Description:

Abraham Lincoln
Washington, DC, October 31, 1864
Lincoln Endorsement for Release of One of Morgan's Raiders in October 1864, After Mom Begs for Release!
AES

ABRAHAM LINCOLN, Autograph Endorsement Signed, to [William Hoffman], October 31, 1864, [Washington, DC]. 1 p., 3.25" x 4.5", framed with Lincoln photo to 14.5" x 12.5".

With this endorsement, Abraham Lincoln orders that prisoner-of-war Philemon B. Price be allowed to take the amnesty oath of December 8, 1863, and return home. This oath allowed President Lincoln to pardon former Confederates who agreed to swear future loyalty to the United States government and accept the end of slavery.

Price was a prisoner at Camp Chase near Columbus, Ohio. He wrote to Lincoln several times, requesting the opportunity to take the amnesty oath, beginning in December 1863. Meanwhile, his younger sister, Mary F. Price, also wrote to President Lincoln on April 2, 1864, seeking her brother's release.

On October 25, 1864, Colonel William P. Richardson wrote a letter to the Ohio Military Agent in Washington, D.C., introducing "Mrs. Price of Kentucky, who visits Washington City to see the President" about the release of her son. Richardson wrote that Price's widowed mother was "a Lady of good standing" and that her son "by his conduct since his imprisonment has given good evidence of his sincerity in his professions of loyalty." She carried a letter from her son, addressed to President Lincoln.

In his letter of October 25, 1864, Price informed President Lincoln that he enlisted in the 4th Kentucky Infantry in July 1861 and in April 1862 was transferred to John Hunt Morgan's command of Kentucky cavalry. He continued with that unit as a lieutenant and quartermaster until he was captured on July 19, 1863, at Buffington Island, Ohio, near the end of Morgan's famous 1,000-mile raid through Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, and West Virginia. Price was first imprisoned at the Western Penitentiary at Allegheny City, Pennsylvania. On December 19, 1863, he applied to take the oath of allegiance, based on Lincoln's proclamation. He assured Lincoln that if he were released, "I will most honorably & faithfully observe all the conditions of pardon." He also reported that "my mothers family are in needy if not destitute circumstances." In March 1864, when most of his fellow prisoners were transferred to Point Lookout, Maryland, for exchange, he was transferred to Camp Chase, where he remained imprisoned awaiting an opportunity to take the oath of allegiance.

Price's mother likely met with President Lincoln on October 31, 1864, when he signed this endorsement to William Hoffman, Commissary-General of Prisoners. In response to Lincoln's order, Hoffman on the same day ordered Col. Richardson at Camp Chase to release Price. After he took the oath, Price was released on November 2, 1864, and returned to Kentucky.

Complete Transcript
Allow Philemon B. Price, now a prisoner of war at Camp Chase, to take the oath of Dec. 8, 1863 and be discharged. I had other papers in this case, which are mislaid & can not just now be found.
A. Lincoln
Oct 31, 1864

Historical Background
On December 8, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln issued a Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction. It offered a pardon and amnesty for any person who "participated in the existing rebellion" who took an oath of future loyalty to the Constitution, the Union, and the Emancipation Proclamation. It excluded all civil and diplomatic officers of the Confederacy, military officers above the rank of colonel in the army or lieutenant in the navy, all former Congressmen, and any who resigned commissions in the United States army or navy.

The required oath declared, "I, ———, do solemnly swear, in presence of Almighty God, that I will henceforth faithfully support, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States, and the union of the States thereunder; and that I will, in like manner, abide by and faithfully support all acts of Congress passed during the existing rebellion with reference to slaves, so long and so far as not repealed, modified or held void by Congress, or by decision of the Supreme Court; and that I will, in like manner, abide by and faithfully support all proclamations of the President made during the existing rebellion having reference to slaves, so long and so far as not modified or declared void by decision of the Supreme Court. So help me God."

Lincoln announced this oath and plan for reconstruction in his annual message to Congress, also delivered on December 8, 1863.

Philemon B. Price (1836-1908) was born in Kentucky to physician Williamson Price (1815-1851) and his wife Margaret Campbell Theobald Price (1816-1891). By 1860, he was a clerk in Frankfort, Kentucky. In 1861, he enlisted in the 4th Kentucky Infantry of the Confederate Army. He was captured and imprisoned on Johnston's Island. After a year's imprisonment, he was exchanged and joined the cavalry commanded by General John Hunt Morgan and participated in Morgan's raid into the northern states in the summer of 1863. He was captured in July 1863 at the Battle of Buffington Island and imprisoned until released late in 1864. After the war, he moved to Columbus, Mississippi, where he worked as a cotton buyer. In December 1865, he married Mary Farley (1847-1921) of Lowndes County, Mississippi, and they had at least three children. In the spring of 1866, they moved to Little Rock, Arkansas, where he was a lumber dealer. He died there in January 1908.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

WE PROVIDE IN-HOUSE SHIPPING WORLDWIDE.

  • Dimensions: 3.25" x 4.5"; framed to 14.5" x 12.5"
  • Medium: AES

Accepted Forms of Payment:

ACH, American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Paypal, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

Unless otherwise indicated, we do our own in-house world-wide shipping!

Applicable shipping and handling charges will be added to the invoice. We offer several shipping options, and remain one of the few auction houses that proudly provides professional in-house shipping as an option to our clients. All items will ship with a signature required option, and full insurance. Most items are sent via Federal Express, with P. O. Box addresses being sent through USPS. We insure through Berkley Asset Protection with rates of $.70 per $100 of value, among the lowest insurance rates in the industry. Our shipping department cameras document every package, both outgoing and incoming, for maximum security. In addition, we compare our shipping and handling rates against those of other auction houses, to ensure that our charges are among the lowest in the trade.

Upon winning your item(s), you will receive an invoice with our in-house shipping and handling fees included. ***We will ship to the address as it appears on your invoice. If any changes to the shipping address need to be made, you must inform us immediately.***

International shipments: In order to comply with our insurance provider, all international shipments will be sent via Fed Ex and customs paperwork will show a value of $1.00. International buyers should contact our office directly with any questions regarding this policy.

Third-Party Shipping Option: If a third-party shipper is preferred, the buyer is responsible for contacting them directly to make shipping arrangements. For your convenience, we have provided some recommended shippers. For your protection, we will require a signed release from you, confirming your authorization for us to release your lots to your specified third-party. At that point, our responsibility and insurance coverage for your item(s) ceases. Items picked up by third-party shippers are required to pay Connecticut sales tax. Items requiring third-party shipping due to being oversized, fragile or bulky will be denoted in the item description.

Please see our full terms and conditions for names of suggested third-party shippers.

After payment has been made in full, University Archives will ship your purchase within 10 business days following receipt of full payment for item.

Please remember that the buyer is responsible for all shipping costs from University Archives' offices in Wilton, CT to the buyer's door. Please see full Terms and Conditions of Sale.

January 7, 2026 10:00 AM EST
Wilton, CT, US

University Archives

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 25% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $299 $20
$300 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $2,999 $200
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 + $5,000