["Taken up by Thomas Lincoln in Hardin County on Knob Creek, on the road leading from Bardstown to Nolin a gray mare, eight years old . . . appraised at twenty dollars."Estray Book 1806-1815, 426, Hardin County Court; Warren, Parentage and Childhood, 174.]

Prophet's village is reached at noon. Stopping only long enough to burn Indian huts, men resume march. Twelve miles north, Gen. Whiteside abandons 20 baggage wagons, and orders forced march toward Dixon's Ferry. Camp is made eight miles south of ferry.Elliott, Services of Illinois Soldiers, xvii; Whiteside to Atkinson, 18 May 1832, Black Hawk War Collection, Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, Springfield, IL; John H. Wakefield, Wakefield's History of the Black Hawk War (Chicago: Caxton Club, 1908), 41-44; John Reynolds, Reynolds' History of Illinois. My Own Times: Embracing also the History of My Life (Chicago: Chicago Historical Society, 1879), 229; IHi—William Orr to John York Sawyer, 1 July 1832.

Lincoln writes A. P. Field, secretary of state, that law passed by legislature for benefit of clerks of circuit courts of Sangamon, Hamilton, and Fayette counties does not appear in printed laws. It passed both houses, says Lincoln, but may not have been "duly acted on by the Council of Revision."Abraham Lincoln to Alexander P. Field, 11 May 1839, CW, 1:149-50.

[At Bloomington, spring term of McLean Circuit Court begins. Some records of McLean Circuit Court are available, but dockets and files were destroyed by fire in 1900. Thus it is impossible, except where collateral evidence is available, to determine cases in which Lincoln participated. Term closes May 14, 1840.]

Lincoln participates in one case in the Edgar County Circuit Court. The court overrules the demurrer that Lincoln filed the previous day for his client John Hunter in Nolan v. Hunter. Lincoln files a not guilty plea for Hunter, and the jury listens as the attorneys for both sides present their arguments. Order, 11 May 1842, Nolan v. Hunter, Order Book 2, 169; Order, 11 May 1842, Nolan v. Hunter, Order Book 2, 180, both in Edgar County Circuit Court, Edgar County Courthouse, Paris, IL; Plea, 11 May 1842, Nolan v. Hunter, Lincoln Collection, University of Chicago Library, Department of Special Collections, Chicago, IL.

Lincoln writes to John J. Hardin, the Whig Party's nominee for Illinois's 7th Congressional District. Hardin, of Jacksonville, won the nomination over Lincoln's friend Edward D. Baker. Lincoln assures Hardin that Sangamon County's Whigs back Hardin's candidacy. As proof, Lincoln refers to a "proposal" that he submitted to a Springfield newspaper. It reads, "the majority of votes in SANGAMON COUNTY for Hardin shall DOUBLE the number of his majority in MORGAN COUNTY. The losing County shall give a free BARBACUE to the whigs of the other county—the said Barbacue to be provided at some place most convenient for the accomodation of the whigs of the two Counties. Whigs of Morgan, will you go it?"Abraham Lincoln to John J. Hardin, 11 May 1843, CW, 1:322-23; Sangamo Journal (Springfield, IL), 11 May 1843, 2:2, 2:5.

[Moultrie Circuit Court convenes at Sullivan.]

Apparently Lincoln is in Charleston to attend cases he mentioned in his letter to James Berdan May 7, 1846.Abraham Lincoln to James Berdan, 7 May 1846, CW, 1:380-81.

[Vermilion Circuit Court convenes today.]

House passes bill admitting Wisconsin to Union. Lincoln moves to reconsider and speaks against policy of granting alternate sections of land to states to aid in internal improvements and then increasing price of reserved sections. He favors appropriations of land with or without enhancement, but thinks it better not to raise price. "Having accomplished the object for which he rose, he withdrew his motion to reconsider."Globe; Remarks in United States House of Representatives Concerning Admission of Wisconsin into the Union, 11 May 1848, CW, 1:469-71.

In the Vermilion County Circuit Court, Lincoln files a plea for defendant Samuel Frazier in the case of Ligget v. Frazier. Two of the defendants in the assault and battery case of Brown v. Makemson et al. file an affidavit in which they ask the court for more time to produce a witness. Lincoln and Oliver L. Davis represent plaintiff William N. Brown. Plea, filed 11 May 1852, Ligget v. Frazier, Champaign County Circuit Court, Illinois State Archives, Springfield, IL; Affidavits of Harper J. Campbell and Joseph Campbell, 11 May 1852, Brown v. Makemson et al., case file, box 61-3, Vermilion County Circuit Court, Vermilion County Courthouse, Danville, IL.

Fuller, attorney for plaintiff in Smith v. Parmelee, enters nonsuit. Lincoln is attorney for defendant. Record.

He writes and files defendant's affidavit in Flint v. Kellogg, and writes court decree in Jennings v. Woodford County, Illinois. Photocopy.

On application of plaintiff, change of venue to Woodford County is ordered in Pearl & Pearl v. Graham et al., in which Lincoln's plea was filed May 4, 1854. Lincoln has five other cases called, but all are continued. He writes decree in Hatch v. Preston & Wightman. Tazewell court adjourns. Record; Files; Photocopy.

Lincoln has three cases. One is tried before jury, which fails to agree; another is dismissed; third is continued. Record.

Lincoln gives Benjamin Kellogg, Jr. receipt for $50—"in full balance of all fees, up to this date, and also one dollar and a quarter, to be applied on the next fee." He writes bill of exceptions in Gipps v. Crosby. Photocopy; Herndon-Weik Collection, Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

Lincoln writes to Joseph Means, farmer, in reply to questions about land tenure. Abraham Lincoln to Joseph Means, 11 May 1858, CW, 2:446.

Two of Lincoln's cases are continued. Record.

[Mrs. Lincoln buys yard goods at Smith's, and sends Robert for 10 pounds of sugar. Pratt, Personal Finances, 156.]

President interviews William Ward, introduced by Horace Greeley, regarding employment in New York customhouse. Abraham Lincoln to Hiram Barney, 13 May 1861, CW, 4:367.

President Lincoln attracts attention as he and Minister to Spain Carl Schurz watch from the south portico the Marine Band perform on the White House lawn. A newspaper reports, "[A] few soldiers went up and shook hands with Mr. Lincoln, and then a little girl who had followed them put up her lips, upon which the President saluted her with paternal dignity. Thereupon every little girl in the grounds, and some larger ones, rushed pell-mell towards the place, and for fifteen minutes the President had as much on his hands as one man might desire." Afterward, Lincoln and Schurz break for tea. Michael Burlingame and John R. Turner Ettlinger, eds., Inside Lincoln's White House: The Complete Civil War Diary of John Hay (Carbondale: Southern Illinois University Press, 1997), 23; New York Daily Tribune, 12 May 1861, 1:2; National Republican (Washington, DC), 13 May 1861, 3:2.

[Mrs. Lincoln and party leave Philadelphia for New York at 2 P.M. and expect to remain for several days of shopping. N.Y. Tribune, 13 May 1861.]

Shortly before going aboard U.S.S. Baltimore about 5 A.M. for return trip to Washington, President receives news that Confederates have blown up Merrimac. Baltimore passes spot of destruction off Craney Island and proceeds up Elizabeth River to Norfolk where Lincoln visits for an hour. President spends remainder of day and night on board ship. Chester D. Bradley, "President Lincoln's Campaign against the Merrimac," Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society 51 (Spring 1958):84-85; William E. Baringer, "On Enemy Soil: President Lincoln's Norfolk Campaign," Abraham Lincoln Quarterly 7 (March 1952):24-25.

President telegraphs Gen. Halleck: "Norfolk in our possession, Merrimac blown up, & Monitor & other boats going up James River to Richmond. Be very sure to sustain no reverse in your Department." Abraham Lincoln to Henry W. Halleck, 11 May 1862, CW, 5:210.

President receives "first offer of resignation" from Sec. Chase. Donald, Chase Diaries, 30.

Again concludes to relieve Gen. Curtis of command at St. Louis. Abraham Lincoln to Edwin M. Stanton, 11 May 1863, CW, 6:210-11.

At 12 M. receives Lord Lyons with announcement of marriage of Prince of Wales. Seward to Lincoln, 8 May 1863, Abraham Lincoln Papers, Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

Requests Sec. Welles to call at White House and read two dispatches regarding naval matters written by Sec. Seward to Lord Lyons. Welles, Diary.

Inquires of Gen. Dix: "Do the Richmond papers have anything about Grand Gulf or Vicksburg?" Abraham Lincoln to John A. Dix, 11 May 1863, CW, 6:210.

President offers condolences to Christian IX, King of Denmark, on death of "Madam the Landgrave Louise Charlotte of Hesse." Abraham Lincoln to Christian IX, 11 May 1864, CW, 7:336-37.

9 P.M. Sec. Welles visits War Dept. and finds President waiting for reports from battlefront. Welles, Diary.