February 24, 1863
Attorney General Edward Bates writes in his diary regarding Cabinet meeting: “In C.C. the Prest. produced a Resolution of the senate, asking for a letter of Genl. Scott, written just before his retirement, complaining of Gen McClellan’s neglect and disobedience of orders[.]
The P. doubted the propriety of sending it, and put the question.
“He considered it a blow at McClellan, which he thought impolitic and unhandsome on our part.
“I gave my opinion agst. Sending the letter – partly on the P[resident]’s ground, but chiefly on the ground that it was more a covert attack upon the P. than an open one upon McClellan.
“I understood Mr. Seward and several others to concur in my view. Mr. Chase alone, spoke openly for giving the letter, not on the ground that ti was wisely called for, but that we ought not to seem to have secrets. I thought it wd. Be refused.
A group of West Virginia citizens visit President Lincoln, who writes General-in-Chief Henry W. Halleck: “This morning the West-Virginia delegation call and say that the enemy contemplate invading & over-running them, in the early Spring; and that, for this object, among other things they are building a plank-road from Staunton to Beverly. To meet this our friends are anxious, first, that the 7 Virginia Infantry, and the 1st. Virginia Cavalry both now under Gen. Hooker, may be sent back to West-Virginia. These regiments are greatly reduced, our having not more than one hundred and sixteen men. Secondly, they desire that, if, possible, a larger portion of their force in West-Virginia, should be mounted, in order to meet the increasing guerallaism with which they are annoyed & threatened. Can these things, or some of them, be done?”
At night, President Lincoln goes to blackface minstrel performance by Barney Williams at Grover’s Theater.
Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War 
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