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On November 19, 1863, some four months after the Battle of Gettysburg, President Abraham Lincoln traveled to the small Pennsylvania town to help dedicate the Soldiers' National Cemetery. Actually, Lincoln was invited almost as an afterthought, to give "a few appropriate remarks." The main speaker at the ceremony was Edward Everett (1794-1865), one of the foremost American orators of the time. Everett had had a long and distinguished career as Governor of Massachusetts, U.S. Representative and Senator, President of Harvard University, Secretary of State in the Fillmore administration, and U.S. Minister to Great Britain. Many of the thousands attending the dedication ceremony undoubtedly came specifically to hear the great man speak. In fact, the ceremony's organizers originally planned October 23 as the dedication date, but Everett told them that the earliest he could research and prepare an oration would be November 19. Thus, the ceremony was planned around Everett's schedule. |
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On November 19, 1863, some four months after the Battle of Gettysburg, President Abraham Lincoln traveled to the small Pennsylvania town to help dedicate the Soldiers' National Cemetery. Actually, Lincoln was invited almost as an afterthought, to give "a few appropriate remarks." The main speaker at the ceremony was Edward Everett (1794-1865), one of the foremost American orators of the time. Everett had had a long and distinguished career as Governor of Massachusetts, U.S. Representative and Senator, President of Harvard University, Secretary of State in the Fillmore administration, and U.S. Minister to Great Britain. Many of the thousands attending the dedication ceremony undoubtedly came specifically to hear the great man speak. In fact, the ceremony's organizers originally planned October 23 as the dedication date, but Everett told them that the earliest he could research and prepare an oration would be November 19. Thus, the ceremony was planned around Everett's schedule. |
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