The **Gettysburg Address**, delivered by President Abraham Lincoln on November 19, 1863, stands as one of the most recognizable and impactful speeches in the vast chronicle of American History. It was given during the dedication ceremony for the Soldiers’ National Cemetery in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, a hallowed ground established to honor the immense sacrifices made during the Battle of Gettysburg.

The Battle of Gettysburg, a pivotal clash in the American Civil War, had concluded just over four months prior to the dedication. This brutal encounter, marking the bloodiest battle of the war, is often considered the turning point of the conflict. It represented the final major Confederate incursion into the North and signaled the beginning of the Southern armies’ decline. The fields of Gettysburg bore witness to staggering losses, with approximately 51,000 soldiers perishing – 23,000 from the Union and 28,000 from the Confederacy. The immense human cost necessitated the creation of a dedicated national cemetery for the fallen Union soldiers, who were to be reinterred from their initial battlefield graves.

Lincoln’s invitation to the dedication ceremony stemmed from his position as the Chief Executive of the nation. The organizing committee extended the invitation with the specific request that he “formally set apart these grounds to their sacred use by a few appropriate remarks” following the main oration. This seemingly simple request would result in one of the most enduring and quoted speeches in American history: **The Gettysburg Address**.

The journey to Gettysburg took its toll on President Lincoln. During the train ride, he battled illness, experiencing weakness and dizziness. John Hay, one of Lincoln’s private secretaries, observed on the day of the speech that the President possessed a “ghastly color” and appeared “sad, mournful, almost haggard.” Despite his physical condition, Lincoln prepared to deliver what would become a defining moment in American oratory.

Before Lincoln took the stage, the assembled crowd of approximately 15,000 listened to a two-hour oration delivered by Edward Everett, a renowned orator of the time. Everett’s speech, intended as the primary address for the occasion, was a lengthy and detailed account of the battle. In stark contrast, Lincoln’s **Gettysburg Address** was remarkably brief, lasting only a few moments. Yet, within those few moments, he masterfully encapsulated the essence of the Civil War, redefining it as a struggle not only for the preservation of the Union but also for the promise of freedom’s rebirth.

The legacy of **The Gettysburg Address** is further complicated by the existence of five different manuscript versions. These versions include two draft copies given by Lincoln to his private secretaries, John Nicolay and John Hay, offering a glimpse into the evolution of his words.

Following the delivery of **The Gettysburg Address**, three additional versions were penned by Lincoln. Among these, the “Bliss copy” holds a special significance, widely recognized as the definitive version of the speech. Its prominence stems from the fact that it is the only version signed by Lincoln and represents the final iteration he wrote, solidifying its place as the most authoritative text.

The Bliss version of **The Gettysburg Address** reads:

“Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate—we can not consecrate—we can not hallow—this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—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.”

After delivering the speech, Lincoln boarded a train back to Washington D.C., his health further compromised by fever and weakness. He was subsequently diagnosed with a mild case of smallpox and endured a period of illness. Initial reactions to **The Gettysburg Address** were mixed, often divided along partisan lines, highlighting the deep political fissures of the time. However, the speech’s enduring power and historical significance would soon become undeniable.

Today, **The Gettysburg Address** stands as a cornerstone of American identity, its words etched into the stone of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C., a testament to its enduring relevance. Despite its fame, the exact wording and the precise location at Gettysburg where Lincoln delivered the speech remain subjects of scholarly debate. Examination of photographs from that day, coupled with accounts from witnesses, suggests that the actual speech may have taken place within what is now the private “Evergreen Cemetery,” adjacent to the Soldiers’ National Cemetery. This ongoing investigation adds another layer of intrigue to this already iconic moment in American history.

Compiled and edited by Dave Alexander, updated February 2024.

**Also See:**

Abraham Lincoln
The Gettysburg Battle Campaign
The Civil War
Civil War Photo Galleries

Sources:

Abraham Lincoln Online
National Library of Congress
Wikipedia