The History and Lessons of The Battle of Gettysburg

I have said time and again how very much I love American History and with the summer months coming on us what better way to spend a long weekend but visiting some of this nations historical sights. One that just seems so fitting to me is where the late President Abraham Lincoln gave perhaps his most famous speech ever, The Gettysburg Address.

Gettysburg Pennsylvania is known for the Gettysburg National Battlefield which is considered the turning point of the Civil War. It is now part of the Gettysburg Nation Military Park which also includes the Gettysburg Museum and Visitor Center where you can see Civil War artifacts on display, and visit the Gettysburg National Cemetery. There is an amazing memorial in the Gettysburg National Cemetery which marks the spot of where Abraham Lincoln gave the Gettysburg Address in 1863.

There is so much to do and see but while you are having fun with your family sightseeing your children are learning about an amazing time in American History. The Battle of Gettysburg was perhaps the bloodiest battle in all of the Civil War. It definitely was the largest battle not only of the Civil War but ever fought on American soil. In all there were approximately 85,000 men in the Unions Army under the command of Major General George Gordon Meade. As for the Confederate Army there were approximately 75,000 men who joined in this battle.

The battle of Gettysburg started on July 1 of 1863 and ended July 3 just 3 days leaving a devastation of 23,049 Union casualties and 28,063 Confederate casualties. For the Union there were 3,155 fatalities, 14,529 wounded, and 5,365 missing in action. On the Confederate side there were 3, 903 fatalities, 18,735 wounded, and 5,425 missing in action. The field hospitals were over run with casualties. Homes, churches, and schools, any building that could be turned into a hospital was.

With homes and public buildings being used as hospitals and so many wounded they were left to be taken care of by civilians with few doctors on hand. Unfortunately they suffered a lot of diseases caused by the infections of the wounds and unsanitary conditions. People volunteered from the North and the South to help with tending to the wounded and burying the dead as the body count grew day by day.

A three day battle using an estimated 569 tons of ammunition and leaving the Union in control of Gettysburg made this battle the turning point of the Civil War. The Confederate forces were defeated, tired, and needed to retreat but they never recovered.

Mary Virginia Wade, also known as Jenny Wade was the only civilian killed during the three day battle. Her and her mother saw to it that bread was baked every morning for the Union soldiers so on this particular morning Jenny was in the kitchen baking the bread when a random bullet went through the front door of the house, striking and killing the 20 year old. You can tour Jenny’s house when you visit Gettysburg.

There were many horses and mules killed as well during this battle but one thing that really got me was the story of Sallie who was a dog who served in the Civil War as the mascot of the 11^th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. She was a Staffordshire terrier who served right along with the soldiers on the front lines in many battles. At Gettysburg she was separated from the 11^th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry during the fighting. At the end of the battle some of her soldiers found her still on the battlefield guarding the wounded and dead soldiers and she didn’t leave till the last one was taken care of. Sallie served the Union proudly by the side of her soldiers until her death during the Battle of Hatcher’s Run in Virginia in February of 1865. There is a memorial for Sallie at Gettysburg placed there by her regiment.

Although the Battle of Gettysburg ended on July 3^rd, 1863 President Lincoln did not give the Gettysburg Address until November 19^th, 1863 at the dedication of the military cemetery at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. This speech was his way of reminding the tired public why we were fighting the Civil War and why the Union had to win this fight.

The Gettysburg Address which is signed by Lincoln and on display in the Lincoln Room at the White House is as follows:

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that, that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate – we can not consecrate – we can not hallow – this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us – that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion – that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain – that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom – and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from this earth.

Everyone remembers the beginning of the speech but do they realize that what Lincoln was doing was paying homage to the Union soldiers who gave their all. This speech was to remind all those in attendance of the reason these soldiers sacrificed their lives not just for the Union but for the nation, equality, freedom, and national unity. You have to understand Lincoln was a man of few words so in this very short speech he made an impact on this nation for generations to come. Even in today’s generation we are still fighting to keep this nation united, still struggling to keep our freedoms, and still reminding people we are all equal but what really gets me is the end of his speech, “and that government of the people, by the people, and for the people, shall not perish from this earth.” We must all remember those words as we look at the craziness in the world today and realize these words still stand true.

I think visiting Gettysburg was one of my favorite vacations a couple of years ago. To tour the battlefield and see where it all took place. Stop and visit the monuments set up around the battlefield dedicated to both the Union soldiers and the Confederate soldiers. It is a way to bring history to life for yourself and your family. You don’t have to have children to take a tour of this amazing part of our history.

There is so much to do there besides the Gettysburg Battlefield and National Military Park you can take a tour of the Eisenhower National Historic site which was the home of our 34^th President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Check out the Sachs Covered Bridge and Waterworks Covered Bridge. The bridge is 100 feet long and is an historical point of the civil war because it was used by two brigades of the Union Army to get into Gettysburg and four days later it was used by what was left of General Robert E. Lee’s Army of North Virginia as they retreated over the bridge after the Union’s victory at the Battle of Gettysburg. It has actually been designated as Pennsylvania’s most historic bridge. Although it is closed to automobile traffic it is still opened to pedestrians so take a walk through this amazingly crafted covered bridge. I loved it!

So much to see and do with all different tours you can take with your family and friends or even by yourself. So if you are a history buff, a parent who wants to have fun with their children while teaching them a little bit along the way, or just out to see the sites then consider a trip to Gettysburg Pennsylvania this summer and enjoy all the history you can soak up.

The United States fought more battles then we care to think about and we have had some fabulous leaders and some not so fabulous but the American people have always had pride in their country. I know I have pride in my heritage and when I go and visit places like this and see what our forefathers fought for and how hard they worked to improve life here and bring us all together as one country, equal and unified under God, and then I hear what people say and think in today’s society, I have to wonder, what they hell went wrong. Maybe getting back to our roots, learning and understanding what we were all about then, and feeling the passion and dedication so many have had so we can be here today free to do as we wish, maybe that will open some eyes that have seemed to be closed for a long time.

As I think about the words President Lincoln spoke in Gettysburg that November day I can’t help but think how true they still ring today. “We the People,” need to stand strong and remember how important it is to our freedoms and equality to stand united. To see to it our government does their job for the people because they are elected by the people to ensure this nation remains strong and does not perish and give in to the evils of this world.

May God Bless America and help us to learn from the past so we can have an even brighter future.