Abraham Lincoln actually said...

You are hereby appointed chief of construction and transportation in the Department of the Rappahannock, with the rank of colonel, and attac...

You are also authorized to take possession of and use all railroads, engines, cars, buildings, machinery, and appurtenances within the geogr...

You are authorized to do whatever you may deem expedient to open for use in the shortest possible time all military railroads now or hereaft...

I am not aware that a dollar of the public funds thus confided without authority of law to unofficial persons was either lost or wasted, alt...