"to weaken the President...now support Lincoln": Entry for September 10, 1864, Welles diary, Vol. II, pp. 14041.

Chase stopped en route..."judgment of history?": Entry for September 13, 1864, in Chase Papers, Vol. I, p. 502.

"Mr. Chase had a long...at the north": EBL to SPL, September 16, 1864, in Wartime Washington, ed. Laas, p. 429.

Chase accompanied Stanton...with Lincoln: Entry for September 16, 1864, in Chase Papers, Vol. I, pp. 50304.

"I have been...demonstrative": SPC to KCS, September 17, 1864, reel 35, Chase Papers.

"wronged and hurt...fidelity to his Administration": Entry for September 17, 1864, in Inside Lincoln's Cabinet: The Civil War Diaries of Salmon P. Chase, ed. David Donald (New York: Longmans, Green, 1954), p. 255.

"conviction that...in securing it": SPC to KCS, September 17, 1864, reel 35, Chase Papers.

He traveled...before overflowing crowds: Entries for September 24November 11, 1864, in Chase Papers, Vol. I, pp. 50710.

the state elections...previous year: JGN to TB, September 11, 1864, container 3, Nicolay Papers; NYT, September 13, 1864.

"Three weeks ago...confident of success": JGN to TB, September 11, 1864, container 3, Nicolay Papers.

Philip Sheridan...of Early's army: McPherson, Battle Cry of Freedom, p. 777.

"shouting of Clerks"...news became known: Entry for September 20, 1864, in Chase Papers, Vol. I, p. 506.

"This will do much...loving men": Entry for September 20, 1864, Welles diary, Vol. II, p. 151.

Blair was aware...his resignation to Lincoln: MB to Mary Elizabeth Blair, September 23, 1864, quoted in Smith, The Francis Preston Blair Family in Politics, Vol. II, p. 288.

his father had repeated..."an avowed enemy": FPB to FB, quoted in EBL to SPL, September 24, [1864], in Wartime Washington, ed. Laas, p. 433.

Henry Wilson warned Lincoln..."account of the Blairs": Henry Wilson to AL, September 5, 1864, Lincoln Papers.

Monty Blair detested Stanton..."a thief": "26 September 1864, Monday," in Hay, Inside Lincoln's White House, p. 233.

"interchanged words for weeks": Entry for August 11, 1864, Welles diary, Vol. II, p. 102.

when the opportunity arose...stayed in the race: William Frank Zornow, Lincoln & the Party Divided (Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1954), pp. 14447.

Fremont announced his withdrawal: NYT, September 23, 1864.

"You have generously...connection therewith": AL to MB, September 23, 1864, in CW, VIII, p. 18. For Blair's resignation letter, see MB to AL, September 23, 1864, Lincoln Papers.

Blair was surprised..."yielded to that": Entry for September 23, 1864, Welles diary, Vol. II, pp. 15657.

Blair had been..."irritating bickerings": Addition to entry for September 23, 1864, ibid., p. 158 n1.

"In parting with Blair...discriminating and correct": Entry for September 23, 1864, ibid., p. 157.

"the removal of...befallen the Cabinet": Entry for September 27, 1864, ibid., p. 161.

did not consider...straight-speaking colleague: Entry for August 2, 1864, ibid., p. 93.

"I think Mr. Lincoln...malign influences": Entry for September 23, 1864, in The Diary of Edward Bates, 18591866, p. 413.

"an unnecessary mortification...best all around": MB to Mary Elizabeth Blair, September 23, 1864, quoted in Smith, The Francis Preston Blair Family in Politics, Vol. II, p. 288.

"In my opinion...the reelection of Lincoln": FPB to FB, quoted in EBL to SPL, September 24, [1864], in Wartime Washington, ed. Laas, p. 433.

"somewhat mortifying...a penny to make": FB to FPB, September 30, 1864, Lincoln Papers.

hearing the n.o.ble..."fine manly bearing": EBL to SPL, September 24, [1864], in Wartime Washington, ed. Laas, p. 434.

Monty insisted..."father to the President": MB, quoted in Chicago Tribune, October 1, 1864.

"very handsomely and is doing his utmost": "26 September 1864, Monday," in Hay, Inside Lincoln's White House, p. 233.

"a grand central rallying point": "11 October 1864, Tuesday," in Hay, Inside Lincoln's White House, p. 240.

Lincoln made his...chief of the telegraph office: Bates, Lincoln in the Telegraph Office, pp. 27677; Charles A. Dana, "Lincoln and the War Department," Reminiscences of Abraham Lincoln, ed. Rice, p. 278.

Lincoln took from his pocket..."a new pa.s.sage": Dana, "Lincoln and the War Department," in Reminiscences of Abraham Lincoln, ed. Rice (1909 edn.), p. 278. "Petroleum Vesuvius Nasby" was the pseudonym of David Ross Locke.

"immensely amusing": "11 October 1864, Tuesday," in Hay, Inside Lincoln's White House, p. 239.

"I shall never forget...such frivolous jests": Dana, "Lincoln and the War Department," in Reminiscences of Abraham Lincoln, ed. Rice (1909 edn.), pp. 27879. Dana's recollection is that this episode occurred while Lincoln was waiting for the results of the November presidential election. Other sources, however, suggest that it probably occurred while a larger crowd waited in the telegraph office for results of the state elections in October. Given that Stanton was ill and remained at home during November elections, Dana has probably confused the two dates.

the news from Ohio...Republican majority: Waugh, Reelecting Lincoln, p. 335.

In Indiana...congressional seats: AL to USG, October 12, 1864, in CW, VIII, p. 45.

Lincoln sent a telegram..."does it stand now?": AL to Simon Cameron, October 11, 1864, in ibid., p. 43.

No answer was received..."ominous": "11 October 1864, Tuesday," in Hay, Inside Lincoln's White House, p. 240.

the margin was so close...claim a slight margin: Waugh, Reelecting Lincoln, p. 336.

"Seward was quite exultant...has ever known": Entry for October 13, 1864, Welles diary, Vol. II, p. 176.

Two nights after...117 to 114: Bates, Lincoln in the Telegraph Office, pp. 27779, 282.

"the moral effect...greatly impaired": McClure, Abraham Lincoln and Men of War-Times, p. 202.

voters in Maryland...making the difference: Waugh, Reelecting Lincoln, p. 354.

"Most heartily...upon the event": AL, "Response to a Serenade," October 19, 1864, in CW, VIII, p. 52.

"I had rather have...cleaned up effectually": AL, quoted in Brooks, Lincoln Observed, p. 138.

"We are as certain...the sun shines": New York World, October 14, 1864.