Wilbur F. Boggs to Abraham Lincoln, 19 April 18551
Kingston MissouriApril 19th 1855–Sir
I am requested by Mr Clandey Barnette late of Sangamon County Illinois— who was a private in a Company Commanded by you in the “Black Hawk War” to apply to you for his discharge2 he says he never has received as yet a discharge— and desires it to present with
his Claim for Bounty Land under act of March 3d 1855–3 You will much oblige Mr Barnette, by send his discharge to me by return mail–
Very Respectfully Yours &c[etc.]Wilbur F BoggsEdward Lincoln Esqr[Esquire]Springfield, Ill
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05/14/1855Springfield, Ills.[Illinois] May 14– 1855W. F. Boggs, Esq.[Esquire]Kingston, Mo[Missouri]–
05/14/1855Springfield, Ills.[Illinois] May 14– 1855W. F. Boggs, Esq.[Esquire]Kingston, Mo[Missouri]–
Although my christian name is Abraham, and not Edward, the within letter is evidently intended for me– Whether I ever gave Mr Barnett a discharge I can not remember; nor do I know whether it would now be proper for me give him one, not having,
or knowing where to find, any of the old rolls or papers of my company–4 I do very well remember, however, that Clardy Barnett, a small man, with a scar on his face, and not far from my own age, which is now
46, did serve more than fourteen days (near forty I think) in the company of which
I had the command as Captain,5 in Col.[Colonel] Thompson's Regiment of Mounted Volunteers, in the Black-Hawk War of 1832— and that he was entitled to an honorable discharge–
We went from Sangamon county, Illinois; and Samuel Whiteside of Madison Co, Ills, was our Brigadier General–
Yours &CA. Lincoln–62Captain Abraham Lincoln commanded one of the four companies in the Fourth Illinois Regiment of Mounted Volunteers.
Isaac H. Elliott, Record of the Services of Illinois Soldiers in the Black Hawk War, 1831-32, and in
the Mexican War, 1846-48
(Springfield, IL: Rokker, 1882), 100.
3The bounty land act of March 3, 1855 granted each of the surviving officers, musicians,
and privates who were regularly mustered into service in any United States wars after
1790 a certificate or warrant from the Department of the Interior for 160 acres of land. A bounty-land warrant application submitted by a “Claudy Barnette”
who served in Lincoln’s company is undoubtedly a misspelling of the name Clardy Barnette;
it was approved.
“An Act in Addition to Certain Acts Granting Bounty Land to Certain Officers and Soldiers
Who Have Been Engaged in the Military Service of the United States,” 3 March 1855,
Statutes at Large of the United States 10 (1855):701; “Claudy Barnette, Private,” Unindexed Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files, 1812-1855, Fold3, https://www.fold3.com/publication/918/bounty-land-warrant-applications-index, accessed 27 July 2022.
4Lincoln did sign a number of certificates of discharge for volunteers under his command
in 1832 and 1833, but there is no record of Lincoln signing a certificate for Clardy
Barnett.
5Section three of the bounty land act of March 3, 1855, stipulated that at least fourteen
days of service was required—unless the veteran participated in a battle—to receive
the 160 acres.
“An Act in Addition to Certain Acts Granting Bounty Land to Certain Officers and Soldiers
Who Have Been Engaged in the Military Service of the United States,” 3 March 1855,
Statutes at Large of the United States 10 (1855):702.
Autograph Letter Signed, 2 page(s), Box 5, Lincoln Collection, Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum (Springfield, IL).