150th Anniversary of Battle of Gettysburg

It seems like America has never been so divided as it today.  The country is split on so many issues and many topics in the public discourse quickly lead to shouting, name calling, and fear mongering.  As contentious as it may seem it is nothing compared to the situation 150 years ago today.  On this date in 1863 the battle that decided whether the land from sea to shining sea would be one country or two began in a small town in Eastern Pennsylvannia.

The Confederate Army had reached the North and the Union's Army of the Potomac was the only thing standing between the rebels and Washington D.C.

 

The battle lasted three days and over 46,000 men lost their lives.  That is roughly the amount of people to fit into Busch Stadium in Saint Louis for a Cardnails game.  The Union army had gone through several Generals due to them being more like the Washington Generals than men in charge of an army trying restore a country.  This battle changed all that.  Abraham Lincoln replaced General Meade afterwards for not persuing the Confederates in retreat to land a final decisive blow to the South.  General Ulysess S. Grant eventually took control of the Union army and finished off the rebellion. 

If you would be interested in reading a more in-depth look at this battle that is not too dry and boring please read Killer Angels by Michael Shaara. For those of you who don't want to read a book it was turned into the excellent 1993 movie titled Gettysburg.

Remember that despite all of the anger in politics today at least we are American united under one flag, that at one point was divisible.  Keep this day and the Civil War in mind when civil discord breaks down.  Americans have been torn apart before over a dispute in ways of life and values and solutions to problems must be found before any man grabs his gun.