| Thursday, November 19, 1863.Gettysburg,
PA and Washington, DC. | According to
Nicolay's account, after breakfast at Wills house, Lincoln retires to his room,
where Nicolay joins him, and completes preparation of his speech. John G.
Nicolay, "Lincoln's Gettysburg Address," The Century Magazine
25:598. About 10 A.M. President, dressed in black, wearing
white gauntlets and usual crepe around hat in memory of Willie, leaves Wills
house to join procession. Receives round after round of "three hearty cheers,"
and shakes many hands as crowd gathers. Washington Chronicle, 21 November
1863. Thousands welcome President in Gettysburg. Weather fine.
Flags in Washington at half-mast in honor of dead in cemetery at Gettysburg.
Evening Star (Washington, DC), 19 November 1863, 2d ed., 2:6. Gov. Curtin (Pa.), who
arrived last evening with numerous important people on special train from
Harrisburg, Pa., remarks to Lincoln about serenade given Gov. Seymour (N.Y.),
and Lincoln replies: "He deserves it. No man has shown greater interest and
promptness in his cooperation with us." Rice, 514.
President mounts "a magnificent chestnut charger." Monaghan,
Diplomat, 341. Rides in
procession to cemetery. Hay, Letters and
Diary. Procession delayed; starts to move about 11 A.M.
LL, No. 1425. Head of procession arrives at speaker's
platform inside cemetery at 11:15 A.M. President receives military salute.
President and members of cabinet, with group of military and civic dignitaries,
occupy platform. "The President was received with marked respect and a perfect
silence due to the solemnity of the occasion, every man among the immense
gathering uncovering at his appearance." Washington Chronicle, 20
November 1863. Lincoln shakes hands with Gov. Tod (Ohio), who
introduces Gov.-elect John Brough (Ohio), and takes his place between chairs
reserved for Sec. Seward and Edward Everett, orator to make principal address.
At 11:40 A.M. Everett arrives, is introduced to President, and program music
begins. Washington Chronicle, 21 November 1863. Once
during Everett's two-hour oration Lincoln stirs in his chair. "He took out his
steel-bowed spectacles, put them on his nose, took two pages of manuscript from
his pocket, looked them over and put them back." Monaghan,
Diplomat, 341. About 2
P.M. Lincoln "in a fine, free way, with more grace than is his wont" delivers
Gettysburg Address. He holds manuscript but does not appear to read from it.
John G. Nicolay, "Lincoln's Gettysburg Address," The Century
Magazine 25:602; Dennett, Hay Diaries
and Letters, 121;
Address
Delivered at the Dedication of the Cemetery at Gettysburg, 19 November
1863, CW, 7:22-23.
Pronounces his "r" plainly, does not speak like Southerner. Henry B.
Rankin, Intimate Character Sketches of Abraham Lincoln
(Philadelphia: Lippincott, 1924), 285. On platform, after
speech, President remarks to Marshal Lamon: "Lamon, that speech won't scour! It
is a flat failure and the people are disappointed." Lamon,
Recollections, 173. John
R. Young, recording speech in shorthand for Philadelphia "Press," leans across
aisle and asks President if that is all. Lincoln replies, "Yes, for the
present." John R. Young, Men and Memories: Personal
Reminiscences, 2 vols., edited by May D. Russell Young (New York: F. T.
Neely, 1901), 1:69. President decides to hear address by Lt.
Gov.-elect Charles Anderson (Pa.) at 4:30 P.M. in Presbyterian Church. Meets
"old John Burns, the soldier of 1812, and the only man in Gettysburg who
volunteered to defend it." Burns accompanies him and Sec. Seward to hear
Anderson speak. President's special train leaves Gettysburg about 7 P.M. and
arrives in Washington at 1:10 A.M. on Friday. Washington Chronicle, 21
November 1863. Lincoln returns from Gettysburg with a mild form
of smallpox (varioloid) and remains under half quarantine in White House for
nearly three weeks. Bates, Diary,
30 November 1863; Welles, Diary,
Dec. |