1860 Wide Awakes and The Douglas Invincible's
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The Wide Awakes were a political club that emerged across the North, during the election of 1860.
They were organized in support of the campaign of Abraham Lincoln.
Appealing mainly to those in their teens, twenties, and thirties, the Wide Awakes took on an organized military form.
They wore uniforms and had ranks and duties. These young men were motivated by the contentious sectional politics of the 1850s.
Their organization and militaristic nature alarmed the South and helps to explain the fierce opposition to Lincoln’s election.
The group began in Connecticut and probably numbered around 100,000 nationwide. This number would be around 1 million in terms
of the current-day population. Its organization spread across new communication channels, and in May of 1860
the marching of the Chicago Wide Awakes at the Republican National Convention introduced the organization to the nation.
Lincoln Campaign Token Below
The standard Wide Awake uniform consisted of a full robe or cape, a black glazed hat, and a torch six feet in length to which a large,
flaming, pivoting whale-oil container was mounted.
Its activities were conducted primarily in the evening and consisted of several night-time torch-lit marches through cities in the
northeast and border states. The Wide Awakes adopted the image of a large eyeball as their standard banner.
Campaign torch
Image below really gives you a feel for what they wore.
Article taken from the NY timesPublished: November 3, 1860
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Special Dispatch to the New-York Times.
BALTIMORE, Friday, Nov. 2.1860
The Breckinridge Democratic procession tonight was large and enthusiastic. It contained about four thousand torch men uniformed,
and five hundred mounted men hav- ing banners, transparencies and music. They marched through the principal streets,
which were partially illuminated. The procession contained a large number of boys. T
he uniforms and torches were all furnished gratuitously, it is supposed, by "Uncle Sam."
The procession is supposed to have been two miles long. There was much enthusiasm. The spectators were not so numerous as on last night,
the weather being unfavorable. A singular feature was the procession heartily cheering the Bell-Everett Head-quarters as it passed, and
receiving hearty responses. The whole affair passed off creditably, and the appearance of the procession was much admired.
The Douglasites also had a procession, numbering a thousand Douglas invincibles and others. They are also holding a Douglas mass meeting in Monument-square, which is attended by about four thousand. There is speaking and great enthusiasm.
There is intense excitement throughout the City. The Unionists are also holding large meetings.
A medal from a set of Three (I think) Were Douglas has a very curious pose of his head.
It reminds me of the many Lincoln portraits of the time......plus he looks like a young Beethoven
Stephen Douglas Political Token Large silver dollar-sized 1860-2 campaign medal, rarely-seen copper.
They were organized in support of the campaign of Abraham Lincoln.
Appealing mainly to those in their teens, twenties, and thirties, the Wide Awakes took on an organized military form.
They wore uniforms and had ranks and duties. These young men were motivated by the contentious sectional politics of the 1850s.
Their organization and militaristic nature alarmed the South and helps to explain the fierce opposition to Lincoln’s election.
The group began in Connecticut and probably numbered around 100,000 nationwide. This number would be around 1 million in terms
of the current-day population. Its organization spread across new communication channels, and in May of 1860
the marching of the Chicago Wide Awakes at the Republican National Convention introduced the organization to the nation.
Lincoln Campaign Token Below
The standard Wide Awake uniform consisted of a full robe or cape, a black glazed hat, and a torch six feet in length to which a large,
flaming, pivoting whale-oil container was mounted.
Its activities were conducted primarily in the evening and consisted of several night-time torch-lit marches through cities in the
northeast and border states. The Wide Awakes adopted the image of a large eyeball as their standard banner.
Campaign torch
Image below really gives you a feel for what they wore.
Article taken from the NY timesPublished: November 3, 1860
GOOGLE+
SHARE
REPRINTS
Special Dispatch to the New-York Times.
BALTIMORE, Friday, Nov. 2.1860
The Breckinridge Democratic procession tonight was large and enthusiastic. It contained about four thousand torch men uniformed,
and five hundred mounted men hav- ing banners, transparencies and music. They marched through the principal streets,
which were partially illuminated. The procession contained a large number of boys. T
he uniforms and torches were all furnished gratuitously, it is supposed, by "Uncle Sam."
The procession is supposed to have been two miles long. There was much enthusiasm. The spectators were not so numerous as on last night,
the weather being unfavorable. A singular feature was the procession heartily cheering the Bell-Everett Head-quarters as it passed, and
receiving hearty responses. The whole affair passed off creditably, and the appearance of the procession was much admired.
The Douglasites also had a procession, numbering a thousand Douglas invincibles and others. They are also holding a Douglas mass meeting in Monument-square, which is attended by about four thousand. There is speaking and great enthusiasm.
There is intense excitement throughout the City. The Unionists are also holding large meetings.
A medal from a set of Three (I think) Were Douglas has a very curious pose of his head.
It reminds me of the many Lincoln portraits of the time......plus he looks like a young Beethoven
Stephen Douglas Political Token Large silver dollar-sized 1860-2 campaign medal, rarely-seen copper.
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Comments
Here's an image from a torch rally.
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I like this poster from the day, I suppose those are foxes, maybe?, 3d Ward, the pair of eyes and the third eyeball, with the caution to "Mind Your Eye", not sure what to make of that.
I guess vigilance never sleeps.
Here is the only Lincoln token, to my knowledge, which mentions the Wide-Awakes. It is about the size of a dime, and a little thicker.
Those critters look like otters to me. I suppose if you were of the Southern persuasion you would say that they are weasels.
Here is the only Lincoln token, to my knowledge, which mentions the Wide-Awakes. It is about the size of a dime, and a little thicker.
That's very cool Bill. Nice medalet by George Hampden Lovett of New York City (DeWitt AL 1860-73, King-71, Sullivan-AL-1860-74)
Those critters look like otters to me. I suppose if you were of the Southern persuasion you would say that they are weasels.
Here is the only Lincoln token, to my knowledge, which mentions the Wide-Awakes. It is about the size of a dime, and a little thicker.
Your token is in wonderful condition Bill and are quite pricey now.
It's the only one that I'm aware of too that mentions the wide awakes
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- DeWitt AL 1860-73
- King-71
- Sullivan AL 1860-74
If so, why does DeWitt say 73 and Sullivan 74?
Stef, is your token King 37, DeWitt Al 1860-40? Here's a King-37 on HA but it looks like it's made of a different metal.
They do come in copper, but the link you gave looks more like a toned brass one.
I might be wrong but I don't think the linked one is copper.
Here is a dark toned brass one.
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Stef, is your token King 37, DeWitt Al 1860-40? Here's a King-37 on HA but it looks like it's made of a different metal.
They do come in copper, but the link you gave looks more like a toned brass one.
I might be wrong but I don't think the linked one is copper. Here is a dark toned brass one.
The HA one (NGC 1947758-035) is graded MS63BN. Not sure but would NGC give a BN grade to toned brass?
The HA one (NGC 1947758-035) is graded MS63BN. Not sure but would NGC give a BN grade to toned brass?
Sorry forgot to mention that. I have a different token that is dark brass and they designated BN
as well. So the one in the link could be wrongly designated or they added the BN by mistake.
If I have time I will look for my token with simaliar grade on it.
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I had never heard of this group until now.
I wonder if the group had Masonic roots.
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Bill, is your token cataloged as the following:
- DeWitt AL 1860-73
- King-71
- Sullivan AL 1860-74
If so, why does DeWitt say 73 and Sullivan 74?
I do not have a copy of DeWitt. Sullivan's book is very similar to DeWitt, and I have never been willing to shell out the $125 + asking price for the DeWitt book. I am not a book collector, although in a way I have become one.
Here is what I do know. In Sullivan, this is AL 1860-73. It has the same obverse but a different reverse.
AL 1860-74 is the piece with the Wide Awakes reverse.
.........Or, it's copper then.......never mind
My "Wide Wakes" is made of copper with silver plating. The silvering is complete with no breaks. I bought it many years ago before these things became popular. I hope it will make up for some of the mistakes I've made since then.
.........Or, it's copper then.......never mind
My "Wide Wakes" is made of copper with silver plating. The silvering is complete with no breaks. I bought it many years ago before these things became popular. I hope it will make up for some of the mistakes I've made since then.
You will do very well indeed Bill
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Since tokens are so popular the last few days I thought I would bump this thread.
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Not sure how I missed it the first time.. Well done
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Thanks Stef.... good to re-read such an interesting thread....filled with history and neat tokens. Cheers, RickO
Here is an 1860 Lincoln campaign piece, which I believe to be quite rare. I bought it many years and thought I overpaid at the time. Since then I have only seen it offered a couple of times, and neither one was as nice as this one. The slogan is long but interesting. The DeWitt number is AL 1860-57.
A really interesting thread, glad to see it! Bill's token is very good looking. I like the way they just squoze in the "Y" in "EXPRESSLY" on the rev. Bill, about how large is that token?
It's a little bigger than a quarter, 25 mmm.