Lincoln and the Human Interest Stories of the Gettysburg National Cemetery

by James M. Cole, Roy E. Frampton

This is the story of Abraham Lincoln and the men of The Gettysburg National Cemetery. The purpose of this history is to explain how Gettysburg came to be the nation's first national cemetary, how President Lincoln came to be involved, and why his Gettysburg Address became a new political revolution transforming the Union into "a new nation." Emphasis is also given to those events in Lincoln's life that preceded Gettysburg and give a relevant background to that historic moment. Lincoln's greatest words from other sppeches and writings are also exerpted to demonstrate how he became a lord of language and why those words will live in classic greatness. Numerous photographs and individual stories of the men and the events described are also included-- many of which are published for the first time. So this is their story, the story of the boys of the Blue and Gray, the known and unknown, who preserved and passed on to us a rich history and heritage that we now call our own.

88 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1995

Reviews

[Loren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unlike Arlington National Cemetery, which has had many books written about it, Gettysburg National Cemetery -- a.k.a. Soldiers' National Cemetery -- has very few, most of which are out of print. That's a shame, since the whole system of American national cemeteries, including Arlington, owes its existence to this plot of ground in Pennsylvania.

This booklet, which I picked up at the gift shop at Gettysburg National Park, seems to be the most comprehensive information available on the subject. It opens with photographs of corpses strewn across the battlefield and subsequently laid in a temporary grave, then goes on to describe the movement to honor the fallen, which grew until it inspired President Lincoln to write the Gettysburg Address. I found this portion of the book worth the price. In fact, I would have liked even more detail.

The book's second half fulfills its title by providing biographies and some photographs of the men laid to rest at Soldiers' National Cemetery. I was impressed by the research that went into uncovering these stories. I wonder if more could be added since this book was published in 1995.

Soldiers' National Cemetery was a crucial development in the way the dead are treated in this country. If you have any interest in the matter, track down this book.

[Dave Glorioso · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a collection of human interest stories that are priceless for any Gettysburg aficionado.