As the year draws to a close following months of major Union victories on the battlefield, Peace Democrats–popularly known as “Copperheads” due to the pennies they wear as an identifying symbol, and characterized by their opposition to the war and demands for an immediate peace with the Confederate States–have lost their political momentum. Having reached…
Until the present, Thanksgiving observances have been state-specific affairs largely confined to the New England region and, to a lesser extent, the North at large. There has been no consistency in terms of the timing of the observances, with many prior observances occurring early in a given year. Since 1846, however, American writer and editor…
Today is the dedication of the Soldiers’ National Cemetery at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, four and one-half months following the great, but costly and bloody, Union victory on the battlefield in and around the town. The main speaker for the day’s ceremonies is Edward Everett, a politician, Unitarian pastor, educator, diplomat, and orator from Massachusetts. Everett’s last…