Thanks for the note. Foote's letter was written in Cairo on Jan 6, 1862. Grant's letter was written in Cairo on Nov 31, 1861. Fremont's letter was written in NYC on Jan 2, 1862. It was Fremont who was in NYC on Jan 2 rather than Grant. However, by compelling me to read these three endorsements for the umpteenth time, you have probably provided the confirmation I was looking for. Notice that Foote's letter begins "The bearer, Charles De Arnaud, . . ." That very strongly suggests that de Arnaud asked Foote in person to write the letter and then hand-carried it to his meeting with Lincoln in Washington on January 13. And Foote says he endorses Fremont's certificate, which suggests de Arnaud showed Fremont's to Foote when he asked Foote to also endorse him. But — and this is a problematic but — if de Arnaud was in Cairo on Jan 6, how could he have presented his claim to the War Department, which I suppose was in Washington, on the same day?