3914

WA - Oct. 30, 1862 - Civil War General Order :

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles / Western Americana Start Price:50.00 USD Estimated At:100.00 - 200.00 USD
WA - Oct. 30, 1862 - Civil War General Order :
An original general order No. 174 issued by President Abraham Lincoln. This order exemplifies the compassion, understanding and fairness of president Lincoln in "Not approving the death sentence of Jose Maria Rivas" who had been found guilty of the charge of "Lurking or acting as a spy" during the winter of 1861-1862 "Against the federal troops in New Mexico;" and for that reason had been sentenced by a military commission, "to be shot to death by a detachment of New Mexican volunteers, at such time and place as the department commander may designate: two thirds of the member concurring therein." President Lincoln's answer to the findings of the military commission read as follows: "Waiving the question of jurisdiction in the case, the sentence is not approved, because the accused is not shown to have been within our lines in disguise, or by false pretense, except by hearsay testimony; and because in his admission that he was a 'spy,' he may not have understood the technical term, and may have meant no more than that he was a scout of the enemy. He clearly is a prisoner of war." Great condition, minor stains. Two pages long (front to back).