Order for Pardon and Release of John O. Brown1Jump to section
Ordered April 1 1863
That John O Brown under sentence of death by judgment of a Court Martial at Indianapolis be and he is hereby pardoned and absolved from the sentence aforesaid; and that he be released from imprisonment and discharged from the service of the United States. By order of the President. A. LINCOLN
EDWIN M STANTON
Secretary of War
Annotation
[1] DS, owned by Emanuel A. Gardiner, New York City. The order is in Stanton's handwriting, signed by Lincoln. On March 19, 1863, Colonel Henry B. Carrington submitted a report to Stanton and Lincoln on the activities of the Knights of the Golden Circle, ``organized to break up the army. I have abundant affidavits and . . . proof. . . . Their success was considerable until the arrest and conviction of John O. Brown, now under sentence of death suspended at my request, that he may be used as a witness before the U.S. district court in May next.'' (OR, II, V, 363-67). See further Lincoln to Morton, July 18, infra.