On November 19, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln delivered remarks, which later became known as the Gettysburg Address, at the official dedication ceremony for the National Cemetery
of Gettysburg in Pennsylvania, on the site of one of the bloodiest and most decisive battles of the Civil War.
Though he was not the featured orator that day, Lincoln’s brief address would be remembered as one of the most important speeches in American history, writes JJ TOHILL

 

Just over 160 years ago, the ‘Hanover Spectator’, alone of all American newspapers, printed the full text of a remarkable speech. It was a very short speech only five minutes in length, delivered by the most popular President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln, who we are told spoke slowly but with dignity. His historic words, vibrant with the rousing ring of rare oratory, have come down the years as one of the most celebrated addresses of all time.

The occasion was a memorable one – the 19th November,1863, dedication of 17 acres of the battlefield of Gettysburg as a National Cemetery. Just four months before, Gettysburg in the State of Pennsylvania, had witnessed one of the most savage engagements in the American Civil War.
Some 53,000 thousand men from both the North and the South had been killed or wounded in three days of brutal combat. The victory won there had marked a decisive advance in Lincoln’s effort to safeguard and keep united the entire nation.

The war was to continue for another two years, but this battle was the turning point, and it paved the way for the eventual defeat of the Confederacy.
In July 1863, General Lee’s Confederate army struck northwards in a desperate attempt to break through the Union lines. At Gettysburg, a strong force, under General Meade, halted his progress, and a hundred and fifty thousand troops were flung into battle. For three days a frightful holocaust went on, but, when the remnants of Lee’s beaten army were finally forced back in retreat, though the Union lines had been saved, that had only been possible at a terrible cost in human lives.

No wonder that it was proposed, that this battlefield should be dedicated as a National Memorial to the preservation of the unity of the States of America, and to the men who had fallen that this goal might be achieved.
And so, when the war had ended, arrangements were made for the dedication ceremony. Great crowds were expected, and, after two hours of prayers and music, Edward Everett, a distinguished scholar and speaker, was selected to deliver a suitable long and eloquent oration. It was expected that the President would attend and say a few words.

No one knew what preparation Lincoln had made for the historic speech he was to make that November day. Given the poignancy of the event, it was an ideal opportunity for a big partisan speech.
There are those who say he had pondered on it long and seriously and gave to its content and form the most careful attention. It may be so. On the other hand, there is equal testimony that he made merely casual preparation – that on the way to the field, he turned to his companion in the carriage, borrowed a pencil and paper and began to make notes.

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