When the desire of the Navy officer to marry came to Lincoln’s attention

[David Lockmiller]

The following is one letter from President Lincoln that was reported in a Washington Post article published today.


When the desire of the Navy officer to marry came to Lincoln’s attention, the president wrote to Secretary of the Navy Gideon Welles:

Executive Mansion. Washington, Aug. 2, 1862
Hon. Sec. of Navy

My dear Sir

Lieutenant Commanding James W.A. Nicholson, now commanding the Isaac Smith, wishes to be married, and from evidence now before me, I believe there is a young lady who sympathizes with him in that wish under these circumstances, please allow him the requisite leave of absence, if the public service can safely endure it.

Yours truly
A. Lincoln

(Two weeks later a newspaper notice confirmed that the marriage took place in St. John’s Episcopal Church next to Lafayette Square across from the White House.)

A facsimile of the letter is included with the Washington Post article.

Lincoln’s mail included advice, warnings and a call to shoot deserters

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In the Washington Post article, there is also a good photograph of President Abraham Lincoln taken by Alexander Gardner on February 5, 1865, only five days after the Congress had approved the Thirteenth Amendment legislation on January 31, 1865.

Team of Rivals at page 689 reads:

Lincoln's raced to the White House to share the news. "The passage of the resolution," recalled Arnold, "filled his heart with joy. He saw in it the complete consummation of his own great work, the Emancipation Proclamation."