I went to Gettysburg yesterday. Prior to our tour, the only information my mind could produce about Gettysburg was that it was a Civil War battle and that Abraham Lincoln gave a famous speech that had to do with it. I learned a lot of interesting history. Gettysburg was not 
the site of the first battle of the Civil War. It is the first battle that the Union army (kind of) won and the turning point in the war. The battle lasted for three days with 50,000 casualties and losses. The Gettysburg address was given 5 months after the battle, at the dedication of the Gettysburg Union Cemetery. When the speech was given, no one gave it much heed and even President Lincoln said that it would not be remembered. A newspaper printed the speech and that is why we have it today. Curly and Lou obviously thought Honest Abe was pretty cool!
the site of the first battle of the Civil War. It is the first battle that the Union army (kind of) won and the turning point in the war. The battle lasted for three days with 50,000 casualties and losses. The Gettysburg address was given 5 months after the battle, at the dedication of the Gettysburg Union Cemetery. When the speech was given, no one gave it much heed and even President Lincoln said that it would not be remembered. A newspaper printed the speech and that is why we have it today. Curly and Lou obviously thought Honest Abe was pretty cool!This story, shared with me by Fisher's amazing history buff sister was also repeated during our visit -
A gentleman by the name of Meigs was from Georgia, but when his state seceded he decided to stay with the Union. He became the Quartermaster General of the Army. His son was killed, fighting for the Union several months before the end of the war. He was so distraught by his son
s death that he wanted revenge on someone, or something. Since Robert E. Lee was the commander of the southern troops (they had been friends before the war) he blamed Lee for the death of his son. Meigs urged the army to used the estate of Lee, his home and lands had been confiscated during the war, as a cemetery for the union dead. They army agreed. Thus, Arlington was created out of sense of revenge.
Several years after the war, Robert E. Lee’s son sued the federal government to get his family’s land back. The case eventually made it to the Supreme Court who ruled that Lee has a right to his land and the federal government had been illegally trespassing on his land all these years.Lee had a right to have the thousands of Union soldiers buried in Arlington disinterred, as well as the freedman camp forced from that location. Lee meet with the Secretary of the Army to decide what to do. The Secretary of the Army, Robert Todd Lincoln (oldest son of Abraham Lincoln), met with the son of his father’s old foe to find justice. Lincoln said to Lee, “What should we do?” Lee responded “The honorable thing.” He then gave the deed to the land over the Lincoln in exchange for payment, but did not force anyone off the land that rightfully belonged to him. Robert Todd Lincoln is buried on a small hill in Arlington overlooking the Lincoln Memorial so he could always watch over his father.
s death that he wanted revenge on someone, or something. Since Robert E. Lee was the commander of the southern troops (they had been friends before the war) he blamed Lee for the death of his son. Meigs urged the army to used the estate of Lee, his home and lands had been confiscated during the war, as a cemetery for the union dead. They army agreed. Thus, Arlington was created out of sense of revenge.Several years after the war, Robert E. Lee’s son sued the federal government to get his family’s land back. The case eventually made it to the Supreme Court who ruled that Lee has a right to his land and the federal government had been illegally trespassing on his land all these years.Lee had a right to have the thousands of Union soldiers buried in Arlington disinterred, as well as the freedman camp forced from that location. Lee meet with the Secretary of the Army to decide what to do. The Secretary of the Army, Robert Todd Lincoln (oldest son of Abraham Lincoln), met with the son of his father’s old foe to find justice. Lincoln said to Lee, “What should we do?” Lee responded “The honorable thing.” He then gave the deed to the land over the Lincoln in exchange for payment, but did not force anyone off the land that rightfully belonged to him. Robert Todd Lincoln is buried on a small hill in Arlington overlooking the Lincoln Memorial so he could always watch over his father.
Today we visited Arlington. Pictured above is the eternal flame and the Arlington Mansion (Robert E. Lee's home). We have my sister Jeniel and cousin Elyse visiting (yay!) and so we will have "an excuse" to do a lot of sightseeing this week... Stay tuned.
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Lou's first taste of ice cream at the NASM. She's a fan!
Lincoln Memorial. We have very few pictures with the girls because they are either asleep or too grumpy to participate in a picture.
