Another visit to Ford's Theater is on the president's agenda

On November 9, the president and Mrs. Lincoln, again in total disregard to my previous advice, attend a play at Ford's Theater. This time the play was "Marble Heart" starring John Wilkes Booth. Booth came from a theatrical family with his father, Junius Brutus, and brother, Edwin, also acting on the stage in Shakespearean plays.

I was surprised to find out that on that same day, Mr. Lincoln had written to his friend Stephen Logan of Springfield, Illinois proposing the he and his daughter Sally Logan, my wife,  attend the dedication of the national Cemetery at Gettysburg on November 19.  I had previously planned to visit Sally in Springfield that very day, but had to cancel due to the invitation to attend the Gettysburg event as the marshal in charge.

I traveled to Gettysburg in preparation of the event. While there I received privileges from the federal telegraph office to send telegrams to Union states inviting them to send representatives to the event. I appointed dozens of assistant marshals, set up the procession route, and garnered buggies and horses for celebrities to ride during the procession from the town center to the cemetery.

Mr. Lincoln receives an invitation to speak at Gettysburg later this month

Mr. Lincoln received an invitation from Judge David Wills from Gettysburg< Pennsylvania to speak t the dedication of the National Cemetery on November 19. He was asked to give "a few appropriate remarks".

At the same time, in a separate letter to myself, Judge Wills said "there will be a civic/procession and must be someone in charge of it. We have agreed for you as the proper person and thereby extend to you an invitation to act as Marshal of this procession of the day. If you accept, which I hope you will, feel it your duty today, you will have to make all the necessary arrangements for the procession, its order, etc."

I consulted with Mr. Lincoln. He was going to accept their invitation and urged me to do the same. I responded favorably.

On November 8, the president sits for a photograph at the Mathew Brady Studios. The photographer was Alexander Gardner.

The president asks for an investigation of disloyal persons being enlisted

This week, in a letter to general John M. Schofield, Department of the Missouri, Mr. Lincoln questions the claim made that forty-two disloyal persons had been enlisted into federal service. He asks Schofield to please investigate further saying that he, the president, could find no evidence to substantiate the claims.

Mr. and Mrs. Lincoln attend a play at Ford's Theater entitled "Fanchon, the Cricket". It was a benefit performance by Maggie Mitchell. Although Grover's Theater was more the president's favorite, the fist family enjoyed theater in general. Their appearance at Ford's Theater was not as frequent as their visits to Grover's.
That may also have had to due with the fact at Ford's Theater, their presence was always noted, with the band stopping and playing "Hail to the Chief" whereas they attended more anonymously at Grover's Theater.

As state previously, I was not in favor of their theater attendance at any theater at any time. My issue was not a dislike for theater, but on the issue of his safety.

Areas in Maryland cause concern as slaves are bring taken as USCT recruits

This week the president addressed concerns over recruitment of Negroes in Maryland. Mr. Lincoln had approved their enlistment and government payment to plantation owners who allowed their slaves to enter the Union army. However, it seemed that over zealous recruiters were actually taking USCT soldiers  onto plantations and "recruiting" slaves without their consent or the consent of their owners. The situation got ugly when a plantation owner shot and killed a USCT recruiter, Lt. Ebin White, which frightened the people and produced confusion in the Patuxent Rover region.

When approached about the upcoming presidential election, Mr. Lincoln responded that "as second term would be a great honor and a great labor, which together, perhaps I would not decline, if tendered.

General Ulysses S. Grant takes command

With the federal army at Chickamauga in crisis due to the lack of food supplies, Secretary of State William Stanton personally carried orders to Ulysses S. Grant from the president calling for him to take command of the Military Division of the Mississippi and replace General Rosecrans with General George Thomas.

In addition, General Grant reopened the blocked rail lines and established what became known as the "Cracker Railroad" providing much needed supplies to the federal army.

A visitor to the White House happened to call the president "two faced" in a confrontation this week. Mr. Lincoln responded with a chuckle. "Sir. Do you think if I had two faces I would wear this one?" Enough said on that matter.

The Lincoln's, including son Tad, attended a benefit performance of the play "Macbeth" at the Grover's Theater. The performance raised over $2000 for the Sanitary Commission to tend to the needs of soldiers.

The president ended the week by calling up another 300,000 volunteers.

The president attends a grand event at the newly remodelled Grover's Theater

On October 6, the president and Mrs. Lincoln along with Secretary of State William Seward and their families attended the Grand Reopening of the Grover's New National Theater in Washington. The event drew almost two thousand people more than the capacity of the theater, and that number had to be turned away. The presidential party stayed throughout the evening, and reportedly thoroughly enjoyed the performance of Shakespeare's Othello."

The Lincoln frequented the theaters often. I was not in favor of that activity as I thought the theater offered an unsafe environment for the president. But as was the case many times before, Mr.Lincoln listened to my advice, but did not take it.

The president approved the visit of a Southern woman, Mrs. Thomas Clemsin, daughter of statesman John C. Calhoun, to visit her son, who was held prisoners at Johnson's Island, near Sandusky, Ohio.

A message of temprance is delivered to the White House

The Sons of the Temperance Society met with Mr. Lincoln in the Eat Room on September 29. The organization tried to convince President Lincoln that alcohol consumption was the reason for our recent battle defeats. The president pointed out that he had read that the rebel soldiers not only drank more than the Union boys but that their whiskey was of inferior quality.

The president listened, though it was hardly any message he needed to hear. Mr. Lincoln did not imbibe. He did take the occasion to remind me of my love for alcohol and my need to curb my bad habit. By this time I was still drinking several pitchers of whiskey on average each and every single day. I listened, but was probably not going to make any major changes due to the Temperance Society or the president's urging.

Mr. Lincoln set the date of thanksgiving by proclamation on October 3 as the last Thursday in November.