151 years ago today

[Fatstrat]

Abraham Lincoln gave this short speech.


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 battlefield 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 the earth.

[cotten]

He was wrong about our not remembering what he said there.

cotten

[gjtoth]

A scene from Pickett's Charge. The Confederate left. From the 150th Anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg. If you would like to see more of my images from this epic reenactment: https://www.flickr.com/photos/gjtoth...7636526188426/ Many thanks FatStrat for the OP.

[Fatstrat]

When I visited Gettysburg one of the most moving artifacts I saw was a broken in half rifle in the museum with a name carved into the stock. The name had been traced to a 17 year old Confederate soldier in the Army of Virginia. Who was last seen alive at the angle during Picketts charge. Having survived the hellish charge under fire for over a mile to the angle, he was last seen swinging the rifle as a club. P.S. Great Pics gjtoth!

[gjtoth]

Originally Posted by Fatstrat

When I visited Gettysburg one of the most moving artifacts I saw was a broken rifle in the museum with a name carved into the stock. The name had been traced to a 17 year old Confederate soldier in the Army of Virginia. Who was last seen alive at the angle during Picketts charge. Having survived the hellish march under fire for over a mile to the angle, he was last seen swinging the rifle as a club.

One instance that sobered the spectators (about 40,000 of 'em) was the opening cannon duel when a Confederate drummer boy (about 10-12 years old) was "killed". There was an audible collective gasp and it brought tears to eyes of many. Reality had struck home. But, these are the realities of REAL war. There WERE boys that young in the ranks as drummers.

[mdunn]

Originally Posted by gjtoth

A scene from Pickett's Charge. The Confederate left. From the 150th Anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg. If you would like to see more of my images from this epic reenactment: https://www.flickr.com/photos/gjtoth...7636526188426/ Many thanks FatStrat for the OP.

Thanks for posting the image. Much of the history that brought us to where we are today is not being taught in school any more. Several wars shaped the course and destiny of the USA.

Photography was relatively new at the time of the Civil War. People like Mathew Brady and others risk being killed or injured to document war like it had never been recorded before. Images of the carnage of the battle brings home how intense the conflict was. I found one source of the casualty count at Gettysburgh.

Nearly one-third of the total forces engaged at Gettysburg became casualties. George Gordon Meade's Army of the Potomac lost 28 percent of the men involved; Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia suffered over 37 percent. Of these casualties, 7,058 were fatalities (3,155 Union, 3,903 Confederate). Another 33,264 had been wounded (14,529 Union, 18,735 Confederate) and 10,790 were missing (5,365 Union, 5,425 Confederate).

More Americans died in the few days of Gettysburg than died in the last two wars Iraq and Afghanistan combined.

The Iraq US casualties were

A total of 4,491 U.S. service members were killed in Iraq between 2003 and 2014

For Afghanistan the number is.

As of August 4, 2014, there have been 2,201 U.S. military deaths in the War in Afghanistan and additional 134 fatalities in the broader Operation Enduring Freedom outside Afghanistan. 1,819 of these deaths inside Afghanistan have been the result of hostile action. 19 964 American service members have been wounded in action during the war.

One question, Did you take your 8 X 10 field camera out to the reenactment and shoot B & W images on glass plates? It sure is easier with a Nikon or Canon or Cell Phone!

[Fatstrat]

Originally Posted by gjtoth

A scene from Pickett's Charge. The Confederate left. From the 150th Anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg. If you would like to see more of my images from this epic reenactment: https://www.flickr.com/photos/gjtoth...7636526188426/ Many thanks FatStrat for the OP.

Wish Lew Armistead was in the pic.
https://www.google.com/search?q=lewi...ml%3B400%3B247

[Mr Bill]

When we saw the movie 'Gettysburg' in the theater in 1993, tears filled my eyes when they were gearing up for Pickett's Charge. I knew what was coming.

[Fatstrat]

Another interesting Pickett's Charge story is that General Garnett's sword.
http://trrcobb.blogspot.com/2011/01/...e-garnett.html

[gjtoth]

Originally Posted by Mr Bill

When we saw the movie 'Gettysburg' in the theater in 1993, tears filled my eyes when they were gearing up for Pickett's Charge. I knew what was coming.

They did, too.

[Dru Edwards]

Even here in Canada we all know Lincoln's words "Four score and seven years ago". Such a famous speech.
I would like to make it to Gettysburg one day. It would be very moving.

[KevWind]

I found the Ken Burns "The Civil War" series fairly compelling

[gjtoth]

Originally Posted by Dru Edwards

Even here in Canada we all know Lincoln's words "Four score and seven years ago". Such a famous speech.
I would like to make it to Gettysburg one day. It would be very moving.

A friend of mine was telling an acquaintance about his recent trip to Gettysburg. The acquaintance said, "I'll have to tour Gettysburg one of these days." My friend said, "You don't visit or tour Gettysburg. You experience it." I found that to be very accurate.

[kydave]

One of my ancestors. He wasn't at Gettysburg, but after his role at Shiloh in the Orphan Brigade, he was to be promoted to be the Fifth Confederate General... He died of illness on the trip to Richmond.

[kydave]

Another ancestor, SGT Charles C. Trabue, was with the Battle Unit Named: R.M. Anderson's Company, Virginia Light Artillery (1st Company, Richmond Howitzers). This outfit fought at Gettysburg, although I don't know if my ancestor was with them at that time or not.