On November 19, the United States observed the 162nd anniversary of the Gettysburg Address. The White House released a statement marking this occasion and reflecting on President Abraham Lincoln’s speech delivered at Gettysburg in 1863.
The message recalled the significance of the Battle of Gettysburg, fought in July 1863 between Union forces led by General George Meade and Confederate troops under General Robert E. Lee. The battle resulted in a Union victory but came at a heavy cost, with more than 7,000 soldiers losing their lives.
“When President Lincoln visited the battlefield on November 19th to commemorate those who had perished in the fight, he did not boast of Union victory or vengeance. He spoke instead of renewal, hope, and the debt our Nation owed to those who had given the last full measure of devotion,” according to the statement.
The White House emphasized that Lincoln’s address was not only about dedicating a cemetery but also about reaffirming national values. “In his address, President Lincoln dedicated a cemetery and reconsecrated a Nation to its founding promise. He proclaimed that beyond the challenges that pitted a nation against itself, Americans are bound by a shared history and commitment to preserving our hard-won freedom.”
Lincoln’s words during his brief speech have continued to influence American ideals over generations. The message from the White House stated: “President Lincoln’s address transformed sorrow into strength and loss into purpose, binding the Nation’s wounds and reminding Americans that those who fought and perished did not die in vain, but fought to secure a new birth of freedom for our country.”
As America approaches its 250th year since independence, the statement called for reflection on these enduring principles: “More than two and a half centuries later, President Lincoln’s message still reaches across time to remind us of our proud history, our common bond, and our duties as Americans. He called upon the people of this country in every age to stand as one Nation, preserve our liberty, and always defend our God-given right to self-government.”
The message concluded with an affirmation: “We will always remember our fallen heroes, cherish our freedom, honor our heritage, and forever uphold that a government of the people, by the people, and for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”
