BGuthrie Photos: PA -- Gettysburg -- Town -- David Wills House

PA -- Gettysburg -- Town -- David Wills House:

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Specific picture descriptions: Photos above with "i" icons next to the bracketed sequence numbers (e.g. "[1] ") are described as follows:
1. WILLS_131119_011.JPG: Gettysburg Before the Battle: A town of 2400 people, Gettysburg was a seat within a thriving farm county with increasing industry, a network of ten major roads and connection to a mainline railroad. Gettysburg After the Battle: The roads and trains of Gettysburg now transported supplies, doctors, and soldiers' family members into town, and the armies, including many of their wounded and dead, out of town.
2. WILLS_131119_020.JPG: The Wills House: In July 1863, the American Civil War came to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Four months later, President Abraham Lincoln followed to honor the fallen. This is where he stayed during that historic visit. Here you will experience life with the Wills family as the Battle of Gettysburg threatened their home. You will learn how a simple invitation from David Wills resulted in the most famous speech in American history -- the Gettysburg Address. You will stand in the room where President Lincoln revised the Gettysburg Address and explore why that speech still resonates today. "It will be a source of great satisfaction to the many widows and orphans that have been made almost friendless by the Great Battle here, to have you here personally." -- David Wills to Abraham Lincoln, November 2, 1863
3. WILLS_131119_041.JPG: A Crossroads Town: James Gettys founded the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania in 1786. A substantial and modern town by the standards of 1860 America, it had some paved roads, running water, and even gas works -- initiated by none other than David Wills. Gettysburg was a center of agriculture and commerce, with tanneries and a healthy carriage industry. It boasted eight churches, six taverns, two banks, three weekly newspapers, a college, and a seminary. The town was ready for even more growth and expansion, fed by a rail line and ten major roads that all came together in the town square. The very roads that carried commodities in and out of town, drew contesting armies. The battle that resulted forever changed this place. In 1860, Gettysburg citizens had strong political factions and three local newspapers that voices their concerns -- each affiliated with the politics of its editor. David Wills was a Republican, most likely identified with The Adams Sentinel, and was actively involved in the campaigns for President Lincoln and Pennsylvania Governor Andrew Curtin.
4. WILLS_131119_046.JPG: The Busiest Office in Gettysburg: The room you are about to enter was David Wills' office -- the center of Gettysburg's recovery effort. In nineteenth-century America, the government had no standing agencies or institutions to deal with national disaster. David Wills' office combined the functions of a Federal Emergency Management Agency, Centers for Disease Control, and American Red Cross all in one. In this office, Theodore Dimon, a former army surgeon representing New York state, advanced the idea of burying all the Union dead on the lines of battle at Gettysburg; David Wills arranged for the cemetery's consecration and Lincoln's visit; supplies for the wounded were stored; and Wills fought for compensation for the farmers who suffered losses during the battle. Supplies for the wounded were brought into town via train and wagon, and stored at every available post. David Wills was 33 years old at the time of Lincoln's visit and the cemetery's dedication ceremony.
5. WILLS_131119_059.JPG: Local Hardships: As time went on Gettysburg's citizens began to wonder if they would be compensated for the damage and economic losses they had suffered. As a prominent local attorney, David Wills spent years fighting for their reimbursement. Despite his efforts, very few ever received any kind of compensation from the local, state of federal government. The farm of William Bliss, for example, was burned to the ground during the fighting under orders of a Union general. Bliss was denied compensation on the grounds that his property was destroyed out of necessity of war. The battle left him "utterly ruined." But he was such an ardent Unionist that he later claimed "if I had twenty farms I would give them all for such a victory." Horses were essential to the operations of a farm and an army; hundreds were killed at the battle of Gettysburg. "War is awful. Everything suffers in war; people all suffer; animals suffer; the trees are torn by shot and shell or are cut down ruthlessly for fires and breastworks; grain and grass are eaten up or trodden into the ground in an hour; springs and wells are the soldiers' boons, and are supped up to the last drop." -- Nathaniel Lightner, Gettysburg farmer
6. WILLS_131119_061.JPG: Confederate Military Pass, July 2, 1863. This slip of paper, torn from the page of a diary, served as a safe conduct pass for David Wills through the Confederate lines during the battle. It is signed by Alexander S. "Sandie" Pendleton, Assistant Adjutant General of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia's 2nd Army Corps.
7. WILLS_131119_073.JPG: Model 1839 US Oval Waist Belt Plate, 1862. Found along Oak Ridge north of Gettysburg after the battle, this belt plate is inscribed "TH, Co. I, 104 NYV". It most likely belonged to Private Thomas Haligan of Company I, 104th New York Infantry. Haligan and his comrades took part in the first day's battle north of Gettysburg and withdrew through the town at the end of that day.
8. WILLS_131119_080.JPG: "The Soldier's Hymm-Book with Tunes", published by the Boston Young Men's Christian Association, c. 1863. This pocket hymnal belonged to Sergeant Francis J. Swoyer of Co. C, 107th Pennsylvania Infantry. Swoyer's regiment served in the same brigade as the 104th New York Infantry and also took part in the first day's battle north of Gettysburg. He also withdrew through the town at the close of the first day's action.
9. WILLS_131119_098.JPG: A Difficult Recovery: There was little rest for the citizens of Gettysburg in the weeks and months after the battle. The town was under martial law and the army provost marshal arrested anyone caught gathering up or selling government property -- including soldiers' weapons and equipment. The Army's policies angered civilians so much that Pennsylvania Congressman Thaddeus Stevens warned Secretary of War Edwin Stanton: "unless something be done... the administration will not receive 1/5th of the votes in that region." Conversely, some soldiers formed a negative opinion of Gettysburg's civilians. Union Colonel Charles Wainwright noted, "The Pennsylvanians do not give us a warm welcome; they are much more greedy than the Marylanders. Butter has gone up to fifty cents a pound, and skimmed milk to twenty-five cents a canteen. Yet they are running with complaints if a single fence rail is burned." Some Northern reporters criticized Gettysburg citizens for not providing aid to the soldiers who had defended their town. The New York Herald, for example, declared that "the meanness of some of the citizens of Pennsylvania is literally disgusting." On the other hand, the Adams Sentinel wrote on July 21 that "we feel satisfied that Gettysburg and its loyal citizens will not be forgotten when the history of this War is written by future historians." The Trostle farm, like many, contained damaged crops, broken fences, and the dead bodies of both men and horses. Damage to property and a large amount of battle debris necessitated a clean-up effort by Gettysburg's citizens.
10. WILLS_131119_105.JPG: War and The Wills House: The Civil War came to the doorstep of the Wills home in 1863. Confederate soldiers first came to Gettysburg is search of supplies on June 26. They raided local shops, including the dry goods store of Robert McIlhenny who rented space from David Wills. During the Confederate occupation of the town, Wills saw "a group of rebels with an axe break open the store door" of another of his tenants. All the while, local citizens huddled in his cellar. During and after the battle, the Wills home filled quickly with wounded and dying soldiers. Local women acting as nurses tended to these men, and the US Sanitary Commission, a civilian relief organization, established a temporary warehouse here. The US Provost Marshall used the home as headquarters, and Gettysburg's leading citizens met here to make plans for proper burial of the dead. Mrs. Catherine Wills was also ready to pitch in. The attorney's wife took food to the wounded, bringing some of them back to the house. Soldiers were bathed, fed and given clean clothing and comfortable beds.
11. WILLS_131119_109.JPG: "In the garden of the Rose house in full view... nearly one hundred rebels were buried. All around the barn, even within the house yard, within a few feet of the doors, were, in numbers, the scantily buried followers of the Confederate cause." -- Gettysburg citizen J. Howard Weri Map of the Fields Burial, July 1863
12. WILLS_131119_113.JPG: Pocket Surgical Kit, c 1860: Civil War surgeons carried small surgical kits such as this one to treat minor wounds on the field of battle. During the battle, surgeons worked on the wounded in numerous public buildings and private homes in the town.
13. WILLS_131119_118.JPG: "Pain Bullet", .58 caliber, 1863 This bullet for a .58 caliber rifle-musket bears teeth marks, which testified to its use by a soldier to bear the pain of his wounds. Ether and chloroform were frequently used as anesthetics during the Civil War, but were obviously unavailable for this patient.
14. WILLS_131119_126.JPG: College diary of David Wills, January 1- December 31, 1850: In this diary, David Wills kept an account of his experiences while attending Pennsylvania (now Gettysburg) College. He graduated in 1851.
15. WILLS_131119_130.JPG: Daguerreotype, Catherine Jane Smyser Wills, c. 1850: This is an image of "Jennie" Smyser Wills, the wife of David Wills, in the early 1850s. The couple married in 1856.
16. WILLS_131119_142.JPG: You are looking at the center of the town of Gettysburg as it looked just prior to dedication of the Soldiers' National Cemetery in November 19th, 1863. During and after the battle of Gettysburg, homes, stores, and churches were turned into hiding places, supply depots, and hospitals. The numbered buildings (pictured and described on the panel surrounding the diorama) represent just some of the many uses, and the many stories, of the buildings within a two-block radius of the David Wills House, and illustrate how the townspeople dealt with the crisis. Scale model items: (1) Gettysburg Railroad Depot: Lincoln arrived here on November 18, 1863, greeted by David Wills and Edward Everett, and noticed coffins waiting to be used for reburial of the battle dead. (2) Christ Lutheran Church: Army Chaplain Horatio Howell was killed on the church steps during the July 1, Federal retreat. The church, like most, was used as a hospital after the battle. (3) The David Wills House: Colonel Henry Morrow and Captain William H. Rexford of the 24th Michigan Infantry, were among the officers treated for their wounds in the Wills House. (4) The Robert Harper House: Harper, owner/editor of the Republican Adams Sentinel newspaper, hosted Secretary of State Seward on November 18, 1863. Lincoln made a visit to Seward that evening. (5) The Martin Luther Stover House & John L. Schick Store: Professor Stove of Pennsylvania (Gettysburg) College rented his first floor to merchant Schick. The store was used by the U.S. Christian Commission to house supplies for the wounded. (6) The Moses McClean Building: On the evening of November 18, 1863, Democratic lawyer McClean was the host of New York Governor Seymour -- later serenaded by the Fifth New York Heavy Artillery band. (7) The Dr. Robert Horner House: Formerly the home of Congressman Thaddeus Stevens, a neighbor recalled that after the battle Mrs. Horner "began scraping off her pavement the mud and blood." (8) Fahnestock Brothers Store: An observation post for Major General Howard during the battle, after the battle it was the headquarters and warehouse for the U.S. Sanitary Commission. (9) The Globe Inn: Owner Charles Will sold whisky to Federal soldiers on the morning of July 1, and meals to Confederate officers during the occupation of the town. (10) Barricades at the Railroad: Erected by both armies at several town intersections, these particular barricades were placed along the railroad tracks near the depot, but it is unclear which side built them. (11) The Eagle Hotel: Captain Irsch and members of the 45th New York Infantry took shelter here during their retreat through town, surrendering only after breaking their firearms to keep [them] from the enemy. (12) George Arnold's Store: Clothing store and also the Farmers & Mechanics Savings Institution, its owner was credited with informing General Meade of the Confederate withdrawal from town. (13) Boyer's Grocery Store: Ransacked by Confederate soldiers during the battle, a shot from this area reportedly wounded Dr. Edgar Parker while descending the steps of the Christ Lutheran Church.
17. WILLS_131119_165.JPG: 01. Gettysburg Railroad Depot: Lincoln arrived here on November 18, 1863, greeted by David Wills and Edward Everett, and noticed coffins waiting to be used for reburial of the battle dead.
18. WILLS_131119_167.JPG: 02. Christ Lutheran Church: Army Chaplain Horatio Howell was killed on the church steps during the July 1 Federal retreat. The church, like most, was used as a hospital after the battle.
19. WILLS_131119_169.JPG: 03. The David Wills House: Colonel Henry Morrow and Captain William H. Rexford of the 24th Michigan Infantry, were among the officers treated for their wounds in the Wills House.
20. WILLS_131119_172.JPG: 04. The Robert Harper House: Harper, owner/editor of the Republican Adams Sentinel newspaper, hosted Secretary of State Seward of November 18, 1863. Lincoln made a visit to Seward that evening.
21. WILLS_131119_175.JPG: 05. The Martin Luther Stover House & John L. Schnick Store: Professor Stover of Pennsylvania (Gettysburg) College rented his first floor to merchant Schick. The store was used by the U.S. Christian Commission to house supplies for the wounded.
22. WILLS_131119_177.JPG: 06. The Moses McClean Building: On the evening of November 18, 1863, Democratic lawyer McClean was the host of New York Governor Seymour -- later serenaded by the Fifth New York Heavy Artillery band.
23. WILLS_131119_180.JPG: 07. The Dr. Robert Horner House: Formerly the home of Congressman Thaddeus Stevens, a neighbor recalled that after the battle Mrs. Horner "began scraping off her pavement the mud and blood."
24. WILLS_131119_181.JPG: 08. Fahnestock Brothers Store: An observation post for Major General Howard during the battle, after the battle it was the headquarters and warehouse for the U.S. Sanitary Commission.
25. WILLS_131119_184.JPG: 09. The Globe Inn: Owner Charles Will sold whisky to Federal soldiers on the morning of July 1, and meals to Confederate officers during the occupation of the town.
26. WILLS_131119_186.JPG: 10. The Dr. Joseph Scott House: Dr. and Mrs. Joseph Scott lived here with son Hugh, daughter Mary, and sister-in-law Mary McAllister. Hugh operated the town telegraph office here. On July 1st, Mary McAllister tended the wounded at Christ Lutheran Church, but eventually exclaimed "I want to go home!" Finding the house filled with more wounded, she helped hide a captured Confederate sword and the diary of Colonel Henry Morrow. The November 18th telegram from Mrs. Lincoln to the President on Tad's health was likely received here.
27. WILLS_131119_189.JPG: 11. The Eagle Hotel: Captain Irsch and members of the 45th New York Infantry took shelter here during their retreat through town, surrendering only after breaking their firearms to keep [them] from the enemy.
28. WILLS_131119_190.JPG: 12. George Arnold's Store: Clothing store and also the Farmers & Mechanics Savings Institution, its owner was credited with informing General Meade of the Confederate withdrawal from town.
29. WILLS_131119_193.JPG: 13. Boyer's Grocery Store: Ransacked by Confederate soldiers during the battle, a shot from this area reportedly wounded Dr. Edgar Parker while descending the steps of the Christ Lutheran Church.
30. WILLS_131119_210.JPG: David Wills -- A Life in Gettysburg: David Wills was born eleven miles from here in 1831. He died in this very room in 1894. He was an 1851 graduate of Pennsylvania (now Gettysburg) College and by 1854 he was an attorney and superintendent of Adams County's schools. Two years later he married Catherine Jane "Jennie" Smyser, and by the summer of 1863 the Wills had three children. In all, they had seven children: Catherine, Mary, Annie, Jennie, Emma, David Jr., and James. David Wills was always deeply involved in community affairs. He was appointed president of the Gettysburg Borough Council in 1872, and became Adams County Judge two years later. He also served on numerous boards of directors including that of the Bank of Gettysburg and the Gettysburg Railroad Company. But history would remember Wills for his efforts after the 1863 battle.
31. WILLS_131119_224.JPG: Battle's Aftermath: "Not all who descended on Gettysburg after the battle came to help. Some came out of curiosity or seeking plunder. They pilfered from the living and robbed the bodies of the dead. They even resurrected corpses from their shallow entombment in the hope that some valuable might be found on the festering body." -- J. Howard Wert, visitor to Gettysburg After the battle, Gettysburg became a vast hospital and morgue; dead and wounded soldiers outnumbered civilians eleven to one. Food and supplies were slow to arrive over the burdened railroad. "Some of our wounded have not eaten since the 1st or 2nd," wrote one reporter on July 5. "The women and children have been living in cellars and are just beginning to emerge from this dismal hiding places." Doctors, nurses, and family members descended upon the town, but so did curiosity seekers and vandals. After being "overrun and eaten out by two large armies" these thousands of additional "guests" taxed the local citizenry to its limits. The U.S. Christian and Sanitary Commissions and the Sisters of Charity were some of the groups that provided organized relief to wounded soldiers. The people of Gettysburg helped as well. "It is heart sickening to think of these noble fellows sacrificing everything for us, and saving us, and it out of our power to render any assistance of consequence." -- Sarah Broadhead, local resident
32. WILLS_131119_230.JPG: War Comes To Town: On July 1, 1863, Union and Confederate forces clashed north and west of Gettysburg. At first, curious citizens ventured toward the battlefield or clambered onto rooftops to glimpse the action. Most retreated to their cellars when fighting intensified, missing the withdrawal of Union troops through the streets and the raising of a Confederate flag over the town square, Confederate soldiers would occupy the town for more than two days. For three days, fighting raged in local places now made famous the world over; Culp's Hill, Little Round Top; Seminary Ridge; and Cemetery Hill. Finally, on July 3, a mass Confederate assault, known today as "Pickett's Charge," failed, and the battle ended. As the Confederate Army began its retreat the next day, thousands of dead and wounded remained behind, Gettysburg's homes became hospitals; its fields, burial grounds. In the summer of 1863, more than 1,000 soldiers from Adams County, Pennsylvania, were serving in the Union Army. Company K of the 1st Pennsylvania Reserves, pictured here, went off to war in 1861, and came back home to fight at Gettysburg in 1863. The Wills House was a prominent part of Gettysburg's skyline. On the morning of July 1, 1863, David Wills led citizens up to his roof to see some of the fighting.
33. WILLS_131119_234.JPG: The Wills House was a prominent part of Gettysburg's skyline. On the morning of July 1, 1863, David Wills led citizens up to his roof to see some of the fighting.
34. WILLS_131119_272.JPG: Lincoln Comes to Gettysburg: As many as 20,000 people converged upon Gettysburg to honor the dead and to catch a glimpse of visiting dignitaries. In these rooms you will follow events from Abraham Lincoln's acceptance of David Wills' invitation through his delivery of the immortal address. You will learn how Gettysburg accommodated its visitors and how the Wills family opened its home to dozens of guests. You will stand in the room where Lincoln finished revising his remarks the night before he delivered them, and explore how and why the Gettysburg Address is remembered to this day.
35. WILLS_131119_276.JPG: An artist's rendering of President Lincoln preparing for his Gettysburg Address.
36. WILLS_131119_278.JPG: President Abraham Lincoln arrived at this train station on November 18, 1863, and walked the short distance to the Wills house.
37. WILLS_131119_288.JPG: Wool Saddle Cover, c. 1860 Abraham Lincoln used this saddle cover during the processional to the Soldiers' National Cemetery dedication on November 19, 1863. Charles W. Griest of York Springs, Pennsylvania provided it to the President on the morning of November 19th.
38. WILLS_131119_298.JPG: Edward Everett: Edward Everett was the most famous orator of his time. As a Howard University president, U.S. Congressman and Senator, Minister to Britain, Governor of Massachusetts, Secretary of State, and vice presidential candidate in 1860, he had lived a life of prestige and public service. His speeches were eloquent and in great demand. Everett's Gettysburg address lasted for nearly two hours. He did what nineteenth century America expected of him -- he spoke at great length, made allusions to classical history, and recounted the three-day battle in great detail. Reporters and others in attendance praised Everett's speech as a work of genius, but it has been forgotten by history, overshadowed by Lincoln's two-minutes on the stage. At one time, Everett held Lincoln in low regard. But the President impressed him that day and Everett wrote him afterward, "I wish that I could flatter myself that I had come as near to the central idea of the occasion in two hours as you did in two minutes." Photographs of the dedication ceremony are rare: Lincoln's time in front of the large crowd of thousands was less than three minutes. Everett and Lincoln touched on similar topics but in different ways. In these examples, each explains the reason for the gathering. From Everett: Text is illustrated on the right. From Lincoln: "We have come to dedicate a portion of that field as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this."
39. WILLS_131119_309.JPG: 19th Century Style: The furniture is typical of the Rococo Revival style popular in the mid-1850s. The bed, for example, is richly carved with florals and c-scrolls at the crest, characteristic of the style. The headboard is separated into sections, with three arched panels that are slightly recessed. The scalloping on the mirror and wood surround of the bureau as well as the "c" and "s" scrolls on the washstand are also representative of the style. The Marseilles spread on the bed is the original known to have been in the bedroom at the time of Lincoln's visit. The "hung-in" headboard of the bed actually would have been removed during the summer months and the bed itself adjusted in order to improve air circulation.
40. WILLS_131119_324.JPG: Lincoln Room Furniture: Abraham Lincoln slept in his bed on the night of November 18, 1863. Much of the other furniture was in this room on that night and would have been used by him as well. This bed was part of a large suite of furniture owned by David Wills. It was likely made by a furniture maker in a major metropolitan area (such as Baltimore or Philadelphia) and shipped by rail to Gettysburg. Described by descendents as "rosewood" furniture, the pieces are actually made of mahogany and other secondary woods and date to around 1855.
41. WILLS_131119_344.JPG: Eve of the Address: Abraham Lincoln wrote portions of the Gettysburg Address before he left Washington but finished writing it in the room you are about to enter. After carefully reworking the address and getting details about the consecration ceremony from Wills, Lincoln walked next door, speech in hand, to visit Secretary of State Seward. He returned within half an hour and retired to the bedroom in front of you. The next morning, he made final revisions to his speech before proceeding to the cemetery. "Between nine and ten o'clock the President sent his servant to request me to come to his room. I went and found him with paper prepared to write, and he said that he had just seated himself to put upon paper a few thoughts for tomorrows exercises, and had sent for me to ascertain what part he was to take in them, and what was expected of him. After a full talk on the subject I left him." -- David Wills to Louisa A.W. Russell, 1893 While Lincoln declined to give a proper speech at the Wills House on the night of November 18, Secretary of State Seward was ready. In a lengthy oration a the neighboring Harper house, Seward proclaimed slavery to be the cause of the Civil War and said that its abolishment should be the war's aim. The end of his speech foreshadowed Lincoln's address the next day: "This government of ours, the purest, the best, and the wisest and happiest in the world, must be, and so far as we are concerned, practically will be, immortal."
42. WILLS_131119_347.JPG: Pamphlet, Speech of the Hon. William H. Seward, March 11, 1850: As demonstrated by the speech he gave to citizens of Gettysburg on the night of November 18th, Seward was a harsh critic of slavery. As a Senator from New York, he voices opposition to slavery, such as in this speech delivered to the Senate on the admission of California to the Union.
43. WILLS_131119_354.JPG: Composite Document of Signatures, 1863: This document is a list of dignitaries who paid their respects to the President and the Wills family on November 19th. This included Governor Curtin, Lincoln friend and confidant Warn Lamon, and Major General Abner Doubleday.
44. WILLS_131119_369.JPG: Gettysburg Inundated: The swarm of visitors that descended upon Gettysburg on the eve of the Cemetery dedication were even larger than the crowds that flocked to town just after the battle. Every hotel was overbooked and houses were overcrowded. Even churches and public buildings threw their doors open to the masses. Crowds of visitors, a military band, a college glee club, and more than a few inebriated travelers roamed the streets hoping for a speech from Lincoln or other dignitaries. Since that night, many presidents and luminaries have visited Gettysburg, especially at the 50th and 75th battle anniversaries. But there were more prominent individuals in Gettysburg on November 19. 1863 than on any day before or since -- the President and half his cabinet, a dozen governors or ex-governors, two foreign ministers, Edward Everett, and at least five Union generals. After dinner, in response to crowds and a serenading band, Abraham Lincoln came to the front steps of the Wills House and announced that he had no speech prepared. "In my position, it is somewhat important that I should not say any foolish things," he concluded.
45. WILLS_131119_375.JPG: After dinner, in response to crowds and a serenading band, Abraham Lincoln came to the front steps of the Wills House and announced that he had no speech prepared. "In my position, it is somewhat important that I should not say any foolish things," he concluded.
46. WILLS_131119_378.JPG: Drawing of Cemetery Hill during the dedication on November 19th
47. WILLS_131119_391.JPG: Behind the Scenes: In addition to hosting a major national event in November of 1863, Mrs. Wills was expecting her fourth child. Complicating matters further, was the constant activity in the home ever since the battle. But she had a household staff that helped her make the dinner, evening and morning events run smoothly. Each of her guests also relied on personal staff during the occasion. Lincoln himself was accompanied by his personal servant, William Johnson, a young African-American whom Lincoln described as "honest, faithful, sober, industrious." Johnson had been with him since 1860. Some of Adams County's African American residents enlisted in newly authorized "Colored" regiments, provided for by Lincoln's January Emancipation Proclamation. Many who stayed behind rightfully feared that Confederate troops might kidnap and sell them into slavery, and so escaped North or went into hiding. After the fighting, those who returned helped in the recovery process, but many never came back. Preparing a formal dinner was an all day task in a Victorian kitchen.
48. WILLS_131119_395.JPG: The Wills family employed a small household staff
49. WILLS_131119_396.JPG: Basil Biggs, an African American farmer in Gettysburg, returned after the battle to play an important role in the clean-up and reburial process.
50. WILLS_131119_399.JPG: Stamp Kit of Catherine "Jennie" Wills, c. 1856: Mrs. Wills used this stamp kit to mark calling cards, personal correspondence, or household items. Its scroll work, typical of the Rococo Revival style, places it in the mid-1850s, around the time of her marriage to David Wills.
51. WILLS_131119_406.JPG: Ambrotype, Mary Wills, c. 1860: Pictured here is Mary Wills, the second child of David and Catherine "Jennie" Wills. Born in 1858, she spent the evening before the Dedication with Lincoln and the other Wills guests. She is approximately 2 years old in this photograph.
52. WILLS_131119_409.JPG: Towel, c. 1860: Embroidered with a "W", this is one of several hand towels owned by the Wills family at the time of Lincoln's visit in 1863.
53. WILLS_131119_415.JPG: Skeleton Key: This key operated the lock to the room in which Lincoln stayed on his visit to Gettysburg.
54. WILLS_131119_417.JPG: Carte-de-visite, Private William Adams, Co. F, 108th US Colored Troops (USCT), 1864: Private William Adams was a member of one of the regiments of African-American soldiers raised after the 1863 Emancipation Proclamation. While he served in the war's western theater, Adams was one of thousands of African-Americans, including some Gettysburg civilians, who answered the Union's call.
55. WILLS_131119_430.JPG: A Full House: The Wills House was among the largest in town, but on the evening of November 18 it overflowed with dinner guests, 38 in all. Edward Everett, the French Minister to Washington, Governor Curtin and other dignitaries were here. Mrs. Wills had also prepared several bedrooms for overnight guests, and every one was full, including her own -- given to the President. Along with each came aides and guards necessary to ensure their safety and comfort. The Wills family, like many Victorian households, employed a serving staff to help with the chores required to keep a large family comfortable. During dinner, Mrs. Wills glanced up to see the cook peeking out from the kitchen door to catch a glimpse of Lincoln and the other famous visitors. Hosting such distinguished guests -- let along a president -- was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for everyone involved. After dinner, the guests retired to the parlor. They talked and amused the Wills children until Lincoln and other overnight guests retired to their rooms. "I did not get to bed till half past eleven; and the fear of having the Executive of Pennsylvania tumble in upon me kept me awake till one." -- Edward Everett
56. WILLS_131119_433.JPG: The Wills house was large and centrally located in the town square; it was home to several prominent guests the night before the ceremony.
57. WILLS_131119_442.JPG: The Guests Arrive: Gettysburg's 2,400 citizens hosted as many as 20,000 visitors for the consecration, and David Wills welcomed the most prominent into his own home. Edward Everett was the first to arrive, coming two days early to tour the battlefield and prepare for his oration. Worn out equipment and railroad accidents delayed the trains of both Lincoln and Governor Curtin. Wills finally met Lincoln and his entourage after dusk on the 18th at the station just one block from here. The group proceeded to the Wills House, where Mrs. Wills had a feast waiting for her guests. David Wills spent the evening greeting well-wishers and showing his guests to their rooms. Governor Curtin was the last to arrive, and did not reach Gettysburg until almost midnight. By that time,t he house was full. Wills contemplated having Curtin shared Edward Everett's bed, but Everett refused and Curtin found lodging elsewhere. Senators, governors, and three of Lincoln's cabinet members were also in town and lodging with prominent citizens. Secretary of State William Seward stayed with Wills' neighbor Robert Harper, editor of the Adams Sentinel. Erected in 1859, this rural station served travelers to and from Gettysburg until the passenger service was discontinued in 1942. President Lincoln was its most celebrated guest.
58. WILLS_131119_450.JPG: Whatever the Cost: In the fall of 1863, Abraham Lincoln was consumed with the work of the war. Why did he pause his efforts to deliver a few remarks in a Pennsylvania town seventy miles away -- a distance that took most of a day to travel in the 19th century? Lincoln knew that he was asking his countrymen to pay a terrible price in human lived -- but for what? The war's initial purpose had been to preserve the Union. In late 1862, the Emancipation Proclamation transformed it into a war to destroy slavery as well. But as the death toll mounted, many wondered whether any cause was worth the awful price. The Gettysburg Address was Lincoln's effort to define and defend the war's objectives and the need to see them through -- whatever the cost. The war, he said, was a test of whether a nation "conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal" could survive and remain true to its founding ideals. His speech came at a critical time in the war when Union victory was still uncertain. Lincoln knew that great sacrifices were still necessary, and he took this opportunity to ask the country to rededicate itself to the grim work ahead so that it might realize "a new birth of freedom."
59. WILLS_131119_455.JPG: Lincoln is shown here reviewing some troops in 1861 as commander in chief of a war that would become increasingly unpopular.
60. WILLS_131119_462.JPG: War President: Many in the North questioned whether Lincoln was the right man to lead the country. In 1863, the US Government instituted an unpopular military draft. That July in New York, frustrations mounted and thousands of citizens rioted. In their fury, they terrorized African Americans and other innocent bystanders they associated with the draft. Emancipation fueled much of the controversy. Democrats condemned Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation while many Republicans claimed that the President moved too slowly on the issue. Even Lincoln's Cabinet was divided. Through it all Lincoln remained firm in his resolve to do whatever was necessary to preserve the Union. Three members of Lincoln's cabinet had opposed him in the 1860 election and initially disdained him. All of the cabinet were strong willed men who frequently disagreed with one another over policy. Lincoln believed his administration benefited from opposing points of views, and through his skillful management style held the cabinet together and earned their admiration and respect.
61. WILLS_131119_465.JPG: Lincoln poses with General McClellan near the Antietam battlefield. The scant Union victory there was the platform Lincoln needed to issue his Emancipation Proclamation.
62. WILLS_131119_473.JPG: Family Trauma: The President's family life was a constant trial. His wife, Mary Todd Lincoln, came from an affluent slave-owning Kentucky family, and four of her brothers joined the Confederate army. Critics of the President even circulated rumors that she harbored Confederate sympathies. The Lincolns had already lost two sons to disease: three-year-old Eddie had died in 1850, and 11-year-old Willie had just died in 1862. Another son, Tad, fell ill that November and Lincoln was anxious that he might die while he was away. But understanding that his family crisis was eclipsed by national tragedy, Lincoln headed to Gettysburg. While at the Wills house late on the evening of November 18th, Lincoln received word via telegram that Tad's health had improved. "Guard, that document brought me good news. I was not sure that I could come to Gettysburg because my son, Tad, was supposed to be seriously sick in the White House. This dispatch tells me that he is very much better. Thank God for this news. I can rest better tonight." -- Reminiscence of Paxton Bigham, Lincoln's guard at the Wills House
63. WILLS_131119_479.JPG: The Lincoln Family -- Mary, Willie, Robert, Tod, and Abraham
64. WILLS_131119_483.JPG: Hugh Paxton Bigham, a sergeant in the 21st Pennsylvania Calvary, guarded the President during his Gettysburg stay.
65. WILLS_131119_487.JPG: Abraham Lincoln and the Gettysburg Address, 1864 Francis Bicknell Carpenter Three months after his visit to Gettysburg, President Lincoln received a 34 year old artist form New York State as a guest at the White House. His name was Francis Bicknell Carpenter. A portrait painter of some renown, Carpenter wished to capture for all time the pivotal moment of Lincoln's presidency -- the Emancipation Proclamation. He greatly admired the President and believed the Proclamation was "an act unparalleled for moral grandeur in the history of mankind" and wished "to do something expressive of... the great moral issue involved in the war." After six months of work using the State Dining Room in the White House as his studio, the painting was completed. On July 12, 1864, the President and his Cabinet viewed the "First Reading of the Emancipation Proclamation of President Lincoln." Lincoln pronounced to the artist that "the likenesses seemed to him absolutely perfect." During his six months stay at the White House, Carpenter also observed and sketched Lincoln from life. "It has been the business of my life to study the human face," he wrote, "and... Mr. Lincoln had the saddest face I ever attempted to paint... his care-worn, troubled appearance was enough to bring tears of sympathy into the eyes of his most bitter opponents." In addition to his great work, he painted a family portrait of the President, Mrs. Lincoln and their three sons during this period. The painting presented here shows Mrs. Lincoln in the Executive Mansion holding a copy of his recent Gettysburg Address. It is believed the Carpenter also produced this portrait while at the White House between February and July of 1864.
66. WILLS_131119_498.JPG: Three members of Lincoln's cabinet had opposed him in the 1860 election and initially disdained him. All of the cabinet were strong willed men who frequently disagreed with one another over policy. Lincoln believed his administration benefited from opposing points of view, and through his skillful management style held the cabinet together and earned their admiration and respect.
67. WILLS_131119_513.JPG: The Gettysburg Address: Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on 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 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 it, far above our poor power to add or detract. 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 be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. 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 that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government: of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.
68. WILLS_131119_516.JPG: November 19, 1863: November 19, 1863 was Gettysburg's most momentous day. It opened with an early morning 16-round artillery salute, fired from Cemetery Hill. By 10am, dignitaries were assembled outside of the Wills House for the procession to the new Soldiers' National Cemetery. Local reports estimated a crowd of 20,000 around the temporary speakers' platform in the adjacent Evergreen Cemetery. The ceremony began with music and an invocation by Reverend T. H. Stockton, Chaplain of the United States Senate. Edward Everett's two-hour oration was followed by a funeral dirge, and then the President arose to deliver his "few appropriate remarks," He spoke for about two minutes. The brevity of Lincoln's speech surprised many, but his words were long remembered. "As he began to speak, I instinctively felt that the occasion was taking on a new grandeur, as of a great moment in history, and then there followed, in slow and very impressive and far-reaching utterance, the words with which the whole world has long been familiar." -- Reverend H.C. Hollway, 1914
69. WILLS_131119_519.JPG: The only known photo of President Lincoln on the speakers' platform, either before or after he delivered the Gettysburg Address.
70. WILLS_131119_522.JPG: Cemetery Hill was crammed with more than 15,000 people that day
71. WILLS_131119_533.JPG: Versions of the Address: Five copies of the Gettysburg Address in Abraham Lincolns' hand-writing are known to exist. After the consecration ceremony, he gave a draft to each of his secretaries, John Hay and John Nicolay. Today, these are housed the Library of Congress. Later, he wrote out three additional copies to be auctioned and sold to benefit the war effort. One of these is currently at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield IL; another at Cornell University; and the third inside the Lincoln Room at the White House. During the ceremony, reporters tried to take down the President's words as he spoke. Two of them, Charles Hale and Joseph L. Gilbert, knew shorthand and recorded accurate versions; the latter was also able to consult Lincoln's reading copy. Other accounts were less reliable. The Missouri Republican printed Lincoln's closing line as: "that the government for and of the people, born in freedom, might not perish from apathy." His actual closing line was: "that government of the people, by the people,for the people shall not perish from the earth." Of the various written versions of the Gettysburg Address, the Bliss copy is considered the most faithful to Lincoln's words that day, and is the only one with his signature.
72. WILLS_131119_539.JPG: Of the various written versions of the Gettysburg Address, the Bliss copy is considered the most faithful to Lincoln's words that day, and is the only one with his signature.
73. WILLS_131119_547.JPG: Reactions to the Gettysburg Address: Edward Everett was not the only person to offer his opinion of Lincoln's Gettysburg Address. Newspapers throughout the country covered the ceremony and the speeches. Some, such as the Chicago Times, criticized the President's remarks: "The cheeks of every American must tingle with shame as he reads the silly, flat, and dishwatery utterances." Others, however, spoke highly of Lincoln's speech. The Springfield (Massachusetts) Republican called it a "perfect gem." Newspaper reporters present that day wrote that Lincoln's speech was interrupted at several points with applause.
74. WILLS_131119_551.JPG: President Lincoln delivered his address from a clean, hand-written copy. Pictures is an earlier draft, given to his secretary, John Nicolay.
75. WILLS_131119_556.JPG: The Lincoln Speech Memorial, located in the Soldiers' National Cemetery, commemorates Lincoln's Gettysburg Address. The structure includes a bust of Lincoln, and two bronze plaques: one of the Gettysburg Address and the other, Wills' letter of invitation to the President.
76. WILLS_131119_562.JPG: Significance of the Address: The Gettysburg Address became internationally and eternally famous for many reasons. Among them was Lincoln's powerful prose that succinctly and eloquently defined the meaning of the Civil War. By invoking the Declaration of Independence and its affirmation that "all men are created equal," Lincoln reminded those who heard, and would read, his speech that this nation was founded not only on the principle of constitutional liberty, but also on the principle of human equality. The government "of the people, by the people, for the people," had to survive. Lincoln's words and his hope for "a new birth of freedom" still resonate today throughout the world.
77. WILLS_131119_568.JPG: Pen and Ink Drawing with Watercolor, Zhijia Zhou, 1987: This pen and watercolor drawing by a Chinese artist testifies to the universal nature of Lincoln's words -- it depicts he Gettysburg Address written in Chinese with a decorative floral border.
78. WILLS_131119_578.JPG: Letter from President Ronald Reagan, 125th Anniversary of the Address, November 18, 1988: In this letter addressed to the staff of Gettysburg National Military Park, President Reagan called on readers to put Lincoln's words of 125 years earlier into practice.
79. WILLS_131119_582.JPG: Commemorative Plate: This commemorative plate features the text of the Gettysburg Address as it appeared in the November 20, 1863 edition of the "Gettysburg Gazette".
80. WILLS_131119_588.JPG: Program, 84th Anniversary Celebration of the Gettysburg Address, November 19, 1947: Each November 19th, Gettysburg holds commemoration ceremonies, which includes a reading of the Address. In 1947, actor Claude Raines (who portrayed Captain Louis Renalt in the 1942 film "Casablanca") delivered the address. He also signed this program for local resident Paul Roy.
81. WILLS_131119_594.JPG: Myths of the Gettysburg Address
82. WILLS_131119_597.JPG: Fact or Fiction? Lincoln scribbled his address on the back of an envelope on the train to Gettysburg. Fiction! Lincoln was a deliberate writer. Some of the ideas and phrases of the Gettysburg Address can be found within his other speeches and writings. He actually drafted the address in Washington, on White House stationary, and then revised and wrote out a clean copy here in the Wills House.
83. WILLS_131119_600.JPG: Fact or Fiction? The crowd at Gettysburg gave Lincoln the silent treatment -- a cold and unfavorable response. Fiction! Newspaper reporters present that day wrote that Lincoln's speech was interrupted at several points with applause, and that the applause was prolonged and excited at his conclusion.
84. WILLS_131119_605.JPG: Fact or Fiction? No one really expected Lincoln to accept the invitation to come to Gettysburg. Fact! Presidents rarely left Washington DC in the early and mid-19th century. While a short one today, the trip to Gettysburg was time-consuming, and the ceremony came at a time in the war when Lincoln wanted and needed to be close to his communications.
85. WILLS_131119_608.JPG: Fact or Fiction? While a solemn occasion, Lincoln looked comical during the processing from the Wills House to the Soldiers' National Cemetery. Fact and Fiction! Lincoln was a tall man, and did look rather odd on most normal horses. This led to the myth that his feet scraped on the ground during the procession.
86. WILLS_131119_612.JPG: Fact or Fiction? I can stand on the very spot where Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address. Fiction! The wooden platform upon which Lincoln spoke was quickly disassembled after the program. Its location is part of the adjacent Evergreen Cemetery and is now filled with graves. The precise spot was not marked, and we know only its approximate location.
87. WILLS_131119_624.JPG: This Old House: This house was already nearly fifty years old when President Lincoln stayed here. Built in 1816 by Alexander Cobean, a prominent local businessman, it served at different times as a residence, store, tavern, and hotel before David Wills purchased the building in 1859. As his family and law business grew, Wills moved his law office to the house and converted a first floor store to a family parlor. After Wills' death in 1894, the house was remodeled by different owners for various commercial uses -- including a Rea & Derick drugstore, which occupied the first floor from 1936-1995. Efforts to establish a museum in the Wills House began as early as 1916, but not until the summer of 1938 did the "Lincoln Room" open for tours. In 1945, local businessman John D. Lippy, Jr., in partnership with building owner P.W. Stallsmith, opened an attraction on the second floor called "The Lincoln Room Museum" which continued to operate under various owners until the fall of 2005.
88. WILLS_131119_634.JPG: The Wills House as it appeared in 1976
89. WILLS_131119_638.JPG: The Wills Family Legacy Preserved: Like many historic buildings in Gettysburg, the Wills House has undergone numerous alterations over the years, and in the process, the exterior walls, doors, windows, and almost every room of the interior have been modified. Fortunately, descriptions and friends of the Wills family have carefully preserved original photographs, letters, books, furniture, and many other personal items that have made it possible to restore much of the 1863 appearance of the "Lincoln bedroom" and Wills' law office.
90. WILLS_131119_715.JPG: The Wills House Erected ca. 1814, this building is the best known in Gettysburg. In 1863 it was the home of David Wills and family. Wills, a local attorney, is traditionally given credit as being the father of the Soldier's National Cemetery, for proposing that Pennsylvania provide, "...a common burial ground for the [Union] dead." This idea was supported by all the states whose sons died at Gettysburg and quickly implemented. President Abraham Lincoln was the overnight guest of David Wills on the eve of the dedication of the Soldier's National Cemetery. It was at the dedication ceremony on November 19, 1863, that Lincoln delivered his Gettysburg Address. It is believed that Lincoln polished and rehearsed the brief text of his speech which forever established the concept that our government is "...of the people, by the people, for the people..."
91. WILLS_131119_724.JPG: Wills House: Abraham Lincoln was a guest of David Wills in this house, Nov. 18 and 19, 1863. Here he met Governor Curtin and others, greeted the public, and completed his Gettysburg Address.
92. WILLS_131119_743.JPG: Wills House Abraham Lincoln slept in this house November 18, 1863. The night before his immortal address at the cemetery.Erected by Gettysburg Camp 112, Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War. Gettysburg, Pa. November 19, 1926
93. WILLS_131228_007.JPG: Bloodiest Battle
94. WILLS_131228_014.JPG: Bloodiest Battle: There were 51,000 men killed, wounded, or captured during the battle of Gettysburg. After the armies moved out, over 20,000 wounded, Union and Confederate, were left behind, filling houses, barns, churches and stores converted to temporary field hospitals. The army medical services were overwhelmed: the wounded outnumbered surgeons by almost 100 to 1. By late July, Camp Letterman, a large U.S. general hospital, was established east of Gettysburg, improving the care and conditions of the wounded. More than 7,000 men were killed outright in the fighting. The armies hastily buried their own dead in marked, shallow graves and enemy dead in unmarked trenches, and then moved on. When heavy rains exposed poorly buried bodies, Gettysburg's citizens helped with the gruesome task of reburial. During this period of upheaval and confusion., big questions were yet to be answered: How would this town get back to normal? And would the dead remain indefinitely in their crude battlefield graves? Not only did he shelter dozens of wounded in his home, but David Wills also helped visitors who came seeking the bodies of their loved ones. He met the challenge posed by the battle and its aftermath, and embarked on a course that transformed both his own life and the Gettysburg community.
95. WILLS_131228_019.JPG: Three-quarters of all surgeries during the war were amputations. The one pictured here took place at Camp Letterman, a general hospital set up in tends just outside Gettysburg.
96. WILLS_131228_027.JPG: Not only did he shelter dozens of wounded in his home, but David Wills also helped visitors who came seeking the bodies of their loved ones. He met the challenge posed by the battle and its aftermath, and embarked on a course that transformed both his own life and the Gettysburg community.
97. WILLS_131228_029.JPG: This notice appeared on July 9, 1863 in the newspaper Star and Banner, warning citizens to stay clear of all "government property."
98. WILLS_131228_033.JPG: "In the garden of the Rose house in full view... nearly one hundred rebels were buried. All around the barn, even within the house yard, within a few feet of the doors, were, in numbers, the scantily buried followers of the Confederate cause." -- Gettysburg citizen J. Howard Wert
99. WILLS_131228_037.JPG: Tintype, Private Wilson D. Race, Co. A, 149th Pennsylvania Infantry, 1863. A member of the Union First Corps, Race was wounded in the lungs and carried to the field hospital in the St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church. He died there on July 24.
100. WILLS_131228_044.JPG: Confederate soldiers occupied the town of Gettysburg on June 26, as depicted in this painting, and would return a few days later.
101. WILLS_131228_073.JPG: A Few Appropriate Remarks: In an August 31, 1863 letter to Governor Curtin, Wills suggested holding "appropriate ceremonies" to consecrate the National Cemetery. He could not have imaged that this idea would bring Lincoln to Gettysburg and result in the Gettysburg Address. With Curtin's approval, Wills scheduled the consecration and began sending out invitations. Governor Curtin might have invited the President to attend the consecration when he visited him personally in late August, but Lincoln certainly received the formal invitation that went to all government officials. Since he was preoccupied with the prosecution of the war, Lincoln was not expected to come. When he replied that he would attend, Wills wrote Lincoln inviting him to stay at his home. As Edward Everett was the keynote speaker, Lincoln was asked to say only "a few appropriate remarks" at the end of the ceremony. "It is desired 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." -- Wills to Lincoln, November 2, 1863
102. WILLS_131228_083.JPG: A Final Resting Place: Pennsylvania Governor Andrew Curtin visited the battlefield with Wills on July 10, 1863 and was shocked by its conditions. He designated Wills as state agent, charged with seeing to the proper burial of Pennsylvania's dead. At a meeting of state agents here in Wills' house several days later, the idea of establishing a permanent national cemetery for all Union dead was advanced. Governor Curtin approved this idea, and gave Wills the authority to carry it out. By mid-August, Wills had purchased 17 acres on Cemetery Hill. Wills engaged well-known landscape designer, William Saunders. Some states objected to Saunders' initial plan to bury the dead without regard to their state affiliation. Saunders changed his plan, yet maintained a key element; the physical representation of equality. The graves of all men, regardless of rank, are identical and equally distanced from the center of the semi-circle formation. Upon reviewing the plan, President Lincoln remarked "It is befitting." "A father, a brother, a son has been lost on the battle field, supposed to be killed, but no tidings whatever have the bereaved friends of him. His remains are discovered by sure marks, and they are deposited in a coffin with care and buried in this very appropriate place -- the Soldiers' National Cemetery." -- David Wills "In the garden of the Rose house in full view... nearly one hundred rebels were buried. All around the barn, even within the house yard, within a few feet of the doors, were, in numbers, the scantily buried followers of the Confederate cause." -- Gettysburg citizen J. Howard Nert
103. WILLS_131228_090.JPG: This circular was issued by Wills on October 5, 1863, and called for proposals for the removal of bodies from the battlefield.
104. WILLS_131228_094.JPG: A Final Resting Place
105. WILLS_131228_100.JPG: "Report of the Select Committee relative to the Soldiers' National Cemetery" First published in 1864, this report included key correspondence on the creation of the cemetery, efforts at removal of the dead from the battlefield, and lists of articles found on the bodies of dead soldiers that could be identified or reclaimed by relatives. David Wills authored several sections of this report and would continue to issue updates to it as the years passed.
106. WILLS_131228_130.JPG: Planning the Consecration
107. WILLS_131228_135.JPG: Planning the Consecration: Wills scheduled the consecration of the Soldiers' National Cemetery for October 23. But keynote speaker Edward Everett wrote that he could not be ready to deliver his length oration until November 19, and so the dedication date was adjusted. Wills issued special invitations to northern governors, requesting their presence to honor the dead from their states. He also invited soldiers and poets, judges and clergymen, and other prominent Americans. The autumn of 1863 found David Wills in a flurry of activity, overseeing the reburials and planning the consecration ceremony. Along with Ward H. Lamon, a close friend of the President, Wills drew up a program complete with a military procession, prayer, invocation, and speeches. No detail was overlooked right down to the color and size of the rosettes worn by state marshals. "Thank you and those you represent for your tender care of [the Army's] heroic dead, and for your patriotic zeal, which, in honoring the martyr, gives a fresh incentive to all who do battle for the maintenance of the integrity of the government." -- General George Meade to Wills, November 13, 1863
108. WILLS_131228_147.JPG: James J. Wills (1802-1993) attributed to David S. Forney
109. WILLS_131228_160.JPG: "I am very desirous of meeting your convenience, with reference to the day of the consecration." -- Edward Everett to David Wills, October 2, 1863
110. WILLS_131228_168.JPG: Commission from the Governor of Pennsylvania to David Wills, 1863 With this commission document, Pennsylvania Governor Andrew Curtin designated David Wills as his official agent to facilitate the creation [of] the National Cemetery.
111. WILLS_131228_176.JPG: Letter, Edward Everett to David Wills, October 2, 1863 When making arrangements for the Cemetery dedication, Wills invited Edward Everett to give the dedicatory speech. Everett responded in this letter that he could do so no earlier than November 19th. Wills honored that request and scheduled the dedication for that day.
112. WILLS_131228_183.JPG: "Please aid Mr. Hazenmiller in any way you can in finding the remains." -- Governor Andrew Curtin to David Wills, October 7, 1863
113. WILLS_131228_198.JPG: Letter, Edward Everett to David Wills, December 15, 1863: In 1864, Little, Brown, and Company published an edition of Everett's November 19th oration. Wills provided Everett with "manuscript materials," most likely for the book's introduction.
114. WILLS_131228_218.JPG: A view from "the diamond," or town square, looking south down Baltimore Street, circa 1863.
115. WILLS_131228_292.JPG: Erected in 1859, this rural station served travelers to and from Gettysburg until the passenger server was discontinued in 1942. President Lincoln was its most celebrated guest.
116. WILLS_131228_296.JPG: The Wills house was large and centrally located in the town square; its was home to several prominent guests the night before the ceremony.
117. WILLS_131228_327.JPG: Sheet Music, "Consecration Chant Sung at the Dedication of the National Cemetery" A Baltimore flee club performed this song at the dedication ceremony. Composed by Professor C.T. Root with lyrics by B.B. French, it captured the solemnity of the occasion and the resolve to continue the fight for the Union.
118. WILLS_131228_342.JPG: "Order of Procession for the Inauguration of the National Cemetery," November 19, 1863 This program outlined the activities fro the cemetery dedication ceremony and was distributed to the numerous participants in the day's activities.
119. WILLS_131228_351.JPG: Sheet Music, "Dirge Sung at the Consecration of the Soldiers National Cemetery" Composed by Alfred Delaney and arranged for four voices, the singing of this song immediately followed President Lincoln's remarks.
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Wikipedia Description: David Wills (Gettysburg)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

David Wills was the instigator of the Gettysburg National Cemetery and Lincoln's dedicatory address given there

David Wills (1831 – October 27, 1890) was the principal figure in the establishment of the National Cemetery at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. As a result of his efforts, the Gettysburg Address was given by Abraham Lincoln. Wills was Lincoln's host while in Gettysburg, and the Gettysburg Address was completed in Mr. Wills' home. The house is under renovation and is slated to reopen to the public on February 12-16, 2009.
The House of David Wills in Gettysburg is where Abraham Lincoln put the finishing touches on the Gettysburg Address he had composed in Washington, D.C.

David Wills was born in Menallen Township, Adams County, Pennsylvania, the son of James Wills, a farmer. He remained on his father's farm until 13 years of age, entering Pennsylvania College (now Gettysburg College) in 1846 from which he graduated with high honors in 1851. He then became a principal of the Academy at Cahaha, Alabama, where he taught one year. In 1853 he entered as a law student in the office of Hon. Thaddeus Stevens at Lancaster, PA, and in 1854 he was admitted to the Bar of Pennsylvania.

He opened a law office in Gettysburg in 1853. He was elected Burgess of the Borough of Gettysburg. He was elected the first County Superintendent of Schools of Adams County, and on him devolved the organization of the new school system. He was also elected director of the Bank of Gettysburg in 1854 and served until 1860, when he was succeeded by his father, James Wills, who served until 1867. He was trustee of Wilson College, Chambersburg. He was also a trustee of the Dickinson School of Law, Carlisle. He was for more than twenty years a trustee of Pennsylvania College. In 1874 he was appointed President Judge of the 42nd Judicial District composed of Adams and Fulton Counties.

Mr. Wills suggested the idea of the Soldiers' National Cemetery at Gettysburg to Governor Andrew Gregg Curtin immediately after the Battle of Gettysburg. He was appointed the agent of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania by Governor Curtin to organize the Soldiers' National Cemetery and looked after its interest. However, rival lawyer David McConaughy had already started purchasing land on Cemetery Hill with the intention of preserving it for the Federal government instead of the commonwealth.

It was in Wills' house on November 18 that President Lincoln wrote the final draft of the Gettysburg Address.
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