During Battle of Chancellorsville President telegraphs Gen. Butterfield: "Where is Gen. Hooker? Where is [Gen. John] Sedgwick? where is Stoneman?" Abraham Lincoln to Daniel Butterfield, 3 May 1863, CW, 6:196.

In afternoon Lincoln meets with Sec. Stanton and Gens. Halleck and Heintzelman at War Dept. They are alarmed about Orange and Alexandria Railroad. Journal, Samuel P. Heintzelman Papers, Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

Lincoln at telegraph office with Asst. Sec. Fox in evening until 11 P.M. Fox, Diary, Gist-Blair Family Papers, Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

"We [President and associates] know very little about what has been accomplished." Nicolay to Bates, 3 May 1863, John G. Nicolay Papers, Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

Sec. Welles meets President in afternoon at War Dept. where they await news from Chancellorsville, Va. Welles, Diary.

"We [includes President] have been in a terrible suspense here for two days as the result of a battle which Joe Hooker is fighting on the Rappahannock." Nicolay to Bates, 4 May 1863, John G. Nicolay Papers, Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

Lincoln telegraphs Hooker 3:10 P.M.: "We have news here that the enemy has reoccupied heights above Fredericksburg. Is that so?" Abraham Lincoln to Joseph Hooker, 4 May 1863, CW, 6:196.

Cabinet meets. President reads telegram from Gen. Hooker admitting that Confederates hold works on heights of Fredericksburg, Va. Little else of importance. Welles, Diary.

In afternoon Sen. Sumner (Mass.) and Sec. Welles at Navy Dept. discuss army under Hooker. President arrives at department and joins discussion. Welles, Diary.

Receives April salary warrant for $2,022.33. Pratt, Personal Finances, 182.

President sends for Asst. Sec. Fox before breakfast. Asks him to take Richmond newspapers to Gen. Hooker's headquarters. Fox, Diary, Gist-Blair Family Papers, Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

9:40 A.M. Lincoln telegraphs Hooker: "God bless you, and all with you. I know you will do your best." 11:40 A.M. Lincoln to Hooker: "We have, through Gen. Dix, the contents of Richmond papers of the fifth (5th). Gen. Dix's despatch in full, is going to you by Capt. Fox of the Navy." 12:30 P.M. Lincoln to Hooker: "Just as I had telegraphed you contents of Richmond papers, showing that our cavalry has not failed, I received General Butterfield's of 11 a.m. yesterday. This, with the great rain of yesterday and last night, securing your right flank, I think puts a new face upon your case; but you must be the judge." 4:30 P.M. Hooker to Lincoln: "Have this moment returned to camp. On my way received your telegrams of 11 a.m. and 12.30. The army had previously recrossed the river, and was on its return to camp. . . . I saw no way of giving the enemy a general battle with the prospect of success." Abraham Lincoln to Joseph Hooker, 6 May 1863, CW, 6:198-99; Abraham Lincoln to Joseph Hooker, 6 May 1863, CW, 6:199; Abraham Lincoln to Joseph Hooker, 6 May 1863, CW, 6:199-200.

About 3 P.M. President receives news from Chancellorsville, Va., and leaves at 4 P.M. for army, taking Gen. Halleck with him. Brooks, Washington, 56.

Sen. Sumner (Mass.) visits White House and President informs him of defeat at Chancellorsville. Welles, Diary.

President and Gen. Halleck spend day with Gen. Hooker and Army of Potomac. Washington Chronicle, 8 May 1863.

Telegraphs Sec. Stanton : "Have you any news? and if any what is it? I expect to be up to-night." Abraham Lincoln to Edwin M. Stanton, 7 May 1863, CW, 6:201.

Lincoln back in Washington tonight from visit to Army of Potomac. Thinks "troops are none the worse for the campaign." Diary, Montgomery C. Meigs Papers, Library of Congress, Washington, DC; "Castine" [Noah Brooks], Washington, 8 May 1863, in Sacramento Union, 5 June 1863.

Mrs. Blair and friends visit Mrs. Lincoln. Fox, Diary, Gist-Blair Family Papers, Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

President writes Hooker: "The recent movement of your army is ended without effecting its object. . . . What next? Have you already in your mind a plan wholly, or partially formed? If you have, prosecute it without interference from me. If you have not, please inform me, so that I, incompetent as I may be, can try [to] assist in the formation of some plan for the Army." Abraham Lincoln to Joseph Hooker, 7 May 1863, CW, 6:201.

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.

President interviews Gen. Sigel regarding assignment. N.Y. Herald, 10 May 1863.

Receives report of Capt. Diller that 1,000 pounds of new gunpowder is ready for trial at Frankford Arsenal, Pa. Diller report to Lincoln, 31 October 1863, Abraham Lincoln Papers, Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

Walks to Treasury Park with Sec. Stanton to watch demonstration of liquid fire by A. Berney. Bruce, Tools of War, 238.

Directs Gen. Dix: "It is very important for Hooker to know exactly what damage is done to the Railroads, at all points between Fredericksburg and Richmond. . . . Please ascertain fully what was done, & what is the present condition, as near as you can, and advise me at once." Abraham Lincoln to John A. Dix, 9 May 1863, CW, 6:207.

President announces provost marshals for Maryland appointed under act of March 3, 1863. Washington Chronicle, 20 May 1863.

President Lincoln writes to Major General Joseph Hooker about military strategy. Due to the fact that the Confederate forces "hav[e] re-established . . . communications, regained . . . positions and . . . received re-inforcements," Lincoln surmises, "it does not now appear probable to me that you can gain any thing by an early renewal of the attempt to cross the Rappahannock [River]." Lincoln also confides, "I must tell you I have some painful intimations that some of your corps and Division Commanders are not giving you their entire confidence. This would be ruinous, if true." Abraham Lincoln to Joseph Hooker, 14 May 1863, CW, 6:217-18.

President drives to office of Rear Adm. Dahlgren at Navy Yard; later Dahlgren returns to town with him. Extracts from Dahlgren Diary, John G. Nicolay Papers, Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

Cong. George S. Boutwell (Mass.) meets President on White House steps and goes upstairs with him to locate on map Gen. Grant's position in rear of Vicksburg, Miss., after crossing Black River today. George S. Boutwell, Reminiscences of Sixty Years in Public Affairs, 2 vols. (New York: McClure, Phillips, 1902), 2:307.

Lincoln declares Judge H. H. Leavitt's denial of motion for habeas corpus in Vallandigham case is equal to three victories in field. [Writ denied May 16, 1863.] Harper, Press, 243.

In the afternoon, President Lincoln is in the East Room of the White House, where he meets with "20 or 30 one-legged soldiers." Chaplain J. C. Richmond accompanies the St. Elizabeth's Hospital veterans, and he notes, "These maimed heroes, sir, are eloquent without uttering a word. The limbs that are absent speak more loudly than the arms and legs that are here." A newspaper reports, "The President shook hands with all of them, calling them 'my boys,' and congratulating them on their brave and noble deeds." Remarks to "The One-Legged Brigade", 22 May 1863, CW, 6:226-27; Daily National Intelligencer (Washington, D.C.), 25 May 1863, 1:6; Chicago Daily Tribune (IL), 23 May 1863, 1:2.

President Lincoln writes to commanding officer for the District of Memphis Major General Stephen A. Hurlbut, and reports on what he is reading in the "Richmond [Virginia] newspapers" about the battles taking place near Vicksburg, Mississippi. Confederate Generals John C. Pemberton, William W. Loring, and Joseph E. Johnston, whom Lincoln mistakenly refers to as "Johnson," are trying to defend Vicksburg against Union General Ulysses S. Grant's attacks. Lincoln writes, "Grant beat Pemberton & Loring near Edwards' Station, at the end of a nine hours fight, driving Pemberton over the Big Black [Bridge] & cutting Loring off, & driving him South to Chrystal-Springs...Joe Johnson telegraphed all this, except about Loring, from his camp between Brownsville & Lexington, on the 18th." Abraham Lincoln to Stephen A. Hurlbut, 22 May 1863, CW, 6:226.

President in conference at War Dept. with Secs. Stanton and Welles, Asst. Sec. Fox, and Gen. Halleck regarding attack on Charleston. Welles, Diary.

Authorizes Stanton to confer with W. Butler, former state treasurer of Illinois, "and see if something definite can not be done in the case" of state claims against Illinois Central Railroad, and claims of railroad against U.S. Abraham Lincoln to Edwin M. Stanton, 23 May 1863, CW, 6:227-28.

J. R. Gilmore reports to President on recent trip to Gen. Rosecrans' headquarters in Murfreesboro, Tenn. Trip made at behest of Horace Greeley to measure Rosecrans' fitness to succeed Lincoln as President. James R. Gilmore, Personal Recollections of Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War (Boston: Page, 1898), 148.

President Lincoln and Republican U.S. Senator James R. Doolittle, of Wisconsin, visit three Washington, D. C. hospitals. A newspaper reports, "The President expressed his gratification at the excellent condition of the hospitals and the comfortable condition of the patients. He shook hands with over one thousand soldiers, nearly all of whom were able to stand up. The soldiers seemed highly delighted as the President grasped them by the hand." New York Herald, 26 May 1863, 7:3.

Inquires of Col. Anson Stager about report of William G. Fuller at Memphis, Tenn., regarding capture of Vicksburg, Miss. "Did he know what he said, or did he say it without knowing it? Your despatch of this afternoon throws doubt upon it." Abraham Lincoln to Anson Stager, 24 May 1863, CW, 6:228-29.

President visits number of hospitals in and around city. Washington Chronicle, 27 May 1863.

President Lincoln writes to Illinois Congressman Isaac N. Arnold, who had criticized General Halleck Henry W. Halleck, who oversees the Union military. Arnold claimed that the public had "lost . . . confidence" in Halleck, and many believed that Halleck's "hostility" caused other generals to leave "public service." Lincoln replies, "I am compelled to take a more impartial and unprejudiced view of things. Without claiming to be your superior, which I do not, my position enables me to understand my duty in all these matters better than you possibly can, and I hope you do not yet doubt my integrity." Isaac N. Arnold to Abraham Lincoln, 18 May 1863, Abraham Lincoln Papers, Library of Congress, Washington, D. C.; Abraham Lincoln to Isaac N. Arnold, 26 May 1863, CW, 6:230-31.

There seems to be a "kind of council of war" in session at White House. Journal, Samuel P. Heintzelman Papers, Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

Cabinet discusses release of man condemned as spy. Welles, Diary.

President Lincoln writes to General John M. Schofield, whom he named commander of the Department of the Missouri, replacing General Samuel R. Curtis. Lincoln cites Missouri's "factional quarrel" that pits Curtis against Missouri Governor Hamilton R. Gamble. Lincoln explains, "After months of labor to reconcile the difficulty, it seemed to grow worse and worse until I felt it my duty to break it up some how; and as I could not remove Gov. Gamble, I had to remove Gen. Curtis." Lincoln advises, "[E]xercise your own judgment, and do right for the public interest. Let your military measures be strong enough to repel the invader and keep the peace, and not so strong as to unnecessarily harrass and persecute the people. It is a difficult role, and so much greater will be the honor if you perform it well." Abraham Lincoln to John M. Schofield, 27 May 1863, CW, 6:234.

Recognizes Christian Bars as consul of Netherlands for Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire. Washington Star, 29 May 1863.

Telegraphs Gen. Hooker: "Have you Richmond papers of this morning? If so, what news?" Asks Gen. Rosecrans: "Have you anything from Grant? Where is [Gen. Nathan B.] Forrest's [(CSA)] Head Quarters?" Abraham Lincoln to Joseph Hooker, 27 May 1863, CW, 6:233; Abraham Lincoln to William S. Rosecrans, 27 May 1863, CW, 6:233.

Sen. McDougall (Calif.) calls and asks that Maj. Kip may be made brigadier general. Memorandum: Appointment of Lawrence Kip, 28 May 1863, CW, 6:236.

President confers again with J. R. Gilmore and declines to give official countenance to Col. Jaquess' project to try to arrange a peace. James R. Gilmore, Personal Recollections of Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War (Boston: Page, 1898), 155-56.

Authorizes Gen. Rosecrans to give Jacquess furlough to go into Confederate territory to seek out members of Methodist Church and others opposed to war and to arrange terms for their return to allegiance which would be acceptable to government. Abraham Lincoln to William S. Rosecrans, 28 May 1863, CW, 6:236.

Gen. Burnside expresses to President willingness to be relieved of command following arrest of former Cong. Vallandigham (Ohio) if interest of public service requires it. President supports Burnside. Abraham Lincoln to Ambrose E. Burnside, 29 May 1863, CW, 6:237.

Lincoln and Sec. Stanton visit Navy Yard to observe firing of Ferris gun. Bruce, Tools of War, 239-40.

At 10 o'clock in the morning, U.S. Senator Charles Sumner, of Massachusetts, introduces a "Committee from New-York" to President Lincoln. The Committee is "confident that a force of at least 10.000" black "citizens" would "volunteer for the Service" if they could have General John C. Fremont as their commanding officer. A newspaper reports, "The President declared that he would gladly receive into the service not ten thousand but ten times ten thousand colored troops; expressed his determination to protect all who enlisted, and said that he looked to them for essential service in finishing the war. He believed that the command of them afforded scope for the highest ambition, and he would with all his heart offer it to Gen. Fremont." Remarks to New York Committee, 30 May 1863, CW, 6:239; New York Daily Tribune, 1 June 1863, 4:6; New York City Citizens Committee to Abraham Lincoln, 28 May 1863, Abraham Lincoln Papers, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.

Discusses with Sen. Sumner (Mass.) problems of raising and organizing Negro troops in North. Abraham Lincoln to Charles Sumner, 1 June 1863, CW, 6:242-44.

Lincoln answers inquiry: "I esteem [former] Gov. Francis Thomas [Md.], as an able, and very true man." Abraham Lincoln to Robert C. Schenck, 31 May 1863, CW, 6:239.