On December 17, 1861, the Lincolns hosted their first public reception at the Executive Mansion of the 1861-62 winter social season. While thousands of soldiers were encamped in and around Washington, the harsh realities and carnage of the war had not fully set in. Major battles in the coming year at places such as Shiloh, Antietam, and Fredericksburg would change all that. But, that lay in the future. For now, Washingtonians could enjoy the holidays and a respite from the war.
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| An illustration of a White Reception during the winter 61-62 social season that appeared in Harper's Weekly on January 26, 1862. (Son of the South) |
