I enjoy that story about Lincoln, and the version posted by Pete Peterson rings true, according to what I know about Lincoln's wry sense of humor. By saying "we fairly captured it" he was, of course, speaking tongue-in-cheek, and I'd bet the part about consulting the Attorney General was Lincoln's joking lie.

Lincoln liked to make fun of legalistic rigmarole. According to this story in the Washington Post, Lincoln may have been the first President to "pardon" a turkey—but it happened on Christmas, not Thanksgiving. Lincoln also "pardoned" his son's toy soldier, who had been "court-martialed" for falling asleep on his post.