Lincoln, Abraham (1809-1865) [Abraham Lincoln endorsement]

Lincoln endorsement written on the fourth page of an autograph letter signed of P. Golden from Bangor, Maine to John H. Rice of Washington dated 29 December 1864. Golden asks that a cousin John Murphy, a prisoner of war, be discharged. Golden explains that Murphy was forced into Confederate service and tried to escape but did not succeed. He had to rejoin under another name in the 42nd Battalion of Virginia Cavalry, where he was taken prisoner. He is being held at Point Lookout in Maryland. Calls Murphy a "true Union man" and refers Rice to Vice President Hannibal Hamlin for further information about the support Golden gave to the Union throughout the war. Hamlin and Rice sign stating that the man should be discharged. Writes "I take the liberty of dropping you a few lines regarding my Cousin of whom I was speaking with you about before you left here for Washington who was taken as prisoner of war and now confined at the Military Prison in Point Lookout Md, he has forced into the Confederate Service in the early part of the war at Vicksburg and escaped from the regiment he [struck: went] [inserted: was] obliged to join with the hope of escaping north but not succeeding in this he was obliged to join again under another name the 42 Battalion of Virginia Cavalry of which he was a member when taken Prisoner about 16 months ago. he is a true Union man and desires to come [2] north here to Bangor. I being the only relation he has in the Country he has written to me to try and have him released." Lincoln signs and orders that the man take the oath of Dec. 8, 1863 swearing his allegiance to the Union and be discharged. Endorsement reads "Let this man take the oath of Dec. 8. 1863, & be discharged."