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On April 6, 1863, President Lincoln signed an order: “Peter H. Watson, Esq, Assistant Secretary of War is authorized to perform the duties of Secretary of War during the temporary absence of Secretary Stanton from Washington.”5

Watson had been an attorney on the McCormick Reaper trial and worked effectively to side Mr. Lincoln as a co-counsel. Watson, who was associated with the chief counsel, George Harding, was sent to Springfield to talk to Lincoln. Harding wrote: “Watson was satisfied that he was not the associate we wanted, but after some conversation, concluded that Lincoln had qualities which might be rather effective in that community, that it would be unwise to incur his hostility by turning him down after consulting him, and paid him a retained (at which he seemed much surprised), arranged for quite a substantial fee to be paid at the close of the litigation, and left him under the impression that he was to make an argument and should prepare himself for it.”6 Watson apparently advised Harding that Lincoln should not make a presentation to the jury. 

Prior to Lincoln’s inauguration in 1861, then Attorney General Stanton used Watson as a conduit of information to Senator William H. Seward – and thus to President-elect Lincoln – about what the Buchanan Administration was doing.

Watson left the War Department on July 31, 1864 to enter coal mining in Pennsylvania and Ohio. Watson subsequently became president of the Erie Railroad (1872-1875). 

**From http://www.mrlincolnswhitehouse.org/www_redesign/inside.asp?ID=736&subjectID=2 

Also mentioned in Doris Kearns Goodwin, Team of Rivals, 173-5; 298-9; 412; 450

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Biography: 
On April 6, 1863, President Lincoln signed an order: “Peter H. Watson, Esq, Assistant Secretary of War is authorized to perform the duties of Secretary of War during the temporary absence of Secretary Stanton from Washington.”5 Watson had been an attorney on the McCormick Reaper trial and worked effectively to side Mr. Lincoln as a co-counsel. Watson, who was associated with the chief counsel, George Harding, was sent to Springfield to talk to Lincoln. Harding wrote: “Watson was satisfied that he was not the associate we wanted, but after some conversation, concluded that Lincoln had qualities which might be rather effective in that community, that it would be unwise to incur his hostility by turning him down after consulting him, and paid him a retained (at which he seemed much surprised), arranged for quite a substantial fee to be paid at the close of the litigation, and left him under the impression that he was to make an argument and should prepare himself for it.”6 Watson apparently advised Harding that Lincoln should not make a presentation to the jury. Prior to Lincoln’s inauguration in 1861, then Attorney General Stanton used Watson as a conduit of information to Senator William H. Seward – and thus to President-elect Lincoln – about what the Buchanan Administration was doing. Watson left the War Department on July 31, 1864 to enter coal mining in Pennsylvania and Ohio. Watson subsequently became president of the Erie Railroad (1872-1875). **From http://www.mrlincolnswhitehouse.org/www_redesign/inside.asp?ID=736&subjectID=2 Also mentioned in Doris Kearns Goodwin, Team of Rivals, 173-5; 298-9; 412; 450
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http://www.mrlincolnswhitehouse.org/inside.asp?ID=736&subjectID=2
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Mr. Lincoln's White House
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