President watches parade of 2,500 from Invalid Corps pass White House. Journal, Samuel P. Heintzelman Papers, Library of Congress, Washington, DC; Evening Star (Washington, DC), 17 November 1863, 2d ed., 2:5.

Presents elastic penholder to Atty. Gen. Bates and receives in return quill from Rocky Mountain Bald Eagle, pre-war gift to Bates from J. E. B. Stuart. Bates to Lincoln, 17 November 1863, Abraham Lincoln Papers, Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

At suggestion of Sec. Seward, interviews Judge Duvall of Texas. Seward to Lincoln, 17 November 1863, Abraham Lincoln Papers, Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

Attends cabinet meeting. Abraham Lincoln to Salmon P. Chase, 17 November 1863, CW, 7:15.

Discusses train schedule to Gettysburg with Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton. Evening Star (Washington, DC), 17 November 1863, 2d ed., 2:1; LL, No. 1023.

Recognizes Frederick Hertel as consul of Kingdom of Hanover at Chicago. Washington Chronicle, 20 November 1863.

Issues order concerning Union Pacific Railroad fixing "so much of the Western boundary of the State of Iowa as lies between the North and South boundaries of the United States Township . . . as the point from which the line of railroad . . . shall be constructed." Order Concerning Union Pacific Railroad, 17 November 1863, CW, 7:16.

Alters original one-day schedule to Gettysburg arranged by Stanton : "I do not like this arrangement. I do not wish to so go that by the slightest accident we fail entirely, and, at the best, the whole to be a mere breathless running of the gauntlet." Abraham Lincoln to Edwin M. Stanton, [17 November 1863], CW, 7:16.

In evening examines drawing of burial plot of National Cemetery at Gettysburg with William Saunders, designer. LL, No. 894.

Informs James Speed he has prepared about half of Gettysburg Address. John G. Nicolay, "Lincoln's Gettysburg Address," The Century Magazine 25:597.