[June 29, 2013]SPRINGFIELD -- Lincoln's famous
Gettysburg Address -- 272 words that rang out in remembrance of
fallen soldiers -- is one of America's greatest speeches. To mark
the 150th anniversary of the speech and the battle that inspired it,
a handwritten copy will be on display at the Abraham Lincoln
Presidential Library and Museum until late November.
Lincoln delivered his now-famous remarks on Nov. 19, 1863, at the
dedication of the National Soldiers' Cemetery. More than 50,000 men
were killed or wounded July 1-3 at Gettysburg, the largest battle in
North American history.
Dr. Mark DePue will give a presentation
about the battle on July 2 at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential
Library and Museum as part of his Civil War sesquicentennial
presentations on key battles. The free presentation in the Union
Theater begins at 7 p.m.
Lincoln wrote out five copies of his address, each slightly
different. The version owned by the state of Illinois is the "Edward
Everett copy," which Lincoln gave to the orator, scholar and
politician who also spoke at the Gettysburg dedication.
Everett's two-hour speech, delivered from memory, placed the
battle into the context of the anti-slavery movement and other epic
battles in history. After hearing Lincoln's two-minute speech,
Everett congratulated him on its spirit and asked for a copy.
The handwritten copy will be on display in the museum's Treasures
Gallery, accompanied by two extremely rare printed versions of the
address. They are being displayed for the first time.
The first is a pamphlet that contains both speeches from the
ceremony, and is one of three copies in existence today. The other
is a small, pocket-sized version of Lincoln's speech, printed in
color in New York that week. Only two of these are known to survive.
The Battle of Gettysburg was an attempt by Confederate Gen.
Robert E. Lee to deliver a painful defeat that would force the Union
to the bargaining table. He pushed into Pennsylvania and encountered
Union troops on July 1. Ultimately, however, Lee was the one forced
to withdraw in defeat.
Lincoln delivered his now-famous remarks on Nov. 19, 1863, at the
dedication of the National Soldiers' Cemetery. More than 50,000 men
were killed or wounded July 1-3 at Gettysburg, the largest battle in
North American history.
