150 Years Ago Today: The Gettysburg Address

You know you're a history nerd when you're more excited about the anniversary of the Gettysburg Address than you were about your own birthday. Guilty, I confess. But today is not just any anniversary--it's the 150th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's most famous speech.

An estimated 15,000 attended the Dedication Ceremony of the National Soldiers Cemetery at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, a little more than four months after the battle of Gettysburg took place in 1863. The photo above, courtesy of the Library of Congress, shows some of the crowd. Thousands of people are in Gettysburg today for the re-enactment of the event, too. If you're quick, you can catch the live stream of the event here!) Though I would love to be part of the crowd, I'm not complaining, since my husband and I were among the thousands who were present for the 150th anniversary of the battle in July. (Check out my Gettysburg trip scrapbook here!) On Nov. 19, 1863, the keynote speaker was the politician and orator Edward Everett, who spoke for two hours, while Abraham Lincoln's speech was closer to two minutes. Read the text of Edward Everett's speech here. Read Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg address here. A few observations from Gettysburg residents follow.

"[The president was] the most peculiar looking figure on horseback I had ever seen. He rode a medium-sized black horse and wore a black high silk hat. It seemed to be that his feet almost touched the ground, but he was perfectly at ease." ~Daniel Skelly "The chief impression made on me...was the inexpressible sadness on his face, which was in so marked contrast with what was going on...where all was excitement and where everyone was having such a jolly time [referring to a parade before the speeches]." ~Liberty Hollinger

In the text of his address, Lincoln said, "The world will little note nor long remember what we say here," but has been proven wrong for 149 years. After Lincoln's remarks, his Attorney General, Wayne McVeagh, told him, "You have made an immortal address!" Lincoln was quick to respond: "Oh, you must not say that. You must not be extravagant about it." McVeagh, however, had it right. Lincoln's words continue to inspire. The final scene of my novel Widow of Gettysburg takes place at the Dedication Ceremony, Nov. 19, 1863.

Source for quotes in this blog post: Bennett, Gerald R. Days of Uncertainty and Dread: The Ordeal Endured by the Citizens at Gettysburg. Gettysburg, PA: The Gettysburg Foundation, 1994.

About Widow of Gettysburg:

When a horrific battle rips through Gettysburg, the farm of Union widow Liberty Holloway is disfigured into a Confederate field hospital, bringing her face to face with unspeakable suffering--and a Rebel scout who awakens her long dormant heart. While Liberty's future crumbles as her home is destroyed, the past comes rushing back to Bella, a former slave and Liberty's hired help, when she finds herself surrounded by Southern soldiers, one of whom knows the secret that would place Liberty in danger if revealed. In the wake of shattered homes and bodies, Liberty and Bella struggle to pick up the pieces the battle has left behind. Will Liberty be defined by the tragedy in her life, or will she find a way to triumph over it? Read more about the book here.