July 22, 1862: Abraham Lincoln’s Notes on Recruiting Black Soldiers

Basler suggests these undated notes may have been written around the time of the July 22 cabinet meeting.

Transcript:

To recruiting free negroes, no objection.

To recruiting slaves of disloyal owners, no objection.

To recruiting slaves of loyal owners, with their consent, no objection.

To recruiting slaves of loyal owners without consent, objection, unless the necessity is urgent.

To conducting offensively, while recruiting, and to carrying away slaves not suitable for recruits, objection.

Citation: Abraham Lincoln, notes on recruiting Negroes: autograph manuscript. Washington, D.C., [1862 July 22?].  AMs 354/10