President by proclamation orders that no plea of alienage be allowed to exempt from military service any person who has declared his intention to become citizen of U.S. Proclamation Concerning Aliens, 8 May 1863, CW, 6:203-4.

President Lincoln writes to Commander of the Army of the Potomac Major General Joseph Hooker regarding the General's recent defeat at Chancellorsville, Virginia. Earlier in the day, Lincoln met with Brigadier General August Willich, whom the Confederates released from Richmond, Virginia's Libby Prison. Lincoln explains,"[Willich] was there when our cavalry cut the roads in that vicinity. He says there was not a sound pair [of] legs in Richmond, and that our men, had they known it, could have safely gone in and burnt every thing & brought us Jeff. Davis." Abraham Lincoln to Joseph Hooker, 8 May 1863, CW, 6:202-3.

Orders U.S. marshal for northern district of California to deliver New Almaden mining property to Leonard Swett, agent for U.S. Abraham Lincoln to Charles W. Rand, 8 May 1863, CW, 6:205-6.

Requests Asst. Sec. Watson to act upon case of Peckham's patent rifles and self-loading cartridges. Abraham Lincoln to Peter H. Watson, 8 May 1863, CW, 6:206.

At cabinet meeting Sec. Welles reports capture of Grand Gulf, Miss., by Acting Rear Adm. Porter. Welles, Diary.

Inscribes Bible "For Charles W. Merrill of 19th Massachusetts." CW, 8:515.