President designates Gens. Hunter and Saxton together with three civilians as persons authorized to select lands for government use within state of South Carolina. Abraham Lincoln to David Hunter and Others, 10 February 1863, CW, 6:98-99.

Sends to Senate report from secretary of state regarding visit of H. Mercier to Richmond last April. Abraham Lincoln to the Senate, 10 February 1863, CW, 6:99.

Gen. Butler calls and asks President to send Philip Reade to West Point. Memorandum: Appointment of Philip Reade, 10 February 1863, CW, 6:99.

Sec. Welles presents to President name of Col. William Hawley for brigadier general. Welles, Diary.

White House personnel, probably Mrs. Lincoln, borrows book, "Cunningham Nell Gwynn," from Library of Congress. [Peter Cunningham, Story of Nell Gwynn; and the Sayings of Charles II, London, 1852.] Borrowers' Ledger 1861-63, 348, Archives of the Library of Congress, Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

Mrs. Lincoln entertains Gen. and Mrs. Heintzelman in evening. Journal, Samuel P. Heintzelman Papers, Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

Gen. Thomas F. Meagher interviews President on behalf of Cols. Robert Nugent and Patrick Kelly. Abraham Lincoln to Henry W. Halleck, 12 February 1863, CW, 6:101.

Lincoln holds conference with Secs. Stanton and Welles and Gen. Halleck on task of patrolling rivers. Abraham Lincoln to William S. Rosecrans, 12 February 1863, CW, 6:101.

Summons Asst. Sec. Fox to White House for information on Charleston expedition. Gustavus V. Fox, Confidential Correspondence of Gustavus Vasa Fox, 2 vols. (New York: n.p., 1918), 1:178.

Transmits to Senate: 1. report and documentation relating to mediation, arbitration, and similar measures looking to termination of existing civil war; 2. nomination of former Comdr. Preble to be commander on active list; 3. nomination of former Comdr. Roger Perry (USN, commission expired) to be commander. Abraham Lincoln to the Senate, 12 February 1863, CW, 6:101-2; Abraham Lincoln to the Senate, 12 February 1863, CW, 6:102; Abraham Lincoln to the Senate, 12 February 1863, CW, 6:102-3.

On invitation of Gen. John G. Barnard, President and Sec. Stanton drive across Potomac to Fort Dekalb, Va., for demonstration of George W. Beardslee's electric detonating system or blasting apparatus. Bruce, Tools of War, 226.

Congressman George H. Yeaman (Ky.) confers with Lincoln about transfer of General Richard W. Johnson. Memorandum Concerning Transfer of Richard W. Johnson, 13 February 1863, CW, 6:104.

President communicates to House of Representatives all information in Department of Interior respecting causes of recent outbreaks of Indian tribes in Northwest. Abraham Lincoln to Galusha A. Grow, 13 February 1863, CW, 6:104.

Forwards to Senate report concerning employment by French Emperor of African troops in Mexico. Abraham Lincoln to the Senate, 13 February 1863, CW, 6:105.

General Cassius M. Clay is in Washington awaiting President's decision on appointment of minister to Russia. Lincoln to Cameron, 13 February 1863, Simon Cameron Papers, Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

At 8:00 P.M., President and Mrs. Lincoln give small evening reception for fifty guests in honor of "General Tom Thumb" (Charles S. Stratton) and bride (Lavinia Warren). Daily National Republican (Washington, DC), 14 February 1863, 2d ed., 2:1-2; Evening Star (Washington, DC), 14 February 1863, 2d ed., 3:1; Washington Chronicle, 14 February 1863; Nicolay to Bates, 15 February 1863, John G. Nicolay Papers, Library of Congress, Washington, DC; Fox, Diary, Gist-Blair Family Papers, Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

Gen. Andrew J. Hamilton recommends to President that separate department be created for Texas. Hamilton to Lincoln, 16 February 1863, Abraham Lincoln Papers, Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

President studies plan to attack Charleston with Gens. Halleck and John G. Foster and with Sec. Stanton and Asst. Sec. Fox. Gustavus V. Fox, Confidential Correspondence of Gustavus Vasa Fox, 2 vols. (New York: n.p., 1918), 1:179-80.

6 P.M. Gen. Butler is guest at informal White House dinner. Butler, Correspondence, 3:13.

President requests secretaries of war and navy to appoint an officer from each department to test incendiary shell and fluid of Alfred Berney, chemist at Jersey City. Abraham Lincoln to Edwin M. Stanton and Gideon Welles, 16 February 1863, CW, 6:107.

Confers with Sec. Welles on sending Asst. Sec. Fox to advise Rear Adm. Samuel F. Du Pont at Charleston. Welles, Diary.

Consults with Rear Adm. Dahlgren about "some inflammable humbug" and plan of attack on Charleston. Bruce, Tools of War, 229.

Inquires of Atty. Gen. Bates if it is lawful for President to return fine of $40 to Nathan Darling, captain of Capitol police. Abraham Lincoln to Edward Bates, 16 February 1863, CW, 6:106-7.

At special cabinet meeting President presents question of extra session of Senate and brevetting of regular officers. Welles, Diary; Bates, Diary.

Lincoln requests copy of letter from Asst. Sec. Fox to Rear Adm. Du Pont and hopes that Fox will go to Charleston before attack. Fox, Diary, Gist-Blair Family Papers, Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

Receives request from Senate for copy of letter written by Gen. Scott to secretary of war relative to insubordination of Gen. McClellan. Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper, 7 March 1863.

Writes W. H. Herndon: "Would you accept a job of about a month's duration at St. Louis, five dollars a day & mileage? Answer." [Herndon declined the assignment.] Abraham Lincoln to William H. Herndon, 19 February 1863, CW, 6:111.

Sends following nominations to Senate: 1. Commodore Charles H. Davis to be rear admiral; 2. Capt. John A. Dahlgren to be rear admiral; 3. Capt. Stephen C. Rowan to be commodore; 4. Comdr. David D. Porter to be captain. [Davis and Dahlgren were appointed retroactively rear admirals as of February 7, 1863, and Rowan a commodore as of July 16, 1862.] Abraham Lincoln to the Senate, 19 February 1863, CW, 6:111-12.

Writes Thurlow Weed: "The matters I spoke to you about are important; I hope you will not neglect them." [In this connection approximately fifteen New York merchants pledge $1,000 each. Probably raised to finance party machinery.] Abraham Lincoln to Thurlow Weed, 19 February 1863, CW, 6:112-13.

Cabinet discusses propriety of sending letter of Gen. Scott, written just before his retirement, to Senate, and rumor of loss of U.S.S. "Queen of the West." Welles, Diary; Bates, Diary.

Delegation from West Virginia calls on President and asks for greater military protection against increasing guerrilla warfare. Abraham Lincoln to Henry W. Halleck, 24 February 1863, CW, 6:115-16.

Lincoln converses with Judge William H. Robertson of New York on current political problems. Robertson to Lincoln, 25 February 1863, Abraham Lincoln Papers, Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

Occupies private box at Grover's Theatre, E St., bet. 13th and 14th Sts. NW., for performance by Barney Williams, blackface minstrel and Irish comedian. N.Y. Herald, 26 February 1863.

[Irwin withdraws $25.13 from Springfield Marine Bank. Pratt, Personal Finances, 177.]

President approves act establishing system of national banks. J. Duane Squires, "Some Enduring Achievements of the Lincoln Administration, 1861-65," Abraham Lincoln Quarterly 5 (December 1848):198-99.

Sends nominations to Senate for "Passed Midshipman Samuel Pearce and Nathaniel T. West, now on the retired list, to be ensigns in the Navy on the retired list." Abraham Lincoln to the Senate, 25 February 1863, CW, 6:116-17.

President interviews William W. Danenhower, Chicago attorney who wants to be fourth auditor of treasury. Memorandum: Appointment of William W. Danenhower, 26 February 1863, CW, 6:118.

Receives request from Gen. Cassius M. Clay to push his nomination to Court of St. Petersburg in spite of congressional objection. Albert A. Woldman, Lincoln and the Russians (Cleveland: World Publishing Co., 1952), 121-22.

Atty. Gen. Bates consults with Lincoln at War Dept. about antidraft riots in Missouri. Bates, Diary.