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[Presidential pardon of Rasmus Benson who in Maryland in September 1862 was convicted of inflicting cruel and unusual punishment on a seaman].

Pardoned by Abraham Lincoln because Benson had been imprisoned for failure to pay the fine, because Benson's offense against the Criminalizing Mutiny on the High Seas Act (March 3, 1835, c. 40, sec. 1 and 2) was of a technical nature, and because the...

GLC00043.21

[Presidential pardon of James Dillion, who in New York City had been convicted in June 1860 of mutiny on board the William F. Storer].

James Dillion was pardoned by Abraham Lincoln near the end of his sentence because of his good behavior while incarcerated in Sing Sing Prison, on the petition of citizens, and on the recommendation of the U. S. District Attorney for the Southern...

GLC00044.04

[Pardon of Michael Bright and eight others for obstructing justice].

Countersigned by Secretary of State Robert Smith. Pardoned by Madison because their crimes arose from a sense of duty, not disobediance. The recipients of the pardon were Michael Bright, James Atkinson, William Cole, Charles Westfall, Samuel...

GLC00045.01

to Walter Stewart

Writes to Colonel Stewart to ask how he is addressing a recent mutiny in the Continental Army, referred to as "the unhappy and disgraceful dispute." Also notes the expected arrival of General George Washington. On January 1, 1781, soldiers under...

GLC00139

to Henry Knox

This letter uses oblique language (apparently chosen to avoid its detection by Newburgh conspirators) to call for a meeting of Generals Henry Knox and Jedediah Huntington: "I should be glad to see you & General Huntington at Dinner but be here...

GLC00390