On November 19, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln delivered his famous Gettysburg Address. His speech was delivered four and a half months after the Battle of Gettysburg. Fought from July 1 to July 3. It was the bloodiest battle of the Civil War -- a battle that resulted in a resounding defeat of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia by Union Gen. George Meade’s Army of the Potomac. It was the furthest north Lee’s Army ever would advance into Union territory. In fact, there’s a monument on the Gettysburg battlefield that symbolizes this “high water mark,” and it’s perhaps ironic this battle concluded on July 4 -- 87 years following our declared independence from England.
Let’s look at a few statistics of this bloody battle:
- Approximately 160,000 combatants
- Between 46,000 and 51,000 Union casualties
- July 1, 2 and 3 each rank in the top 15 of the bloodiest Civil War battles
- Nine generals were killed or wounded -- more than any other single battle
- After the Battle, there were 4 times more soldiers dead than residents of Gettysburg.
The November 19, 1863, event was held to dedicate the Gettysburg National Cemetery. President Lincoln was not even the featured speaker. In fact, he was invited a mere two weeks prior to the event. Edward Everett, a former Senator, Secretary of State and President of Harvard University was the featured speaker.
Everett was considered one of the greatest orators of the day. He spoke for more than two hours. President Lincoln’s address was a mere 275 words and lasted less than two minutes. When President Lincoln returned to his seat, he reportedly said, “That speech won’t scour.” That’s a farming term referring to mud sticking to a plow keeping it from tilling the soil properly.
Lincoln thought his remarks were inadequate and a disgrace, and the reviews of his Gettysburg Address were mixed. Republicans reviewed it favorably if not somewhat underwhelming. Democrats considered it an utter failure.
The next day, Everett penned a letter to President Lincoln in which he said, “I should be glad if I could flatter myself that I came as near to the central idea of the occasion in two hours as you did in two minutes.” When Frederick Douglass visited the White House, President Lincoln asked his thoughts on the speech. Douglass said, “It was a sacred effort.” History has properly judged Lincoln’s words as one of the greatest speeches ever delivered, and you can find the text of that speech here.
President Lincoln issued a challenge on November 19, 1863, that still resonates today:
“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.”
Today, we are at a similar point in our nation’s history. The actions we take now and every day will determine the future of our republic. Success will not come easily. It has been and will continue to be frustrating. Restoring our Constitution, defending our Founding Principles and preserving liberty for future generations is a goal worthy of our sacrifice. Duty is calling every self-governing American citizen. Please consider becoming a leader for liberty in the Convention of States Project. You can find further information here.
In liberty,
Brett
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