According to the December 16, 2007 Belleville, Il. News Democrat, Abraham Lincoln visited Belleville three times, twice in 1840 and once in 1856.
The Lincoln Log, which is on the internet, has a day-by-day chronology of Lincoln's life.
On April 11, 1840, he was there for a third term as state legislator and 300 people turned out for his speech. He returned in August to whip up support for William Henry Harrison's presidential bid.
Lincoln's Duel
There is a story about a duel between Lincoln and Illinois State Auditor James Shields. Lincoln had been writing letters to the Sangamon Journal blasting Shields. Shields found out about it and demanded satisfaction-- a duel. It was decided to use large cavalry swords.
On September 22, 1842, the every one rowed out to an island in the Mississippi River since duelling was illegal in Illinois. Lincoln and Shields went out to a field. No other people accompanied them.
Lincoln, at 6'4" cut off a branch way above Shields' head who realized Lincoln's long reach would decide the duel and called it off.
The two then played a trick on the crowd and put a shirt on a log and one woman reportedly fainted.
From then on, Shields and Lincoln were civil toward one another. During the Civil War, Shields became a Union brigadier general.
http://www.thelincolnlog.org/
Oh, That Abe!! --Old Blockade-Runner
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