Who is this person?

[David Lockmiller]

All of these well-educated answers to the question have the characteristic in common that they are close, well-known associates of President Lincoln. The person in question was a relative unknown at the time he raised the ire of President Lincoln. I do not know if the following lengthy hint will be of much assistance in identifying the correct answer, but it provides useful information nonetheless.

This person and his commanding officer were considering making an important government policy change, on the advice of other prominent citizens, in the border state of Maryland, which the two officers commanded.

"The first intimation I received that this policy [change] was distasteful to the administration came from Secretary Stanton. I had told him what we thought, and what we hoped to accomplish. I noticed an amused expression on the face of the War Secretary, and when I ended he said dryly,"You and [the person's commanding officer] had better attend to your own business." I asked him what he meant by "our business." He said, "Obeying orders, that's all."

Not long after this talk with Mr. Stanton, [a certain general] came into Maryland to recruit for a negro brigade, then first authorized. I directed the general to recruit slaves only. He said he would be glad to do so, but wanted authority in writing from [the commanding officer]. I tried my general, and he refused, saying that such authority could come only from the War Department, as the [recruiting general] was acting directly under its instructions. I could not move him, and knowing that he had a leave of absence for a few days, to transact some business at Boston, I waited patiently until he was fairly off, and then issued the order to the [recruiting general]. The General took an idle government steamer, and left for the part of Maryland where slaves were most abundant. [The General]was scarcely out of sight before I awakened to the opposition I had excited. The Hon. Reverdy Johnson appeared at head-quarters, heading a delegation of solid citizens who wanted the Union and slavery saved, one and inseparable. I gave them scant comfort, and they left for Washington. That afternoon came a telegram from the War Department, asking who was in command at Baltimore. I responded that the [commanding general], being absent for a few days only, had left affairs in control of his chief of staff. Then came a curt summons, ordering me to appear at the War Department. I obeyed, arriving in the evening at the old, somber building. Being informed that the Secretary was at the Executive Mansion, I repaired there, sent in my card, and was at once shown into the presence, not of Mr. Stanton, but of the President. I do not care to recall the words of Mr. Lincoln. I wrote them out that night, for I was threatened a shameful dismissal from the service, and I intended appealing to the public. They were exceedingly severe, for the President was in a rage. I was not allowed a word in my own defense, and was only permitted to say that I would countermand my order as well as I could. I was saved cashiering through the interference of Stanton and Chase, and the further fact that a row over such a transaction at that time would have been extremely awkward.

My one act made Maryland a free State.

Word went out, and spread like wildfire, that "Mr. Linkum was a callin' on de slaves to fight foh freedum."

The poor creatures poured into Baltimore with their families, on foot, on horseback, in old wagons, and even on sleds stolen from their masters. The late masters became clamorous for compensation, and Mr. Lincoln ordered a commission to assess damages. Secretary Stanton put in a proviso that those cases only should be considered where the claimant could take the iron-bound oath of allegiance. Of course no slaves were paid for.