Countrymen,
I had a feeling battle was coming, so I canceled the cabinet meeting for June 30.
On July 1-3, 1863, Union and Confederate forces engaged in the bloody battle near Gettysburg. The 1st day of battle caused Union troops to retreat; however, on the 3rd day Confederate troops under Robert E. Lee where shot down after Confederate troops tried to attack Union soldiers at Cemetery Ridge. I was in the War Department that day, July 3rd, when I received a message from Chief Quartermaster Rufus Ingalls stating:
“at this moment the battle is raging as fiercely as ever. … The loss has been great on both sides. All our forces have been, and still are in action, and we shall be compelled to stand and fight it out.”
Unfortunately, The Battle of Gettysburg left thousands of men dead. 50,000 out of 170,000 men died: 23,000 Union men and 28,000 Confederates. Victory went to the Union.
I would like to take a moment of silence to remember these honorable men…
“But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground [Gettysburg]. 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 the earth.”
~Father Abraham
The Civil War Battlefield Guide pg 117
American Journey pg 436
Abraham Lincoln by Benjamin P. Thomas pp. 405, 406, http://showcase.netins.net/web/creative/lincoln/speeches/gettysburg.htm
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A devastating blow was dealt to each side.
ReplyDeleteWe, the Confederacy, equally mourn for the fallen. To see thousands slain in as little as days cannot be an easy burden, and I am glad that even in this time of your victory the Union may still grieve over the loss of life whether they hail to the Confederacy or the Union. We have lost a great deal and I doubt even our ability to utilize what little remains of our forces, but we will march on.
ReplyDelete'Tis good that you relied on your intuition, President Lincoln. The fact that we defeated the Confederates is good but even a large victory such as that cannot win the war. We are currently laying siege to Vicksburg. I believe it will not be long before the city is under Union control.
ReplyDeleteW.T. Sherman, Major-General
Your words about the consecration of the battleground are sure to inspire many. Our forces have lost many men, and must continue fighting to ensure that they did not die in vain.
ReplyDeleteThis indeed was another great loss for both sides. Neither side must give up. A great victory for the Conferderates and many more to come.
ReplyDeleteAs you can see, things are beginning to turn around for us, Mr. President. We may yet win this war!
ReplyDelete