July 8, 1862 (Tuesday): Lincoln Visits the Troops

Lincoln Reviewing Troops at Harrison's Landing     etc.usf.edu

HEADQUARTERS FIFTH PROVISIONAL ARMY CORPS,
Camp mear Harrison's Landing, Va., July 8, 1862.
Brigadier - General MORELL,
Commanding Division:
   GENERAL: The commanding general directs me to inform you that the President of the United States will ride through the camps this afternoon. The commanding general desires you to have your command ready and give him a hearty welcome. The President will visit General Sumner's corps first.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,


F. T. LOCKE,
Assistant Adjutant - General.

[Same to Generals Sykes and Seymour.]

Official Records, Series I., Vol. 51, Part 1, Page 718.

Lincoln left Washington the day before on the U.S.S. Ariel, arriving at Fort Monroe in the morning of the 8th to meet with Burnside and Dix.  He arrived at Harrison's Landing at 6PM and spent the next three hours reviewing troops.  McClellan visited Lincoln aboard the Ariel and presented his letter of the previous day on the conduct of the war, which Lincoln accepted without comment.  The next day the President would spend the next day talking with troops before returning to Fort Monroe, then back to Washington on Thursday.