Gen. Burnside consults with President and restates part of conversation in letter: "Doubtless this difference of opinion between my general officers and myself results from a lack of confidence in me. . . . It is my belief that I ought to retire to private life." Abraham Lincoln to Henry W. Halleck, 1 January 1863, CW, 6:31-33.

New Year's Day reception at White House begins at 10 a.m. with reception of foreign ministers, followed by the general public at noon until 2 p.m. The President "looked well---was never nearer gay or buoyant." Daily National Republican (Washington, DC), 2 January 1863, 2:3; Washington Chronicle, 2 January 1863; Notes, 1 January 1863, John G. Nicolay Papers, Library of Congress, Washington, DC..

Army officers assemble at War Department and attend reception in body. Journal, Samuel P. Heintzelman Papers, Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

Secretary of the Navy Gideon Welles exchanges greetings with President and colleagues at Executive Mansion. Welles, Diary.

At noon Secretary of State William H. Seward and Assistant Secretary of State Frederick W. Seward take official copy of Emancipation Proclamation to room in White House where cabinet meets. Shortly afterward President signs it. Frederick W. Seward, Reminiscences of a War-Time Statesman and Diplomat, 1830-1915. By Frederick W. Seward, Assistant Secretary of State during the Administrations of Lincoln, Johnson, and Hayes (New York: Putnam, 1916), 227.

After White House reception Lincoln goes to telegraph office in War Department, settles at Major Thomas T. Eckert's desk, puts feet on nearby table, and relaxes in conversation with General Henry W. Halleck and Assistant Secretary Fox. Bates, Telegraph Office, 143.

Prepares instructions for General Halleck to visit Burnside's headquarters and pass judgment on plan to move army across Rappahannock, then withdraws instructions because considered harsh by Halleck. Abraham Lincoln to Henry W. Halleck, 1 January 1863, CW, 6:31-33.

Directs Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton to investigate "piteous appeal . . . made . . . by an old lady" who had been ordered to evacuate her boarding house. Abraham Lincoln to Edwin M. Stanton, 1 January 1863, CW, 6:33.

George P. Strong, resident of St. Louis, delivers to President letter from Gen. Curtis regarding order to exile Rev. McPheeters. Abraham Lincoln to Samuel R. Curtis, 2 January 1863, CW, 6:33-34.

Gen. Butler at White House in evening for conference. Washington Chronicle, 3 January 1863.

Says President asks him to go to Mississippi and organize Negro troops. Benjamin F. Butler, Autobiography and Personal Reminiscences . . . Butler's Book (Boston: A. M. Thayer, 1892), 549-50.

President submits to Congress expediency of appointing an acting head of government department. Abraham Lincoln to the Senate and House of Representatives, 2 January 1863, CW, 6:34-35.

Sen. Browning (Ill.) confers with President about Confederates attacking Fortress Monroe, Va. Browning, Diary.

Prof. Benjamin N. Martin, "University of the City of New York," calls on Lincoln regarding restoration of Gen. Benham's commission. Abraham Lincoln to Joseph Holt, 3 January 1863, CW, 6:35.

Deputation of thirty Jews, including a distinguished Rabbi, meet with the President regarding General Ulysses S. Grant's Order No. 11 banishing Jews from his department. Upon hearing the facts, Lincoln rescinds the order. Daily National Republican (Washington, DC), 5 January 1863, 2d ed., 2:1.

President sends to Senate convention for adjustment of claims between U.S. and Ecuador. Abraham Lincoln to the Senate, 3 January 1863, CW, 6:35-36.

Receives word that U.S.S. "Monitor" has foundered in gale off Cape Hatteras, N.C. Nicolay to Bates, 4 January 1863, John G. Nicolay Papers, Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

Committee composed of Giles F. Filley, merchant, and James E. Yeatman, banker, of St. Louis presents memorial of citizens asking relief for Reverend McPheeters. Abraham Lincoln to Samuel R. Curtis, 2 January 1863, CW, 6:33-34.

Lincoln responds to appeal: "Let this woman have her boy out of Old Capitol Prison." Endorsement, 3 January 1863, CW, 6:35.

Cesar J. Kaskel, sponsored by Cong. John A. Gurley (Ohio), interviews Lincoln regarding order issued by Gen. Grant expelling Jews from Military Department of Tennessee. Bertram W. Korn, American Jewry and the Civil War (Philadelphia, PA: Jewish Publication Society of America, 1951), 125.

James M. Winchell, newspaper correspondent, interviews President on Battle of Stone's River. J. M. Winchell, "Three Interviews with President Lincoln," Galaxy 16 (July 1873):33-34.

Lincoln attends New York Avenue Presbyterian Church and drives Sen. Browning (Ill.) home. Browning, Diary.

Lincoln directs Secretary of the Navy Gideon Welles to "hear and consider" the requests of "refugees" from Virginia who seek to "remove their families and property to protection within the Union lines, by means of our armed gunboats on the Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay." Lincoln states that "many persons" have applied for "permission" to relocate, and he asks Welles to determine the "proper" way to assist them. Abraham Lincoln to Gideon Welles, 4 January 1863, CW, 6:36.

President and Sec. Stanton in morning conference on army affairs. Abraham Lincoln to Edwin M. Stanton, 12 January 1863, CW, 6:55.

Lincoln instructs Judge Adv. Gen. Holt to revise proceedings of courtmartial in case of Gen. Fitz John Porter, on trial in connection with failure of Gen. Pope's campaign, August 1862, and to report on other aspects of trial. Abraham Lincoln to Joseph Holt, 12 January 1863, CW, 5:54.

Acknowledges receipt of resolutions of Connecticut Legislature favorable to administration forwarded by Gov. Buckingham (Conn.). Abraham Lincoln to William A. Buckingham, 12 January 1863, CW, 5:54.

Senator Charles Sumner (Mass.) calls on President at night and reads letter from George Livermore of Boston acknowledging receipt of pen used by Lincoln to sign "New Years" proclamation (Emancipation Proclamation). Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper, 31 January 1863; Daily National Republican (Washington, DC), 7 January 1863, 2d ed., 2:4.

Mrs. Lincoln borrows "Why Paul Ferroll killed his wife" from Library of Congress. [Mrs. Caroline Wigley Clive, Why Paul Ferroll killed his wife, London, 1860.] Borrowers' Ledger 1861-63, 114, Archives of the Library of Congress, Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

Cabinet examines intercepted mail in possession of Sec. Welles. Welles, Diary.

President informs House of Representatives that it would not be compatible with public interest to make known communications with New Granada (Colombia and Panama). Abraham Lincoln to the House of Representatives, 14 January 1863, CW, 6:56-58.

Relative to practical advantages of Emancipation Proclamation he writes General Dix at Fortress Monroe, Va.: "I therefore will thank you for your well considered opinion whether Fortress-Monroe, and York-Town, one or both, could not, in whole or in part, be garrisoned by colored troops, leaving the white forces now necessary at those places to be employed elsewhere." Abraham Lincoln to John A. Dix, 14 January 1863, CW, 6:56.

Secretary of State William H. Seward introduces George-Etienne Cartier of Canada, recently Attorney General and Premier of Canada East, to the President. Daily National Republican (Washington, DC), 14 January 1863, 2d ed., 2:1.

In morning President confers with Capt. Dahlgren at Navy Yard regarding Capt. Diller's gunpowder. Extracts from Dahlgren Diary, John G. Nicolay Papers, Library of Congress, Washington, DC; Endorsement Concerning Isaac R. Diller's Gundpowder, 15 January 1863, CW, 6:59.

Meets with Horace Greeley, editor of the New-York Tribune. Newspaper reports that warrant against Greeley for libel by District of Columbia Marshal Ward H. Lamon is withheld or withdrawn altogether. Daily National Republican (Washington, DC), 16 January 1863, 2d ed., 2:5.

Cabinet meets. Welles, Diary.

Cong. Robert McKnight (Pa.) and Gen. Heintzelman interview President regarding appointment of Heintzelman's son to West Point. Journal, Samuel P. Heintzelman Papers, Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

Lincoln borrows "Hume's England 2d" from Library of Congress. [David Hume, The History of England from the Invasion of Julius Caesar to the Revolution in 1688, Boston, 1854.] Borrowers' Ledger 1861-63, 114, Archives of the Library of Congress, Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

In morning Lincoln discusses state of Union with Horace Greeley, then interviews Capt. James M. Rice accompanied by former Sen. O. H. Browning (Ill.), Washington attorney. Browning, Diary.

Lincoln signs a resolution that Congress passed concerning military pay. The resolution allows the treasury secretary to "make an additional issue of one hundred millions of dollars . . . for the payment of the army and navy." Lincoln seeks a "prompt discharge of all arrears of pay due to our soldiers and our sailors." He takes the opportunity to address the over-issuance of government and bank notes. Lincoln explains, "A judicious measure to prevent the deterioration of this currency, by a reasonable taxation of bank circulation or otherwise is needed." Abraham Lincoln to the Senate and House of Representatives, 17 January 1863, CW, 6:60-62.

Mrs. Lincoln holds Saturday afternoon reception. Fox, Diary, Gist-Blair Family Papers, Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

President attends morning service at Foundry Methodist Episcopal Church, 14th and G Streets NW, to hear sermon of Bishop Matthew Simpson on the missionary cause. The audience collects $150 to honor the President as a "Life Director" of the American Missionary Society. Daily National Republican (Washington, DC), 19 January 1863, 2d ed., 3:1; Washington Chronicle, 19 January 1863.

Converses with Assoc. Justice Davis on topics in general and reconstructed cabinet in particular. Browning, Diary.

President replies to laudatory address from workingmen of Manchester, England: "It is now a pleasant duty to acknowledge the demonstration you have given of your desire that a spirit of peace and amity towards this country may prevail in the councils of your Queen." Abraham Lincoln to the Workingmen of Manchester, England, 19 January 1863, CW, 6:63-65.

In afternoon J. E. Murdoch gives patriotic readings to select group at White House. In evening President and Mrs. Lincoln attend readings in Senate Chamber for benefit of sick and wounded soldiers. Murdoch reads "Sleeping Sentinel" by Francis De Haes Janvier. LL, No. 544; Daily National Republican (Washington, DC), 19 January 1863, 2d ed., 3:3, 20 January 1863, 2d ed., 2:1; Washington Chronicle, 20 January 1863.

At cabinet meeting President asks secretaries for opinions on relative merits of five-foot gauge railroad as opposed to four-foot-one-and-a-half-inch gauge. Order Establishing Gauge of Union Pacific Railroad, 21 January 1863, CW, 6:68.

Transmits to Senate report regarding exportation of articles of contraband for use of French army in Mexico. Abraham Lincoln to the Senate, 20 January 1863, CW, 6:66-67.

Receives request from Gov. Yates (Ill.) for appointment of Col. William Ross as bearer of dispatches so that he may go to Europe for eye operation. Yates to Lincoln, 20 January 1863, Abraham Lincoln Papers, Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

Army of Potomac on march. Blizzard sweeps country. Lincoln in White House hears frozen crystals beat on windows of office. Monaghan, Diplomat, 279.

Deplores distress of people in southwest Missouri and informs Samuel T. Glover, prominent Unionist, that Congress would oppose extension of railroad to Springfield, Mo. Abraham Lincoln to Samuel T. Glover, 20 January 1863, CW, 6:66.