING ON IN THE COMMUNITY.
TAKE A GREAT PRIDE IN THEIR
COMMUNITY.
I THINK THAT SENSE OF PRIDE AND
COMMUNITY IS SOMETHING THAT
MR. LINCOLN WOULD TRULY
APPRECIATE.
>> WELL, IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO
RETURN HOME AND IT'S BEEN STATE
YOU CAN NEVER GO HOME, BUT I
BELIEVE YOU CAN.
I COME BACK HERE TO HODGENVILLE
AND I'M IMPRESSED WITH THIS
MONUMENT OUT FRONT HERE, THIS
PRESIDENT OF LOOK AT OVER IT,
LOOKING AT THE LINCOLN BANK,
ESPECIALLY, AND THE BIRTH PLACE
AT HODGENVILLE AND ALL THESE
BUSINESSES NAMES WITH LINCOLN I
REALLY IMPRESSIVE.
WHEN WE COME HERE, MY WIFE
USUALLY COMES WITH ME AND ONE O
THE FIRST PLACE WES COME TO IS
ALWAYS THE MUSEUM AND LIKE TO G
TO PAULA'S HOT BISCUIT, IT'S A
VERY GOOD PLACE TO EAT.
GO THERE AND EAT, AND ACROSS TH
SQUARE, THE HALL'S PLACE, THEY
HAVE GOOD FOOD AS WELL.
I TRY TO EAT AS MUCH FOOD AS I
CAN WHEN WE COME HERE.
WE HAVE SO MANY GOOD FRIENDS.
WE CAME FOR THE DEDICATION OF
THE MUSEUM.
SEVERAL LINCOLN LOOK-ALIKES COM
TO HELP DEDICATE THE MUSEUM.
IT SEEMS THAT THE YEARS HAVE
FLOWN BY.
BUT EACH TIME WE COME TO
HODGENVILLE, WE MAKE NEW
FRIENDS.
VERY GOOD PEOPLE HERE IN
HODGENVILLE.
>> HODGENVILLE IS A GOOD PLACE
TO BEGIN YOUR TRIP TO THE MORE
THAN 20 SITES ALONG KENTUCKY'S
LINCOLN HERITAGE TRAIL.
SO WHO WAS THE KENTUCKY-BORN
STATESMAN WHO WENT ON TO BECOME
A PRESIDENT AND LEAD HIS
COUNTRYMEN IN THE CIVIL WAR?
WELL, IF YOU ANSWERED LINCOLN,
YOU WOULD BE HALF RIGHT.
THE NATION'S OTHER CIVIL WAR
PRESIDENT WAS BORN EIGHT MONTHS
EARLIER THAN LINCOLN AND JUST
100 MILES AWAY.
SITUATED IN THE ROLLING
COUNTRYSIDE OF TODD COUNTY
STANDS THE 351-FOOT OBELISK
MEMORIAL TO KENTUCKY-BORN
JEFFERSON DAVIS, AN INDELIBLE
REMINDER OF THE LARGER THAN
LIFE, CONTROVERSIAL, FIRST AND
ONLY PRESIDENT OF THE
CONFEDERACY.
IT'S HARD TO TELL THE STORY OF
DAVIS WITHOUT INCLUDING
COMPARISONS TO HIS FELLOW
KENTUCKIAN ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
>> HERE'S LINCOLN AND DAVIS BOTH
BORN IN A LOG CAB BIN, BORN
WITHIN EIGHT MONTHS, 80 MILES O
EACH OTHER.
NOT TOO FAR SEPARATED IN
BACKGROUND AND FAMILIES.
ONE GOES NORTH, ONE SOUTH.
OVER THE COURSE OF HISTORY, TWO
REVERSE DIRECTIONS.
HOW MUCH IS A PERSON A PRODUCT
OF ENVIRONMENT AND HEARTEDTY.
HEARTED --
HEREDITY.
BUT THEY GO NORTH AND SOUTH AND
BECOME THE LEADERS OF TWO
CAUSES, ONE WHO WANTS A UNITED
NATION, ONE A NEW NATION.
THEY COME OUT OF SAME
BACKGROUNDS AND ORIGINS BUT
EMERGE VERY DIFFERENT MEN AS A
RESULT.
>> ALTHOUGH DAVIS' FAMILY MOVES
SOUTH WHEN HE WAS TWO YEARS OLD
KENTUCKY WOULD PLAY A PROMINENT
ROLE IN DAVIS' EARLY EDUCATION.
>> DAVIS AT FIRST GLANCE HAS FEW
TIES TO KENTUCKY, LEAVES HERE A
A BOY AT TWO YEARS OLD, SO
WASN'T INCLUNESSED BY KENTUCKY
THAN LINCOLN IN ONE SENSE, BUT
MORE IN ANOTHER IN THAT HE COME
TO KENTUCKY FOR HIS SCHOOLING.
KENTUCKY WAS KNOWN AS THE
EDUCATIONAL CENTER OF THE SOUTH
AT THE TIME.
>> JEFFERSON DAVIS' FATHER,
SAMUEL DAVIS, SOMEHOW RECOGNIZE
HE HAD A VERY INTELLIGENT SON A
HIS TENTH SON, AND HE WAS NOT
SATISFIED WITH THE SCHOOLING IN
WOODVILLE, MISSISSIPPI, AND,
THEREFOR, HE SENT HIM TO
BOARDING SCHOOL, WHICH IS
UNUSUAL IN AMERICA, YOU UP IN
KENTUCKY, TO SPRINGFIELD, TO
ST. THOMAS ACADEMY.
>> HE STARTS OUT WITH THE
EDUCATION IN KENTUCKY, COMES
BACK TO KENTUCKY FOR HIS COLLEG
SCHOOL AT TRANSYLVANIA, ONE OF
THE BEST SCHOOLS IN THE SOUTH A
THAT TIME.
>> FOLLOWING TRANSYLVANIA, DAVIS
WENT ON TO WEST POINT AND THEN
SERVICE IN THE ARMY.
IT WAS THERE THAT HE MET AND
FELL IN LOVE WITH SARAH KNOX
TAYLOR, THE KENTUCKY-BORN
DAUGHTER OF HIS COMMANDER AND
FUTURE PRESIDENT ZACHARY TAYLOR
TRAGICALLY, ILLNESS STRUCK THE
COUPLE THREE MONTHS AFTER THEY
MARRIED.
>> THEY'RE VISITING RELATIVES
DOWN IN THE DEPTHS OF THE SALTY
SOUTH IN LOUISIANA, AND THEY
BOTH CONTRACT EITHER YELLOW
FEVER OR MALARIA, SOME QUESTION
OF WHICH ONE IT WAS, IT WAS A
SERIOUS DISEASE.
HE'S ON HIS SICK BED AND HEARD
HIS WIFE SINGING THEIR FAVORITE
SONG.
GOES TO HER, THINKING SHE'S
RECOVEREDDISH AND SHE DIES IN
HIS ARMS.
DAVIS IS NEVER THE SAME MAN
AFTER THAT.
DAVIS AFTER THAT GOES INTO
SECLUSION, LIVES ON HIS
PLANTATION, READING BOOKS,
SURROUNDED BY HIS SLAVES, SEEIN
ALMOST NO ONE FOR YEARS AND
YEARS.
>> DATE WENT ON TO FIGHT IN THE
MEXICAN-AMERICAN WAR AND ROSE T
BECOME ONE OF THE SOUTH'S
POLITICAL LEADERS.
>> DAVIS WAS REALLY
WELL-PREPARED TO BE A PRESIDENT
OF THE CONFEDERACY.
HE WAS A COSMOPOLITAN MAN.
HE HAD BEEN A SECRETARY OF WAR.
HE HAD BEEN A SENATOR.
ONE OF THE BEST EDUCATED MEN IN
THE SOUTH.
>> THE BURDEN OF RESPONSIBILITY
FOR SECESSION ADDED TO THE
STRAIN OF DAVIS' NUMEROUS
PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL AILMENTS
PAINT AGO PORTRAIT OF A MAN
OFTEN IN PAIN.
>> DAVIS IS WOUNDED IN THE
MEXICAN WAR, SHOT IN THE FOOT
AND WAS ON CRUTCHES FOR TWO
YEARS.
HE HAD LOST THE VISION IN ONE
EYE, PROBABLY BLIND BY THE END
OF THE CIVIL WAR.
DAVIS ALSO HAD PAIN FROM NERVE
DAMAGE, NEURALGIA THEY CALLED I
AT THE TIME.
THIS IS A MAN IN CONSTANT PAIN,
PROBABLY HAD INSOMNIA.
FOUR OF HIS SIX CHILDREN DIED
BEFORE DAVIS AND ALL HIS SONS
DIED BEFORE DAVIS.
SO HE'S A MAN OF STRONG WILL,
HAS TO OVERCOME HIS PHYSICAL
AILMENTS.
THEY HAD TO WEAR AND TEAR ON HI
EMOTIONS, HIS PHYSIQUE AND
STATURE.
>> PRESIDENT DAVIS CERTAINLY
SUFFERED AS MUCH AS ANY OTHER
AMERICAN POLITICAL LEADER EVER
HAS.
WHEN THE NOTE CAME THAT HE HAD
BEEN ELECTED PRESIDENT OF THE
CONFEDERACY, HIS WIFE WAS
STANDING WITH HIM IN THE ROSE
GARDEN AND SAID HIS FACIAL
EXPRESSION LOOKED LIKE HE WAS
READING A DEATH NOTICE.
THEN HE TOLD HER.
TO HIM, THIS RESPONSIBILITY FEL
ON HIM, AND IT WAS A GREAT AND
GRAVE RESPONSIBILITY.
>> WHILE THE HISTORY BOOKS
EVENTUALLY PRAISED ABRAHAM
LINCOLN'S ROLE IN PRESERVING TH
COUNTRY, JEFFERSON DAVIS' LEGAC
IS CLOUDED IN CONTROVERSY.
>> HE WAS A MAN WHO SOON WENT
INTO ECLIPSE.
HE WAS POPULAR IN THE SOUTH.
YOU CAN'T SAY THAT, BUT MANY
PLACES CELEBRATED LEE'S
BIRTHDAY, NOT DAVIS' BIRTHDAY.
YES, HE'S HONORED BUT NOT LOVED
AND HE NEVER WAS REALLY LOVED.
HE WAS REVERED BY SOME BUT NEVE
THE MAN PEOPLE COULD EMBRACE AN
SAY THIS IS OUR PRESIDENT AND
THE MAN THAT LEFT US IN THE WAR
>> OVER TIME, WHAT DAVIS STOOD
FOR BECAME MUCH MORE UNSUPPABLE
A MAN WHO STOOD FOR SLAVERY.
BY THE TIME OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS
MOVEMENT, THAT STAND SEEMED SO
OUTDATED AND BECAME A POINT OF
CONTINUE ADVISORY.
>> JEFFERSON'S DAVIS' LEGACY
CHANGED FROM THE CIVIL WAR.
IN HIS SPEECHES, HE EMPHASIZED
THE VALUE OF THE UNION.
HE WOULD POINT OUT STATES RIGHT
RELATES TO THE UNION AND HE
WANTED TO PRESERVE THE UNION.
HE SAID THE SADDEST DAY OF HIS
LIFE WAS WHEN HE RESIGNED FROM
THE SENATE TO GO SOUTH AND THEN
TO LATER BE ELECTED CONFEDERATE
PRESIDENT.
SADDEST DAY OF HIS LIFE, TO
RESIGN FROM THE UNION, ACTUALLY
>> SHORTLY BEFORE HIS DEATH,
DAVIS MADE ONE LAST JOURNEY TO
KENTUCKY TO COMMEMORATE THE
DEDICATION OF A CHURCH ON THE
LOCATION OF HIS BIRTH PLACE.
>> HE SAID, IT IS WITH A HEART
FULL OF EMOTION THAT I THANK YO
FOR COMMEMORATING THE SPOT OF M
NATIVITY.
I FEEL LIKE, TODAY, LIKE THE
POEM THAT SIR WALTER SCOTT
WROTE, "THIS IS MY OWN, MY
NATIVE LAND."
AND THEN THE LAST THING HE SAID
WAS, GOD BLESS KENTUCKY AND
BETHEL BAPTIST CHURCH.
>> FOUR U.S. VICE PRESIDENTS
WERE ALSO BORN IN KENTUCKY.
JOHN BRECKING RIDGE WAS JAMES
BUCHANAN'S VICE PRESIDENT.
RICHARD JOHNSON SERVED WITH
VAN BUREN.
ADELI STEVENS WITH GROVER
CLEVELAND AND BARKLEY WITH
TRUMAN.
AND WE'RE SECOND ONLY TO
NEW YORK IN THE NUMBER OF
VICE PRESIDENTS BORN IN OUR
STATE AND, OF COURSE, SECOND TO
NONE AS THE BIRTHPLACE OF
LINCOLN, OUR GREATEST PRESIDENT
THANKS FOR WATCHING AND WE'LL
SEE YOU NEXT TIME RIGHT LEER HE
"KENTUCKY LIFE."