Lincoln, Abraham (1809-1865) Discharges for nine soldiers and William Yocum (signed recto by Brutus J. Clay)
High-resolution images are available to schools and libraries via subscription to American History, 1493-1943. Check to see if your school or library already has a subscription. Or click here for more information. You may also order a pdf of the image from us here.
Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC05984 Author/Creator: Lincoln, Abraham (1809-1865) Place Written: [Washington] Type: Autograph endorsement signed Date: 1864/01/22 Pagination: 1, 1 p. 20.3 x 12.6 cm Order a Copy
List of prisoners on front, with place of imprisonment, endorsed on verso by Lincoln. At the bottom of the list is a note of congressman Brutus J. Clay, requesting the discharge of the above. Lincoln orders the discharge of nine soldiers upon taking oath, and a discharge for William Yocum "not as a prisoner of war, but for an offence for which he has perhaps suffered enough...." Yokum, an employee in charge of contrabands (escaped slaves) at Cairo, Ill., had been sentenced to five years hard labor for "aiding in the kidnapping of employees of the U.S." (quoting Basler 7: 167 note). Lincoln pardoned Yocum Feb. 16 after a petition from members of Congress, including Clay (Basler 7: 187 note).
Notes: Lincoln's endorsement is printed in Basler 7:144. (But it does not include Clay's list, nor the note at the end from Edwin M. Stanton.) The list of prisoners and Clay's signed note are all in Clay's hand. Lincoln authored the note on the second page, including the date.
Henry W. Embry Camp Douglas
Sidney Lewis Louisville Ky
John S. Roberts Camp Douglas
Wm. McDonald Camp Douglas
John R. Moreland Lincoln W. Ky
W. H. Curvent [?] Camp Douglas
John D. Stone Camp Douglas
John Amusden [?] Camp Douglas
Thos. J. McLean Camp Douglas
[struck: Tom Donell Camp Douglas]
William Yocum now in Capitol Prison Washington, D.C.
I request the discharge of the above.
Brutus J. Clay
Let the within named, except Yocum, take the oath of Dec. 8 & be discharged.
Yocum is in the old Capitol, not as a prisoner of war, but for an offence for which he has perhaps suffered enough, & should, as I think, be discharged.
A. Lincoln
Jan. 22. 1864
Yocum's card countermanded
EMS
Citation Guidelines for Online Resources
The copyright law of the United States (title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction. One of these specific conditions is that the photocopy or reproduction is not to be “used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship, or research.” If a user makes a request for, or later uses, a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excess of “fair use,” that user may be liable for copyright infringement. This institution reserves the right to refuse to accept a copying order if, in its judgment, fulfillment of the order would involve violation of copyright law.