There is an old joke that an American friend of mine used to tell. It goes something like this:
Question: Why do people call me Abraham Lincoln?
Answer: Because my four scores were seven years ago.
Even in Australia we have heard of the Gettysburg Address. It is the speech given by then President Abraham Lincoln that begins "four score and seven years ago...." He gave it at the dedication of the National Soldier's Cemetery in the town of Gettysburg. It was just four months after a three day battle that raged through the town and it's surrounds. It was decisive in the Union's ultimate victory in the American Civil War.
He was the closing speaker for the opening act, Edward Everett. Everett was considered a skilled orator and was highly prized for his speaking ability. He went on for two hours and it was reported that many people wandered off. When he did conclude his remarks, those who stayed greeted him with a rapturous standing ovation (let's face I know I would have applauded just because he'd finished). Lincoln then got up and gave his two minute speech which we know to this day.
He was the closing speaker for the opening act, Edward Everett. Everett was considered a skilled orator and was highly prized for his speaking ability. He went on for two hours and it was reported that many people wandered off. When he did conclude his remarks, those who stayed greeted him with a rapturous standing ovation (let's face I know I would have applauded just because he'd finished). Lincoln then got up and gave his two minute speech which we know to this day.
At the time Lincoln's speech wasn't reported in a particularly favourable manner. The consensus seemed to be that it was too short and did the war dead a disservice due to its brevity. Clearly not many people remember Everett so I think we can safely say that Lincoln had the last laugh. Even though the speech is inscribed on his memorial in Washington there are actually five known copies of the speech, none of which match. They also don't correlate with the newspaper reports of the time, so the speech's exact content is still a matter for debate.
Its tone however is undeniable. When it was given America still had over a eighteen months to go before the end of it's Civil War. It speaks of how the nation was founded and what its abiding principles should be "......government of the people, by the people, for the people...." The definition of democratic government has never been, before or since, so eloquently and succinctly spoken.
This was a pretty amazing place. I only know the bare minimum about this part of American History. They have essentially left all the areas where the battle took place intact. In fact they are tearing down some more recent additions such as a motel and restaurant so it can be returned to how it looked in July 1863. The battle sites themselves are littered with monuments, more than 270 I believe. The different regiments were allowed, at their own expense, to erect a monument to their men on a site significant to them. Because the south were the losers and because their economies were decimated the monuments nearly all pay tribute to the Union efforts.
This is the monument for North Carolina. The reason I chose this particular monument to photograph is twofold. Firstly the sculptor has incredible detail in his faces and secondly it is the same guy who did Mount Rushmore. Eventually the eleven states from the south who took part, of which North Carolina was one, put a monument up.
There are still bullets marks on buildings, shells lodged in walls and even the odd canon hole. It is a beautiful little town that still has less than 8,000 people living there. I took a guided tour around the site and the guide while being an over bearing pompous git certainly knew his stuff. I could deal with his condescension and pedantry but when he finished by linking the current conflicts America is engaged in with the fight to free blacks enslaved by their own countrymen it took all myself control not to tear his arrogant, know it all arse a new opening.
There is an amazing museum attached to the site that is full to the brim with various weaponry and other artefacts. They seem to have recovered every item of significance from the battle, from the chairs that they say at to the dinner service they used and in an attempt to tell the entire story. I was suffering so much from information overload as to be completely overwhelmed. It did have one truly spectacular item. Amongst all the supposedly controversial confederate flags, the muskets and the Springfield's there is a painting titled the Gettysburg Cyclorama. Four were painted and only two known to have survived. One is on display. It is 13 metres tall and 115 metres long and is viewed in the round. It would be called "mixed media" today as where the painting ends there is a diorama that picks up with three dimensional representations of what you are seeing. It really draws you in to it's content.
This place gets 2,000,000 visitors a year. On the battlefield, there are over 400 original canon arrayed at the pertinent places, you can really see how the events unfolded. This is where our conceited, obnoxious guide came into his own. He could tell you where each battalion was positioned, how long they fought for and how they were equipped. He knew the casualties, the commanding officers, those who obeyed orders and those who didn't. He was incredibly well informed and a fountain of useful information. He was about as warm as super model's stare and maybe if we all chipped in we could buy him a new personality. Still I know a lot more now than I did a day ago.
Ike Eisenhower had his retirement home next to the battlefield. He was the supreme commander of the allied forces in World War II and went on to become US President in 1952. I was going to go in and take a look but Gettysburg just chewed through my time. I headed in to Harrisburg where I intended to bed down for the night. It looked absolutely squalid so I pushed on towards Buffalo and stopped when it got dark. So here I am somewhere in Pennsylvania. I passed someone driving a horse and buggy so I am guessing the Amish aren't too far away. I have been driving along some stunning scenery following the Susquehanna River. Autumn is about to take hold and the leaves on the trees are about to change. In a week or two it will be truly spectacular. Tomorrow I will see Niagara Falls but its off the beaten track for now.
This was a pretty amazing place. I only know the bare minimum about this part of American History. They have essentially left all the areas where the battle took place intact. In fact they are tearing down some more recent additions such as a motel and restaurant so it can be returned to how it looked in July 1863. The battle sites themselves are littered with monuments, more than 270 I believe. The different regiments were allowed, at their own expense, to erect a monument to their men on a site significant to them. Because the south were the losers and because their economies were decimated the monuments nearly all pay tribute to the Union efforts.
This is the monument for North Carolina. The reason I chose this particular monument to photograph is twofold. Firstly the sculptor has incredible detail in his faces and secondly it is the same guy who did Mount Rushmore. Eventually the eleven states from the south who took part, of which North Carolina was one, put a monument up.
There are still bullets marks on buildings, shells lodged in walls and even the odd canon hole. It is a beautiful little town that still has less than 8,000 people living there. I took a guided tour around the site and the guide while being an over bearing pompous git certainly knew his stuff. I could deal with his condescension and pedantry but when he finished by linking the current conflicts America is engaged in with the fight to free blacks enslaved by their own countrymen it took all myself control not to tear his arrogant, know it all arse a new opening.
There is an amazing museum attached to the site that is full to the brim with various weaponry and other artefacts. They seem to have recovered every item of significance from the battle, from the chairs that they say at to the dinner service they used and in an attempt to tell the entire story. I was suffering so much from information overload as to be completely overwhelmed. It did have one truly spectacular item. Amongst all the supposedly controversial confederate flags, the muskets and the Springfield's there is a painting titled the Gettysburg Cyclorama. Four were painted and only two known to have survived. One is on display. It is 13 metres tall and 115 metres long and is viewed in the round. It would be called "mixed media" today as where the painting ends there is a diorama that picks up with three dimensional representations of what you are seeing. It really draws you in to it's content.
This place gets 2,000,000 visitors a year. On the battlefield, there are over 400 original canon arrayed at the pertinent places, you can really see how the events unfolded. This is where our conceited, obnoxious guide came into his own. He could tell you where each battalion was positioned, how long they fought for and how they were equipped. He knew the casualties, the commanding officers, those who obeyed orders and those who didn't. He was incredibly well informed and a fountain of useful information. He was about as warm as super model's stare and maybe if we all chipped in we could buy him a new personality. Still I know a lot more now than I did a day ago.
Ike Eisenhower had his retirement home next to the battlefield. He was the supreme commander of the allied forces in World War II and went on to become US President in 1952. I was going to go in and take a look but Gettysburg just chewed through my time. I headed in to Harrisburg where I intended to bed down for the night. It looked absolutely squalid so I pushed on towards Buffalo and stopped when it got dark. So here I am somewhere in Pennsylvania. I passed someone driving a horse and buggy so I am guessing the Amish aren't too far away. I have been driving along some stunning scenery following the Susquehanna River. Autumn is about to take hold and the leaves on the trees are about to change. In a week or two it will be truly spectacular. Tomorrow I will see Niagara Falls but its off the beaten track for now.
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