Papers Of Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln to Peter Hagner, 9 September 18371
Springfield Illinois, Sep^t 9^th 1837—To the Third AuditorSir
Enclosed are the proofs made for forwarding payment for a horse lost by John W. Warnsing on the Black Hawk campaign.2 Warnsing has sold the claim to one Thomas Epperson; and both Warnsing at[and] Epperson tell me there is a Power of attorney from Warnsing to Epperson now on file in your office.3

If this be true, I suppose the award & Draft may be made directly to Epperson; if not, let them be made to Warnsing. In either case, if not inconsistent with your regulations, let the letter, enclosing the Draft, be directed to [me at] this place.4 The disbursing officer that paid [Warnsing was the same that paid] Gen^l Henry’s Brigade [?]5 We do not recollect his name.
Respectfully your Ob^t Serv^t[Obedient Servant]A. Lincoln

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[ docketing ]
N^o 1[9?]1
Doct[Doctor] John W Warnsing
$96.656
31 Oct[October] 1837

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SPRINGFIELD Il.
SEP[September] 14
Free
AuditorWashington CityDistrict of Columbia

[ docketing ]
Springfield 9 Sep^t 37[September 1837]
A Lincoln
Rec^d[Received] 25
Ans^d[Answered] 31 Oct

1Abraham Lincoln wrote the text of this letter and his signature, as well as the address and “Free” frank on the back page.

2The proofs Lincoln referred to were not enclosed. A muster roll dated August 16, 1832, noted that John W. Warnsing’s horse was lost in the service of the 4th Regiment.
Ellen M. Whitney, comp., The Black Hawk War, 1831-1832: Illinois Volunteers, vol. 35 of Collections of the Illinois State Historical Library (Springfield: Illinois State Historical Library, 1970), 1:406.

3 In February 1833 and December 1834, Congress passed laws compensating volunteers for horses or arms lost in the war. These laws only allowed pay for horses killed in battle, or dying for want of forage; and by the interpretation of Peter Hagner even these could not be paid for, unless the owner was himself in the public service at the time of the loss.
“An Act for Payment of Horses and Arms Lost in the Military Service of the United States Against the Indians on the Frontiers of Illinois and Michigan Territory,” 19 February 1833, Statutes at Large of the United States 4 (1846):613; “An Act to Provide for the Payment of Claims, for Property Lost, Captured, or Destroyed, by the Enemy, While in the Service of the United States, During the Late War with the Indians on the Frontiers of Illinois and the Michigan Territory,” 30 June 1834, Statutes at Large of the United States 4 (1846):726-27; “Claims for Horses Lost in the Indian War in Illinois, &c.,” Doc. No. 135, 24th Congress, 1st Sess., 1-16.

4Warnsing paid Lincoln $10 for handling this claim for him.
Lincoln conducted legal research for Epperson, Martha L. Benner and Cullom Davis et al., eds., The Law Practice of Abraham Lincoln: Complete Documentary Edition, 2d edition (Springfield: Illinois Historic Preservation Agency, 2009), http://www.lawpracticeofabrahamlincoln.org/Details.aspx?case=141192.

5James Scott was the paymaster under General James D. Henry in the Third Brigade of Mounted Volunteers.
Ellen M. Whitney, comp., The Black Hawk War, 1831-1832: Illinois Volunteers, 1:354.

6The federal government reimbursed Epperson $96.65 for the horse lost by Warnsing.
Treasurer’s Accounts: Letter from the Treasurer of the United States, Transmitting Accounts for the Third and Fourth Quarters of 1837, and the First and Second Quarters of 1838, H.R. Rep. No. 28-233 (1839), 102.