Amazing: Civil War Hero to Finally Receive Medal of Honor

Photo Credit: TownHall

The Battle of Gettysburg has been inscribed in the hearts of all Americans. From curious schoolchildren to the most distinguished scholars, it is as well-known as any battle in American history.

It was, after all, the turning point of the war, and its bloody aftermath a belated – and hopeful – sign that the insurrectionists could be defeated. After years of military setbacks and incompetence in the field, General Robert E. Lee had finally been thwarted. Momentum, it seemed, had shifted.

But victory did not come easily. Several months after the battle ended, for example, President Abraham Lincoln was invited and attended the dedication ceremony at Gettysburg to honor all those who–as he put it–“gave their lives” in defense of the Union. On those hallowed grounds, he spoke movingly about their heroism and sacrifice.

“The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here,” he declared. “But it can never forget what they did here.”

And of course, it never did. Nor did the U.S. government.