Annotation
[1] ALS, DLC-RTL. James B. Colt's letter to William Hoffman, commissary general of prisoners, August 18, 1863, requesting the release of Singleton Wilson, bears Hoffman's endorsement referring the letter to Stanton, Stanton's endorsement referring it to General Ethan A. Hitchcock, and Hitchcock's endorsement of disapproval (DLC-RTL). On the bottom of Lincoln's letter Stanton wrote the following endorsement:
``The Secretary of War respectfully reports that in his opinion the release within requested upon the terms stated, should not be granted. He has been over two years voluntarily in the rebel service. He is a young gentleman of education obtained membership in a military organization under pretext of serving the government, has ever since and until his capture at Vicksburg borne arms against the government and is believed to be an officer of an organization that has been distinguished for active & relentless hostility against the United States. If such offences are to be taken out of the general rule of captives of war what should not be? He stands good at least for the release of one Union soldier from bondage. I am unwilling that our soldiers should lose that chance for the sake of favoring one who is so deep in this war and in crime against this government. For this reason as well as those assigned by General Hitchcock I advise against any mitigation of the laws of war in his favor.''
See further Lincoln to Bates, August 20, infra.