MANSION, WASHINGTON, October 16, 1863.

MAJOR GENERAL HALLECK:

I do not believe Lee can have over 60,000 effective men.

Longstreet's corps would not be sent away to bring an equal force back
upon the same road; and there is no other direction for them to have come
from.

Doubtless, in making the present movement, Lee gathered in all available
scraps, and added them to Hill's and Ewell's corps; but that is all, and
he made the movement in the belief that four corps had left General Meade;
and General Meade's apparently avoiding a collision with him has confirmed
him in that belief. If General Meade can now attack him on a field no
worse than equal for us, and will do so now with all the skill and courage
which he, his officers, and men possess, the honor will be his if he
succeeds, and the blame may be mine if he fails.

Yours truly,

A. LINCOLN.

CALL FOR 300,000 VOLUNTEERS, OCTOBER 17, 1863.

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA:

A Proclamation.

Whereas the term of service of a part of the Volunteer forces of the
United States will expire during the coming year; and whereas, in addition
to the men raised by the present draft, it is deemed expedient to call out
three hundred thousand volunteers to serve for three years or during the
war, not, however, exceeding three years:

Now, therefore, I, Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States, and
Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Navy thereof, and of the militia of
the several States when called into actual service, do issue this my
proclamation, calling upon the governors of the different States to
raise, and have enlisted into the United States service, for the various
companies and regiments in the field from their respective States, the
quotas of three hundred thousand men.

I further proclaim that all the volunteers thus called out and duly
enlisted shall receive advance pay, premium, and bounty, as heretofore
communicated to the governors of States by the War Department through the
Provost-Marshal-General's office, by special letters.

I further proclaim that all volunteers received under this call, as well
as all others not heretofore credited, shall be duly credited and deducted
from the quotas established for the next draft.

I further proclaim that if any State shall fail to raise the quota
assigned to it by the War Department under this call, then a draft for the
deficiency in said quota shall be made in said State,