GDG- Re: Gettysburg Digest, Vol 30, Issue 2

[IDunc at aol.com]

Dennis, I really enjoy this Lincoln research you have been posting here,  
thank you. Ian

Message:  16
Date: Thu, 02 Nov 2006 08:58:47 -0600
From: Dennis Lawrence  <denlaw at kc.rr.com>
Subject: GDG- Invite You to be present, and  participate in these
Ceremonies
To:  gettysburg at gdg.org
Message-ID:  <6.0.0.22.0.20061102084529.05041090 at pop-server.kc.rr.com>
Content-Type:  text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed

>From David Wills to  Abraham Lincoln  November 2, 1863

Gettysburg Nov. 2nd  1863

Sir,

The several States having soldiers in the Army of the  Potomac, who were 
killed at the Battle of Gettysburg, or have since died  at the various 
hospitals which were established in the vicinity, have  procured grounds on 
a prominent part of the Battle Field for a Cemetery,  and are having the 
dead removed to them and properly buried.

These  Grounds will be Consecrated and set apart to this sacred purpose, by  
appropriate Ceremonies, on Thursday, the 19th distant,--

Hon Edward  Everett will deliver the Oration.

I am authorized by the Governors of  the different States to invite You to 
be present, and participate in these  Ceremonies, which will doubtless be 
very imposing and solemnly  impressive.

It is the desire that, after the Oration, You, as Chief  Executive of the 
Nation, formally set apart these grounds to their Sacred  use by a few 
appropriate remarks.

It will be a source of great  gratification to the many widows and orphans 
that have been made almost  friendless by the Great Battle here, to have you 
here personally; and it  will kindle anew in the breasts of the Comrades of 
these brave dead, who  are now in the tented field or nobly meeting the foe 
in the front, a  confidence that they who sleep in death on the Battle Field 
are not  forgotten by those highest in Authority; and they will feel that, 
should  their fate be the same, their remains will not be uncared for.

We hope  you will be able to be present to perform this last solemn act to 
the  Soldiers dead on this Battle Field.2

I am with great

Respect,  Your Excellency's

Obedient Servant,

David Wills

Agent  for

A. G. Curtin Gov. of Penna,

and acting for all the  States.

[Note 1 Wills, a Pennsylvania banker and judge, was chairman of  the 
committee that organized the establishment of the military cemetery at  
Gettysburg.]

[Note 2 Lincoln accepted the invitation to speak at  the dedication ceremony 
and delivered his Gettysburg Address on November  19.]

http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/P?mal:3:./temp/~ammem_9Ph8::

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
(Invites  Lincoln to stay at his home during the visit to Gettysburg

>From David  Wills to Abraham Lincoln1, November 2, 1863

Gettysburg Nov. 2  1863

Sir,

As the Hotels in our town will be crowded and in  confusion at the time 
referred to in the enclosed invitation, I write to  invite you to stop with 
me. I hope you will feel it your duty to lay aside  pressing business for a 
day to come on here to perform this last sad rite  to our brave soldier dead 
on the 19th instant.

Governor Curtin and  Hon Edward Everett will be my Guests at that time and 
if you come you will  please join them at my house.

You will confer a favor if you advise me  early of your intentions.2

With great Respect

Your Obedient  Servant

David Wills

[Note 1 Wills, a Pennsylvania banker and  judge, was chairman of the 
committee that organized the establishment of  the military cemetery at 
Gettysburg.]

[Note 2 Lincoln accepted the  invitation and spent the evening of November 
18 at the Wills  home.]


http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/P?mal:2:./temp/~ammem_9Ph8::