lines of the Unionists; but all in vain, and at last, after losing more than a third of his grand army, he was compelled to retreat. This was probably the most important and decisive engagement of the war. "Freedom was master on the continent."

33. In November, a little more than four months after, a great concourse of men and women met on this battle field of Gettysburg to consecrate a part of it as a national cemetery for the remains of the brave soldiers who had fallen. Lin

Obligation to the

patriot dead.

coln took part in the ceremony. "When the appointed funeral oration was completed, a low murmur ran through the audience and the careworn President, rising, bent reverently forward," and said: 34. "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 have come to dedicate a portion of that field as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that our nation might live. It is fitting that we should do this; but, in a larger sense, we cannot hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it far beyond any thing we can do. The world will little note, nor long remember, what we say here; but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us, the living, rather to dedicate ourselves to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced; to consecrate ourselves to the great task remaining; and to gather from the graves of these honored dead increased devotion to that cause for which they gave their lives. Here let us resolve that they shall not have died in vain; that this nation shall, under God, have a new birth of freedom; and

The losses were fearful, 23,210 national troops were killed, wounded, or missing. The Confederate loss was 36,000,

1863

Organizations of Mercy.

279

that government of the people, by the people, and for the people shall not perish forever from the earth.'

35. The efforts put forth by the North to sustain the Union cause were not confined to the government and the army. The people actively showed their interest, and their sympathy with those who had engaged in it. Organizations Associations were formed to relieve the necessi- of mercy. ties of the soldiers.

Of these, the Christian and Sanitary

Commissions did the most extensive work. "The Sanitary Commission gathered supporters from all classes of the people-physicians, clergymen, lawyers, merchants, tradesmen, laborers, and-how was it possible that it could be otherwise?-conspicuously among all, very many women. The wealthy man gave lavishly of his means; the poor man a

portion, often not an inconsiderable portion, of his earnings; the widow brought her mite. Soon the commission had ar independent transportation of its own. It had hospitals, wagons, ambulances, cars. Ingenious men devised for it inventions of better litters, better stretchers, better ambu. ances. It secured comfortable transportation for the wounded soldier from the battle-field to the hospital. On the railroad it soon had its hospital cars, with kitchen, dispensary, and a surgeon's car in the midst.

36. To the Sanitary Commission the government gave a most earnest support; the people gave it their hearts. They furnished it with more than three millions of dollars in money, of which one million came from the Pacific States; they sent it nine millions' worth of supplies. From fairs held in its interest very large sums were derived. What country, what age of the world can show such a splendid example of 'organized mercy?" The Christian Commission, emulating the noble conduct of the Sanitary Commission, aided the surgeon, helped the chaplain, followed the armies in their marches, went into the trenches and along the picket-line. Wherever there was a sick, a wounded, a dying man, an agent of the Commission was near by. It gave Christian burial whenever possible; it marked the graves of the dead. It distributed nearly five millions of dollars in money and supplies."

The

37. We turn to the West once more. Farragut's capture of New Orleans opened the lower part of the Mississippi; and the victory of Shiloh, with its consequences, resulted in opening all the rest that had been previously held Mississippi by the Confederates, except the portion between opened. Vicksburg and Port Hudson. It was Grant's ob ject to complete the opening of the river throughout its en1 "The Sanitary Commission was a genuine expression of the spirit of the people. It was to America in this century what the orders of chivalry were to Europe in their day."-Carlyle. To the end of time it will stand in history as a worthy monument of the patriotism, the humanity, and the religion of a Christian democracy,”—Ñorth American Review

1863

Draft Riot in New York.

281

tire length. His first point of attack was Vicksburg, which had been so strongly fortified that it was considered impreg nable. It was held by a powerful army under General Pem

berton.

38. By a series of skillful movements, Grant seized a position suitable for operations. A number of battles took place, every day Grant's hold on Vicksburg becoming more secure. At last, "on the 3d of July, Pemberton saw that he was ready to make a final and fatal assault. That afternoon he wrote to his besieger asking an armistice. To this Grant promptly replied, and an interview consequently took place between the two commanders beneath an old oak tree. Pemberton was irritable and indiscreet. Great and merciful, the conqueror bore, without an unkind remark, the petulance of his vanquished adversary, and returned him no railing reply.” The next morning, July 4th, 1863, Vicksburg was surrendered.

39. "While Grant had been besieging Vicksburg, Banks had been besieging Port Hudson; and so closely had the operations been pressed that it was impossible for the place to hold out much longer. When, on the 6th of July, news came that Vicksburg had surrendered, it was needless and hopeless to continue the defense any longer." Port Hudson was accordingly surrendered on the 9th. "Thus the Western armies had accomplished their object, and the Mississippi was now open to the Gulf of Mexico. The Confederacy was cut asunder; its right zone was isolated."

Draft riot in

40. An act of Congress empowered President Lincoln to recruit the army by drafting. As a call for three hundred thousand troops under this law was not fully responded to, a less number volunteering, it was found requisite to resort to a draft. This excited great opposition; and, in New York, a riot broke out while the draft was in progress, which lasted four days (July 1316), and was only put down by the most determined efforts of the police and the military. Buildings were sacked and

New York.

burned, and a large number of persons killed. The colored population of the city, being an object of particular hatred to the rioters, suffered severely.

The war

41. As before stated, Rosecrans gained an important victory over Bragg, at Murfreesboro. After a half year's inactivity, Rosecrans again advanced against Bragg, compelling him to evacuate Chattanooga. Meanwhile, Lee, in Tennessee having reached a secure position on the Rapidan, and Georgia. in Virginia, hurried re-enforcements to Bragg, who, enjoined by the Richmond government, then turned upon his pursuers. The two armies met near Chickamauga creek, and a battle of two days ensued, the result of which was that the Federal army was partially routed. "On Thomas, who, in allusion to the events of the struggle, is often justly called The Rock of Chickamauga,' the weight of the battle now

fell. Every thing depended on his firmness. If he, too, should be swept away, there was nothing but a flight across the Tennessee. In this supreme moment Thomas proved equal to his task. Though more than half the army had abandoned him, with inflexible resolution he held his ground. One after another the Confederate regiments surged up against him, and broke at his feet like billows of the sea. It was about sunset when they made their last charge. It was repelled, and they gave way to return no more (Sept. 19, 20)."

GENERAL THOMAS.

42. The Union forces, driven behind the intrenchments of Chattanooga, with the Confederates holding the surrounding hills-Lookout mountain and Missionary ridge--their position was critical indeed. They were also in danger of starvation; and "the mud was so deep," wrote one of the soldiers, "that we could not travel by the road, but we got along pretty well by stepping from mule to mule as they lay