Pass for James Harrison1Jump to section
Washington, Dec. 22, 1864.
Allow Mr. James Harrison, of St. Louis, Mo. at such point as he may choose, to pass our military lines, once and return, at his pleasure. A. LINCOLN
Annotation
[1] ADS, MoSHi; ADf, DLC-RTL. Letters from Edward Bates, December 12, and Samuel T. Glover and others, December 15, 1864, recommended Harrison to Lincoln (DLC-RTL). On December 17 at Washington, Harrison wrote Lincoln:
``Believing that I can command the influence and credit necessary to bring out a large amount of cotton from Red River and its tributaries, say from 10,000 bales upwards . . . and supposing that it would be an object of importance to the Government to get out cotton in large quantities; I have determined to ask permission to pass through our lines to go up Red River to the head quarters of the rebel commander to negotiate arrangements for his permission to trade. . . .
``When I shall have made arrangements with the Confederate authorities to bring out cotton, and for their protection to my Boats and property against seizure; I want your permission to take steam Boats through our lines to within the Confederate lines and return with their cargoes
``To accomplish this object . . . I respectfully ask an order from the President, or from the Secretaries of both the army and Navy to their respective commanders in that department. . . .'' (Ibid.).
See further Lincoln's order of December 23, infra.