President Lincoln delivered the infamous Gettysburg Address Nov. 19, 1863, during a dedication ceremony of the Soldiers’ National Cemetery in Gettysburg, Pa. The entire speech only consisted of 272 words and took approximately three minutes to deliver.
In a small space of time Lincoln managed to convey the United Sates principles of unity and equality by reiterating the principles supported by the Declaration of Independence.
In actuality, the president was but one of five scheduled speakers to address the crowd that day.
The main speaker for the event, Edward Everett, an American statesman and scholar, graduated from Harvard University in 1811 and returned to the school in 1819 as a professor of Greek. He became editor of the North American Review in 1820. Four years later he was elected a member of the U.S. House of Representatives. Following a decade in the House, he was elected governor of Massachusetts. Everett briefly returned to the world of academia as president of Harvard from 1846 to 1849. He returned to Washington as secretary of state in 1852. The following year he entered the U.S. Senate. It has been declared that Everett was praised for his ability by former students such as Ralph Waldo Emerson. This made him a natural selection for such an important occasion.
In addition to Lincoln, those scheduled to join Everett at the podium were the Rev. T.H. Stockton, who would give the opening prayer; B.B. French, who composed a hymn for the occasion; and the Rev. H.L. Baugher, who was to deliver the benediction.
Lincoln boarded the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad from Washington shortly after noon Nov. 18, 1863. Having had one switch and a brief stop, Lincoln arrived in Gettysburg at dusk. The commander in chief later retired to his room to put the finishing touches on his speech.
One of the most often overlooked characteristics of Lincoln’s genius was his way with words. He was a sincere speaker and he had a true gift of writing. The Gettysburg Address is one of the most famous examples, and is one of the most frequently quoted speeches in American history.
The Gettysburg Address is now regarded as one of the best speeches in United States history. Everyone may not have the Gettysburg Address memorized, but almost all recognize the words “Four score and seven years ago.”
