To Edwin M. Stanton1Jump to section
The subscribers of this letter are most worthy & reliable gentlemen. They ask three things.
1st. That the City of Rock-Island, which is on the main land, Illinois side, may have consent of the U.S. to build a bridge across the Slough to Rock-Island, which Island belongs to the U.S.
2nd. That Capt. Ben. Harper be appointed Post-Quarter-Master; and William Baily Military Storekeeper.
3rd. That the Island be not thrown into a Military Department lying West of the River.
I submit the whole to the Secretary of War. A. LINCOLN
Aug. 14. 1863.
Annotation
[1] AES, IHi. Lincoln's endorsement is written on the back of a letter from Ira O. Wilkinson and Thomas J. Buford, August 12, 1863. An endorsement by Halleck dated August 20 is partly torn off but the concluding portion is as follows:
`` . . . to another dept has never, to my knowledge been contemplated.
``Permission to build a private bridge on public land is not recommended.
``I have no knowledge of Messrs Harper & Baily and therefore cannot recommend them.''
Neither Captain Benjamin Harper nor William Baily is listed in federal service.