P.T. Barnum's famous "Tom Thumb" visits the White House

On February 13, one day after the president's birthday, and after almost a year in mourning their son Willie's death, Mrs. Lincoln came down to the main floor of the White House wearing a pink gown. Her mourning clothes had been discarded.  Comments around the house included surprise and delight.

The occasion was a formal reception for the president and First Lady and attended by about 50 guests, to meet General Tom Thumb and his bride Lavinia. General Thumb, actually Charles Sherwood Stratton, was a midget who had been discovered by showman Phineas T. Barnum. Barnum toured the 25 inch tall man around the world as part of his side-show.  At age 23, Tom Thumb had married another midget, Lavinia Warren.

It was quite a site to see Mr. Lincoln, at 6'4", bending over and shaking hands with their very tiny guests. Their guests spent the night at the White House, leaving the following morning.






 

President Lincoln opens the White House doors to most anyone

President Lincoln continued to meet with nearly everyone and anyone who stood in line at the door of the White House to speak to him. Many were seeking political appointments or favors such as the appointment to the Naval Academy or West Point. I feared someone would harm him in the process, but he insisted that it was every citizen's right to speak to the president about any of their concerns. Mr. Lincoln was not an easy man to guard, as he had less regard for his personal safety than anyone.

The president decline an invitation from Indiana Governor Oliver Morton to meet with Peace Democrats in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. They were attempting to set up a Northwest Confederacy. Although the two were friends and Mr. Lincoln knew that Morton was leading his state in hardy support to save the Union, he also knew that Morton was ruthless.  Mr. Lincoln called Morton "at times the shrewdest person I know."

The president also received a petition from Crafts J. Wright to raise and train a regiment of Negro troops in Cincinnati  Ohio. Mr. Lincoln was hesitant to support the idea, as he was fearful that the four Border states would secede if Negro soldiers were included in the Union army.

Mr. Lincoln reminds General Hooker of past transgressions

The president assigns Major General Joseph Hooker to replace General Ambrose Burnside who had just resigned. The president chided General Hooker because Mr. Lincoln knew that General Hooker had been critical of Burnside's command. In a letter, Mr. Lincoln told General Hooker "you thwarted him as much as you could...you did a great wrong to the country and to a most meritorious and honorable brother....beware of brashness, but with energy, and sleepless vigilance, go forward and give us victories."

Mr. Lincoln also encourage Congress to send the proper congratulatory tribute to Acting Rear Admiral David Porter for his leadership in the recent capture of Fort Hindman in Arkansas.

My wife Sally and I searched throughout the city for a house that would suit her lavish tastes and satisfy her need to position herself as a person of means, even on my salary.  We finally purchased a home at 410 F. Street North that she claimed would suit. I knew if Sally Lamon was not happy, there was no chance in my being happy.

Fighting Joe Hooker takes command of the Army of the Potomac

On January 24, 1863, President Lincoln posed for a photograph by Alexander Gardner who worked for the Matthew Brady Studio.  It was not the first photograph Mr. Gardener had taken. Mr. Gardner had captured the president in several photographs in October 1862 while the commander in chief was visiting with General George McClellan in Sharpsburg, Maryland.


The following day, President Abraham Lincoln relieved Major General Ambrose Burnside from command, following his crushing defeat at Fredericksburg and his ill famed "mud march". In his place, Lincoln appointed General Joe Hooker at the commander of the Army of the Potomac.  "Fighting Joe" as he was called,  had recently mentioned that the government needed a dictator. Knowing this, the president told General Hooker "it was not for this, but in spite of it, that I have given you the command. Only those generals who gain successes can set up dictators. What I now ask is military success, and I will risk the dictatorship."

General Dix rejects the idea to garrison colored troops

The president wrote to General John Dix, commander of forces at Yorktown and Fortress Monroe, asking that he garrison colored troops under his command.  In his letter, the commander in chief wrote: "I therefore will thank you for your well considered opinion whether Fortress Monroe and Yorktown, one or both, could not, in while or in part, be garrisoned by colored troops, leaving the white forces now necessary at those places to be employed elsewhere."

 General Dix responded that he didn't think that such an important post should "be confined to any other class than the white population". Although the Emancipation Proclamation had allowed emancipated slaves to "garrison and defend forts, stations and other places and to man vessels of all sorts," in this instance that was not to be.

President Lincoln signed a resolution this week that concerned military pay.  Congress approved the issuance of $100 million for payment to the army and navy. The problem had been that payments had been withheld due to other matters needing attention. From now on the troops would be paid regardless of the fact that the government had been over issuing government bonds and bank notes which had caused the problems.

Grant's anti-Jewish order is overturned by the president

President Lincoln this week revoked General Grant's December 1862 order to expel Jews from Tennessee. Grant had been frustrated by Jewish businessmen who were selling to southern merchants. Grant thought he revenue received by the south in these dealings would be used to purchase guns his men would have to face in battle.

President Lincoln chided General Grant, saying that while he had not any problem at all with Grant's expelling traitors and even Jewish peddlers, he did object to the total indictment of "an entire religious class, some of whom are fighting within our ranks."

The news was received that General William Rosecrans had won a Union victory at Murfreesboro, TN. the president sent a telegram to his commander saying "God bless you, and all with you. Please tender to all and accept for yourself the nation's gratitude for yours, and their skill, endurance, and daunting courage."

The president issues the Emancipation Proclamation

On December 29, President Lincoln passed out copies of his Emancipation Proclamation for their final review. Two days later, he signed the bill into law creating the new loyal Union state of West Virginia.

On January 1, the president released his Emancipation Proclamation. The executive order by the president as part of his constitutional authority called for all slave in the state of rebellion to be forevermore free. The ten states that the order affected included Virginia, South Carolina, Florida, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, and North Carolina.

It also ordered the army to treat all slaves as free men. Prior to that date, the army treated the fugitive slaves as Contrabands.

His preliminary proclamation issued on September 22, 1863 had ordered immediate emancipation of slaves in all states that did not return to the Union by January 1, 1863.