Your turn: Commemorating the Battle of Gettysburg
Monday, July 3, marks the 160th anniversary of the most famous battle in the military history of the United States, the Battle of Gettysburg.
It’s estimated there were over fifty-thousand American casualties in the three-day battle, almost as many as in the entire Vietnam War.
But this was all so long ago and what does it have to do with Rockford? For that matter what does the entire Civil War have to do with the local area and the country as a whole? Everything!
The Civil War is all around us right here in Rockford. Union troops trained at Camp Fuller which was located in the western end of the Churchill’s Grove neighborhood. Streets such as Camp, Guard and Post are named after this Union training ground.
When you go down Harlem Boulevard you’ll notice the cross streets Sherman, Sheridan, Logan and Hancock, all named after Union generals and a little further west there’s Grant. Over 500 Civil War veterans are buried in Greenwood Cemetery at the corner of North Main and Auburn in Rockford.
There’s a bench in the cemetery in memory of these Civil War veterans donated by the families of Tom Mott and Don Thayer, two prominent Rockford citizens who were members of the Rock River Valley Civil War Roundtable.
More: Four Union regiments trained at Camp Fuller
Several Rockford area men fought in the Battle of Gettysburg. There’s a good chance you have ancestors who fought in the Civil War or know of someone who does.
Many of the controversial issues we’re facing today extend directly back to the Civil War and Reconstruction. States’ rights, the authority of the federal government, the executive power of the President, reparations for slavery, who is a citizen and who has the right to vote are issues we’re still dealing with.
Controversies over the Confederate battle flag, Confederate monuments, the holiday Juneteenth and the naming of military bases after Confederate generals remain unresolved in the minds of many Americans.
What was the main cause of the Civil War? Were Confederate leaders heroes or traitors? These are questionsstill being debated by modern historians.
The Civil War and Reconstruction define who we are as a nation today. It’s been said by some historians that if you want to find out what the United States is really about, study the Civil War.
On Monday, July 3, the Rock River Valley Civil War Roundtable will be commemorating this important day in the history of our country.
Our program will include videos of the Battle of Gettysburg and Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address. One of our members, Mary Rose Fillip, will do a short presentation on the local men who fought at Gettysburg.
Our featured speaker will be Civil War author and historian Steven Acker, who will present “The Battle of Gettysburg as Seen Through Its Monuments.” The meeting will be held at Veterans Memorial Hall, one of Rockford’s treasures.
Memorial Hall was built in the early part of the 20th century and dedicated in 1903 by President Theodore Roosevelt. It honors all local veterans starting with the Civil War and contains many interesting artifacts and exhibits.
Things get underway with an informal bring-your-own lunch at 11:30 a.m. with the formal meeting starting at noon.
This meeting will last a little over an hour. All are welcome including non-members.
This is a great opportunity to discover our past and examine one of the most important events in our nation’s history.
Bob Presman is president of the Rock River Valley Civil War Roundtable.
This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Your turn: Commemorating the Battle of Gettysburg
