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The three-day battle at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania in early July 1863, is the most famous in all of American history.  It could be the subject of an entire course, featuring military strategy, enormous human tragedy, and endless debates about why it happened and whether the outcome could have been different.  Its location is only about a two-hour drive from our class and it a "must see" stop for tourists.  Lincoln himself traveled there to deliver the most famous speech in American history later in 1863: the Gettysburg address.

The three-day battle at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania in early July 1863, is the most famous in all of American history.  It could be the subject of an entire course, featuring military strategy, enormous human tragedy, and endless debates about why it happened and whether the outcome could have been different.  Its location is only about a two-hour drive from our class and it a "must see" stop for tourists.  Lincoln himself traveled there to deliver the most famous speech in American history later in 1863: the Gettysburg address.

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Confederate General Robert E. Lee commanded the southern troops, and he hoped to push through and surprise D.C. with an attack from the north.  Up until this time General Lee, first in his class at West Point, had never lost a battle.  He planned his strategy with expert precision, utilizing three different points of assault to break the Union line in order to defeat them.  Lee had more men, but the Union had the higher ground.  General George Meade led the Union troops.  In contrast with General Lee's military brilliance, General Meade made his major decision by major vote of his lieutenants!

 

By November 1863, Lincoln displayed signs of finding the faith that he lacked earlier.  He may have found the Lord while riding the train to Gettysburg, in order to deliver what would become the famous Gettysburg Address.  Though not in the drafts of his speech for that commemoration, at the last minute Lincoln inserted the phrase "under God" after his reference to "one Nation."<ref>The origin of the phrase "under God" is the General Orders of [[George Washington]] on July 2 and 9, 1776: "The fate of unborn millions will now depend, under God, on the courage and conduct of this army" (July 2); "the peace and safety of the Country now depends, under God, solely on the success of our arms" (July 9). See http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/003/264xqezm.asp?pg=2 .  Later, the imagery of "under God" appeared in a cartoon in 1788 celebrating the ratification of the Constitution by Massachusetts.  See [[American History Homework Three Answers - Model]].</ref>  He delivered the speech at the battlefield (converted to a cemetery) in commemoration of the soldiers who died at the Battle of Gettysburg, and the Gettysburg Address remains the most famous in all of American history.  It ends with the words "that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."  

By November 1863, Lincoln displayed signs of finding the faith that he lacked earlier.  He may have found the Lord while riding the train to Gettysburg, in order to deliver what would become the famous Gettysburg Address.  Though not in the drafts of his speech for that commemoration, at the last minute Lincoln inserted the phrase "under God" after his reference to "one Nation."<ref>The origin of the phrase "under God" is the General Orders of [[George Washington]] on July 2 and 9, 1776: "The fate of unborn millions will now depend, under God, on the courage and conduct of this army" (July 2); "the peace and safety of the Country now depends, under God, solely on the success of our arms" (July 9). See http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/003/264xqezm.asp?pg=2 .  Later, the imagery of "under God" appeared in a cartoon in 1788 celebrating the ratification of the Constitution by Massachusetts.  See [[American History Homework Three Answers - Model]].</ref>  He delivered the speech at the battlefield (converted to a cemetery) in commemoration of the soldiers who died at the Battle of Gettysburg, and the Gettysburg Address remains the most famous in all of American history.  It ends with the words "that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."  

Lincoln soon took notice of Grant's success and by spring of May 1864 Lincoln elevated Grant to command of the Union forces in Virginia.  Grant was no military genius and had been only an average student at West Point, although he was a superb horseman.  But what made Grant so valuable to Lincoln was that Grant did not mind shedding blood on both sides.  Grant used the superior numbers of the Union to win battles against the South, led by General Robert E. Lee, in 1864 in Northern Virginia.   

Lincoln soon took notice of Grant's success and by spring of May 1864 Lincoln elevated Grant to command of the Union forces in Virginia.  Grant was no military genius and had been only an average student at West Point, although he was a superb horseman.  But what made Grant so valuable to Lincoln was that Grant did not mind shedding blood on both sides.  Grant used the superior numbers of the Union to win battles against the South, led by General Robert E. Lee, in 1864 in Northern Virginia.