Military History. 305 



of the ceremonies. A few days after Congress appointed General 

 Lincoln Secretary of War, allowing, him to retain his rank in the 

 army. This office he resigned two years later and retired to his 

 home at Hingham, receiving most complimentary resolutions from 

 Congress. In 1784 he was chosen one of the commissioners to 

 make a treaty with the Penobscot Indians. He commanded the 

 militia raised to suppress Shays' rebellion in 1786-1787, and by 

 the exercise of great energy and tact restored order in a very short 

 time. In 1787 he was elected Lieut.-Governor of Massachusetts, 

 was commander of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Com- 

 pany in 1788, and was a member of the convention which ratified 

 the Constitution of the United States. In 1789 Washington ap- 

 pointed him the first collector of the port of Boston, which office 

 he held nearly twenty years. He was also a commissioner to treat 

 with the Creek Indians in 1789, and to effect a treaty of peace with 

 the Western Indians in 1793. General Lincoln was one of the 

 first members of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and 

 a member of the Massachusetts Historical Society, contributing 

 papers to each. He was also President of the Society of the Cin- 

 cinnati from its organization until his decease. He received the 

 degree of Master of Arts from Harvard University, in 1780. 



This is the outline of a life which for honorable, untiring useful- 

 ness has few equals. We long to fill in the details ; to picture 

 the young general of forty-three in command of one of Wash- 

 ington's divisions, — the great commander himself but a little 

 older ; to tell of his sending the blankets from his own home to 

 cover his suffering men in the field ; to recall the spirit and fire 

 with which he inspired the militia, and led it to the victory at 

 Saratoga ; to follow him while he toils in the swamps of the Caro- 

 linas with his handful of men ;' and finally, to witness his triumph 

 at Yorktown. We would like, too, to see this pure, brave man in 

 the quiet and sweetness of his home-life, among the friends with 

 whom he had served in the field, and among whom he loved to 

 mingle in the happy peace that followed. For the details of all 

 this and much more, there is not room. . General Lincoln was of 

 middle height, erect, broad-chested, and muscular, with the air of 

 a soldier. He was conspicuous for his frankness, integrity, pru- 

 dence, inflexibility, and strong common-sense. He was cool in 

 deliberation, and prompt in execution. His private life was with- 

 out a stain, and no profane word passed his lips. He was one of 

 the organizers of the Third Congregational (Unitarian) Society, 

 and until his death among its most active members. There was 

 no room in General Lincoln's character for that smallness of 

 mind which sneers at religious belief in others, or boasts its ab- 

 sence in one's self. In this as in all else he was as sincere as 

 modest. Never cowardly in disavowal of the great faith he had, 

 and unwilling to permit his convictions to appear in doubt, he was 

 also considerate and liberal regarding the opinions and beliefs of 

 others. Benjamin Lincoln died May 9, 1810, and he lacked 



vol. i. — 20 



