Lincoln Ami's SOA Today's Date in Lincoln's Life

Sunday November 8, 1863

Washington D.C.

A. Gardner photographs Lincoln. President is photographed with John Nicolay and John Hay.
Images taken by Gardner on this day.

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Monday November 9, 1863

Washington D.C.

President and Mrs. Lincoln, along with private secretary John Hay and others, attend performance at Ford's Theatre starring John Wilkes Booth in The Marble Heart by Charles Selby.
 
Sunday November 10, 1861

Washington D.C.

Lincoln holds conference on military matters at Gen. McClellan's headquarters in evening.
He writes a letter to Gen. John A. McClernand: "Some of your forces are without arms, but the same is true here, and at every other place where we have considerable bodies of troops. The plain matter-of-fact is, our good people have rushed to the rescue of the Government, faster than the government can find arms to put in their hands."
 
Friday November 11, 1864

Washington D.C.

Cabinet meets. President gives John Hay sealed document and asks him to open it. Cabinet members learn contents for first time, although they signed it on August 23, 1864. Contents pledged them to support President-elect after November election.
President discusses with J. W. Forney and F. Carroll Brewster, city solicitor of Philadelphia, case of Cozzens, charged with supplying tents to government in violation of army regulations.
Confers with Sec. Seward on seizure of steamer "Florida" in Brazilian port.
Receives from General Ulysses S. Grant congratulations on victory at polls.
 
Tuesday November 12, 1861

Washington D.C.

President replies to address presented by delegation from Baltimore: "The Government of the United States has been diligently engaged in endeavoring . . . to save Baltimore and Maryland from the danger of complete ruin through an unnecessary and unnatural rebellion."
 
Wednesday November 13, 1862

Washington D.C.

Baltimore delegation visits President on behalf of unemployed and destitute laborers in city.
Lincoln, Sec. Seward, and John Hay wait in Gen. McClellan's residence to see him. McClellan arrives home from wedding and retires to bed without speaking to President.
 
Sunday November 14, 1863

Washington D.C.

Lincoln interviews Governor Andrew Curtin (Pa.) and delegation interested in appointments.
Senator Henry Wilson meets with President and Secretary of the Navy Gideon Welles in behalf of the mechanics and laborers in the Boston navy yard.
Withholds permission from General William S. Rosecrans to publish certain official reports of Battle of Chickamauga.
President's son, Tad, receives South American pony as gift from Col. Joseph B. Stewart whom he met while visiting New York.
 
Saturday November 15, 1862

Washington D.C.

President, with Secs. Seward and Chase, drives to Navy Yard for trial test of Hyde rocket. Capt. Dahlgren joins group. Defective rocket explodes; President miraculously escapes injury.
 
Friday November 16, 1860

Springfield, IL.

Kentucky visitor urges Lincoln to make up his cabinet of "conservative" men, including one or more from South. Lincoln tells his visitor "that the substance of his plan was that the Republicans should now again surrender the Government into the hands of the men they had just conquered, and that the cause should take to its bosom the enemy who had always fought it."
 
Tuesday November 17, 1863

Washington D.C.

President watches parade of 2,500 from Invalid Corps pass White House.
Attends cabinet meeting.
Discusses train schedule to Gettysburg with Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton. 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."
In evening examines drawing of burial plot of National Cemetery at Gettysburg with William Saunders, designer. Informs James Speed he has prepared about half of Gettysburg Address.
 
Wednesday November 18, 1863

Washington D.C.

President sad and depressed because Tad is too ill to eat breakfast and Mrs. Lincoln is hysterical.
Lincoln and party leave Washington at 12:10 P.M. on special train of four cars furnished by B. & O. Railroad. Party consists of John Nicolay and John Hay, Secretary of State William H. Seward and Secretary of the Interior John P. Usher, Postmaster General Montgomery Blair, several members of diplomatic corps, and foreign visitors, together with military guard from Invalid Corps and Marine band. General Schenck's staff boards additional car at Baltimore about 2 P.M.
During ride to Gettysburg President relates number of stories and puts everyone at ease. Little girl presents flowers to President at one stop and receives kiss in return.
Presidential party reaches Camden Station in Baltimore in 1 hour and 10 minutes. Train is transported to North Central tracks at the Bolton Station and leaves that station at 2:00 P.M. It proceeds on that line to Hanover Junction, Pa. Changes to Hanover Line for remainder of trip. Proceeds west to Hanover where "train passing east compelled the Presidential train to halt. . . . The President stepped upon the platform . . . and delivered one of the brief, quaint speeches for which he is celebrated. Said he: 'Well, you had the rebels here last summer . . . did you fight them any?' " Train is delayed 8 minutes at Hanover.
Special train arrives about 5 P.M. in Gettysburg, where Lincoln is guest of Judge Wills.
After supper Lincoln receives telegram from Sec. Stanton : "By inquiry Mrs. Lincoln informed me that your son is better this evening."
 
Thursday November 19, 1863

Gettysburg, Pa.


According to John Nicolay's account, after breakfast at Wills house, Lincoln retires to his room, where Nicolay joins him, and completes preparation of his speech. About 10 A.M. President, dressed in black, wearing white gauntlets and usual crepe around hat in memory of Willie, leaves Wills house to join procession. Receives round after round of "three hearty cheers," and shakes many hands as crowd gathers.
Thousands welcome President in Gettysburg. Weather fine. Flags in Washington at half-mast in honor of dead in cemetery at Gettysburg.
Gov. Curtin (Pa.), who arrived last evening with numerous important people on special train from Harrisburg, Pa., remarks to Lincoln about serenade given Gov. Seymour (N.Y.), and Lincoln replies: "He deserves it. No man has shown greater interest and promptness in his cooperation with us."
President mounts "a magnificent chestnut charger." Rides in procession to cemetery. Procession delayed; starts to move about 11 A.M.
Head of procession arrives at speaker's platform inside cemetery at 11:15 A.M. President receives military salute. President and members of cabinet, with group of military and civic dignitaries, occupy platform. "The President was received with marked respect and a perfect silence due to the solemnity of the occasion, every man among the immense gathering uncovering at his appearance."
Lincoln shakes hands with Gov. Tod (Ohio), who introduces Gov.-elect John Brough (Ohio), and takes his place between chairs reserved for Sec. Seward and Edward Everett, orator to make principal address. At 11:40 A.M. Everett arrives, is introduced to President, and program music begins.
Once during Everett's two-hour oration Lincoln stirs in his chair. "He took out his steel-bowed spectacles, put them on his nose, took two pages of manuscript from his pocket, looked them over and put them back."
About 2 P.M. Lincoln "in a fine, free way, with more grace than is his wont" delivers Gettysburg Address. He holds manuscript but does not appear to read from it. Pronounces his "r" plainly, does not speak like Southerner.
On platform, after speech, President remarks to Marshal Lamon: "Lamon, that speech won't scour! It is a flat failure and the people are disappointed." John R. Young, recording speech in shorthand for Philadelphia "Press," leans across aisle and asks President if that is all. Lincoln replies, "Yes, for the present."
President decides to hear address by Lt. Gov.-elect Charles Anderson (Pa.) at 4:30 P.M. in Presbyterian Church. Meets "old John Burns, the soldier of 1812, and the only man in Gettysburg who volunteered to defend it." Burns accompanies him and Sec. Seward to hear Anderson speak. President's special train leaves Gettysburg about 7 P.M. and arrives in Washington at 1:10 A.M. on Friday.
Lincoln returns from Gettysburg with a mild form of smallpox (varioloid) and remains under half quarantine in White House for nearly three weeks.

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Friday November 20, 1863

Washington D.C.

Exchanges letters with Edward Everett who writes: "I should be glad, if I could flatter myself that I came as near to the central idea of the occasion, in two hours, as you did in two minutes." Lincoln writes: "I am pleased to know that, in your judgment, the little I did say [Gettysburg] was not entirely a failure."
 
Thursday November 21, 1861

Washington D.C.

Fifteenth New York Regiment in presence of Lincoln gives exhibition of skill in throwing pontoon bridge across eastern branch of Potomac.
President writes Gen. McClellan: "If General McClellan and General Halleck deem it necessary to declare and maintain martial law at St. Louis the same is hereby authorized."
 
Thursday November 22, 1860

Chicago, IL.

Lincoln and his wife, Mary, are in Chicago, where Lincoln meets with Vice President-elect Hannibal Hamlin. The Lincolns, Hamlin, and others tour the "Wigwam," a structure built to house the 1860 Republican national convention. A newspaper reports, "Lincoln and . . . Hamlin . . . avoided all stiffness or formality, and entered into a social conversation . . . An unusual number of political vultures are in the city . . . They seemed determined to rush upon Mr. Lincoln, and occupy his time from more important duties . . . Men are here with pockets full of cabinets and any quantity of highly important advice."
 
Monday November 23, 1863

Washington D.C.

President, somewhat despondent over progress of Gen. Grant, takes "heart again" from success of Gen. Thomas in Tennessee. Transmits to Sec. Seward contents of two dispatches, to effect that Gen. Burnside thinks he can hold Knoxville. [The Battles of Lookout Mountain (November 24, 1863) and Missionary Ridge (November 25, 1863) assure success of Grant's Chattanooga campaign.]
Tad Lincoln still "quite seriously indisposed" with scarlatina, which he has had for a week.
 
Sunday November 24, 1861

President calls conference on "Trent" affair at War Dept. with members of cabinet and several senators.
Consults with Cong. Isaac N. Arnold (Ill.) about conditions in Northwest and what Federal government should do for that section.
 
Wednesday November 25, 1863

Washington D.C.

Telegraphs Gen. Grant: "Your despatches as to fighting on Monday & Tuesday [Orchard Knob and Lookout Mountain] are here. Well done. Many thanks to all. Remember Burnside.
Lincoln expects war news in evening but retires to bed early feeling unwell.
 
Monday November 26, 1860

Chicago, IL.

Mr. and Mrs. Lincoln leave Chicago at 9 A.M. and reach Springfield at 6:30. Lincoln's return "is the delight of the reporters and a number of office-seekers, who have been lying in wait for him since [Nov. 24]. The President and party traveled in separate cars. No ovations were received on the way on account of the rainy weather."
 
Saturday November 28, 1863

Washington D.C.

"The President is reported to be much better this morning."
"The President's youngest son, who has been sick for some time past with scarlatina, was much better yesterday."
Receives report on conditions at Libby Prison, Richmond, prepared by surgeons recently released.
 
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