President Abraham Lincoln Grants the Appeal For Amnesty From a Group of Confederates Imprisoned at Camp Morton, Indiana

On December 8, 1863, President Lincoln offered his conciliatory plan for reunification of the United States with his Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction. The proclamation addressed three main areas: 1. It provided for a full pardon for, and restoration of property to, all engaged in the rebellion with the exception of the highest Confederate officials and military leaders, provided they take the oath of allegiance to the United States; 2. It allowed for a new state government to be formed when 10% of eligible voters had taken an oath of allegiance to the United States; and 3. The Southern states admitted in this fashion were encouraged to enact plans to deal with the freed slaves so long as their freedom was not compromised. Lincoln's plan was charitable, considering the costliness of the war in both human and financial terms, and one easy for most Southerners to accept.

Requests for amnesty came from Confederate prisoners of war held in Northern prisons, where many considered the war lost and were anxious to take the oath of allegiance. These men could even return to their homes if they were in Union-controlled areas. Other requests came from Confederate sympathizers who were imprisoned, or from those who had had property confiscated. Many applicants simply wanted to renew their U.S. citizenship to regain the right to vote and hold office. Lincoln’s attitude towards the amnesty applications that came to his desk was a kindly one, never turning down anyone who had not committed serious crimes or displayed acts of cruelty.

This is one of Lincoln’s amnesty orders to free Confederate POWs: ”Let these men take the oath of Dec. 8, 1864 & be discharged. A. Lincoln, March 17, 1865." The writing on the verso gives us insight into who the applicants were, as it indicates that the applications came from Camp Morton, the largest prison camp in Indiana, where large numbers of Confederates were held during the war. The writer tells Lincoln that in addition to the requests he is passing along to the President, 1500 rebels at Camp Morton were “anxious to take” the oath of allegiance”. Perhaps he suggested a plan to accomplish this ambitious goal. This gives us a snapshot of feelings in that camp, and camps like it, as the war drew to its conclusion.

When he signed this order, Lincoln had less than a month to live. On that very day, March 17, Booth's scheme to kidnap Lincoln as he returned from a play at Campbell Hospital on the outskirts of Washington failed when Lincoln changed his plans. Lincoln was assassinated by Booth on April 14 at Ford's Theater. Anything signed by Lincoln during his second term, which lasted only six weeks, is uncommon.