No North, No South...: The Grand Reunion At The 50th Anniversary Of The Battle Of Gettysburg James 1
No North, No South...: The Grand Reunion At The 50th Anniversary Of The Battle Of Gettysburg James 1 ->>->>->> https://fancli.com/2tvYOK
No North, No South...: The Grand Reunion at the 50th Anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg
By James 1
In the summer of 1913, fifty years after the bloodiest battle of the American Civil War, more than 50,000 veterans of both sides gathered in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, to mark the occasion and to heal the wounds of the past. It was the largest and most peaceful reunion of former enemies in history, a remarkable display of reconciliation and fraternity that transcended the bitter memories of war.
The idea for the reunion came from General H. S. Huidekoper, a Philadelphia native who lost his right arm at Gettysburg in 1863. He proposed a fitting semicentennial observance of the three-day battle to Pennsylvania Governor Edwin S. Stuart in 1908. Stuart envisioned a reunion of Union and Confederate soldiers that would be talked about for years to come. \"Other States, both north and south, whose sons fought at Gettysburg, will surely co-operate in making the occasion one that will stand foremost in the martial history of the world,\" he said.
With the help of the War Department and individual states, invitations were extended to all Civil War veterans and funds were appropriated for their travel to and from Gettysburg, predominantly by rail. A massive camp was prepared for them on 280 acres near the battlefield, with more than 5,000 tents organized by state and equipped with basic amenities. Artesian wells were installed to supply water to the veterans' village.
The official celebration lasted from July 1 to July 4, coinciding with the dates of the battle and the anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. The veterans participated in various exercises and ceremonies in a Great Tent that could accommodate 14,000 people. They also visited the sites where they had fought and fallen, retracing their movements and exchanging stories with their former foes. Some of them even reenacted Pickett's Charge, the climactic assault that had failed to break the Union line on July 3, 1863. This time, however, instead of bullets and bayonets, they greeted each other with handshakes and hugs.
The highlight of the reunion was President Woodrow Wilson's address on July 4, which was attended by an estimated 100,000 people. Wilson praised the veterans for their courage and patriotism, and urged them to use their influence to promote peace and unity among all Americans. \"We have found one another again as brothers and comrades in arms, enemies no longer, generous friends rather, our battles long past, the quarrel forgottenâexcept that we shall not forget the splendid valor,\" he said.
The Great Reunion of 1913 was a remarkable event that demonstrated the power of forgiveness and reconciliation. It also marked a turning point in the nation's collective memory of the Civil War, as both sides began to emphasize their common heroism and sacrifice rather than their differences and grievances. As one veteran remarked, \"There is no North or South today; we are all Americans.\" aa16f39245