President attends New York Avenue Presbyterian Church and meets pastor, Dr. Gurley. David R. Barbee, "President Lincoln and Doctor Gurley," Abraham Lincoln Quarterly 5 (March 1948):5.

Cabinet approves call for 75,000 militia and session of Congress for July 4, 1861. 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), 151-52.

Lincoln takes his sons and John G. Nicolay, private secretary to President, for carriage ride. Nicolay to Bates, 14 April 1861, John G. Nicolay Papers, Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

Prepares and distributes proclamation dated April 15, 1861 calling out militia. William O. Stoddard, Abraham Lincoln: The True Story of a Great Life (New York: Fords, Howard & Hulbert, 1884), 223.

Senator Stephen A. Douglas (Ill.) and former Congressman George Ashmun (Mass.) confer with Lincoln. Although Douglas opposes administration on political issues, he pledges support to preserve Union. Evening Star (Washington, DC), 15 April 1861, 2:2.

[Maj. Anderson evacuates Fort Sumter, S.C. Official Records—Armies 1, I, 12.

Cabinet convenes for long night session. N.Y. Times, 16 April 1861.