of wheat and fruits of the earth, typifying peace and abundance as the soldier's crowning triumph.

Upon the panels of the main die between the statues are appropriate inscriptions, one of which is the concluding part of President LINCOLN's address upon the occasion of the dedication of this cemetery, as follows:

"It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us-that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to the cause for which they here gave the last full measure of devotion-that we here highly resolve that the dead shall not have died in vain; that the nation shall, under God, have a new birth of freedom, and that the government of the people, by the people, and for the people, shall not perish from the earth."

The main die of the pedestal is octagonal in form, panelled upon each face. The cornice and plinth above are also octagonal, and are heavily molded. Upon this plinth rests an octagonal molded base, bearing upon its face, in high relief, the National arms.

The upper die and cap are circular in form, the die being encircled by stars equal in number with the States whose sons contributed their lives as the price of the victory won at Gettysburg.

The ground thus purchased and set apart for the burial of those who fell at Gettysburg in defense of the Government, was, on November 19th, 1863, solemnly dedicated to this sacred purpose. There were present, beside a vast concourse of people from all parts of the country, the President of the United States, several members of his cabinet, the ministers of France and Italy, the governors of several States, representatives of the army and navy,

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members of Congress, and many other distinguished persons. A stand or platform was erected for the speakers and invited guests. This stand stood just where the National Monument now stands. The exercises were opened by music by Birgfield's band, after which followed an eloquent and impressive prayer by Rev. Thomas H. Stockton, D. D., from which I make the following extracts:

By this Altar of Sacrifice; on this Field of Deliverance; on this Mount of Salvation; within the fiery and bloody line of the Munitions of Rocks,' looking back to the dark days of fear and trembling, and to the rapture of relief that came after, we multiply our thanksgivings, and confess our obligations to renew and perfect our personal and social consecration to Thy service and glory.

"Oh, had it not been for God! For lo! our enemies, they came unresisted, multitudinous, mighty, flushed with victory, and sure of success. They exulted on our mountains; they revelled in our valleys; they feasted, they rested; they slept, they awakened; they grew stronger, prouder, bolder, every day; they spread abroad, they concentrated here; they looked beyond this horizon to the stores of wealth, to the haunts of pleasure, and to the seats of power in our capital and chief cities. They proposed to cast a chain of slavery around the form of Freedom, binding life and death together forever. Their premature triumph was the mockery of God and man. One more victory, and all was theirs! But behind these hills was heard the feeble march of a smaller, but pursuing host. Onward they hurried, day and night, for God and their country. Foot-sore, way - worn, hungry, thirsty, faint,- but not in heart,they came to dare all, to bear all, and to do all

that is possible to heroes. And Thou didst sustain them! At first they met the blast on the plain, and bent before it like the trees in a storm. But then, led by Thy hand to these hills, they took their stand upon the rocks and remained as firm and immovable as they. In vain were they assaulted. All art, all violence, all desperation, failed to dislodge them. Baffled, bruised, broken, their enemies recoiled, retired, and disappeared. Glory to God for this rescue! But oh, the slain! In the freshness and fulness of their young and manly life, with such sweet memories of father and mother, brother and sister, wife and children, maiden and friends, they died for us. From the coasts beneath the eastern sky, from the shores of northern lakes and rivers, from the flowers of the western prairies, and from the homes of the midway and border, they came here to die for us and for mankind. Alas, how little we can do for them! We come with the humility of prayer, with the pathetic eloquence of venerable wisdom, with the tender beauty of poetry, with the plaintive harmony of music, with the honest tribute of our Chief Magistrate, and with all this honorable attendance; but our best hope is in thy blessing, O Lord, our God! O Father, bless us! Bless the bereaved, whether present or absent; bless our sick and wounded soldiers and sailors; bless all our rulers and people; bless our army and navy; bless the efforts for the suppression of the rebellion; and bless all the associations of this day and place and scene forever. As the trees are not dead, though their foliage is gone, so our heroes are not dead, though their forms are fallen. In their proper personality they are all with Thee. And the spirit of their example is here. It fills the air; it fills our hearts.

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And, long as time shall last, it will hover in the skies and rest on the landscape; and the pilgrims of our own land, and from all lands, will thrill with its inspiration, and increase and confirm their devotion to liberty, religion, and God."

At the conclusion of this prayer, the Marine Band of Washington rendered excellent and appropriate music, after which Hon. Edward Everett delivered an able and elaborate address. Following this address a choir sang the hymn composed specially for the occasion by B. B. French, Esq., some verses of which are given at the close of this chapter. The President of the United States, the honored and revered LINCOLN, then, amidst the tremendous applause of the assembled multitude, arose and slowly advanced to the front of the platform and delivered his celebrated dedicatory address, which was as follows:

“Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers brought forth upon this continent a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

"Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle field of that war. We are met to dedicate a portion of it as a final resting place of those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

"But in a larger sense we can not dedicate, we can not consecrate, we can not hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here have consecrated