best-known american history writers. the presidency, looking at policies and legacies of our nation's commanders in chief, lectures and history, with top college professors delving into america's past, and our new series featuring archival government and educational films 1970's. 1930's through created by the cable tv industry and funded by your local cable or satellite provider. watch in hd, and follow us on twitter. bellet on the civil war, grove plantation hosted a commemorative ceremony to mark the 150th anniversary of the battle of cedar creek. the battle to place in shenandoah valley, on october 19, 1864, and resulted in a union victory. this program includes choral music, speeches, and current preservation efforts as well as a cannon salute. it is about an hour and 10 minutes.

>> good evening. it is my pleasure to welcome you to cedar creek and belle grove national historical park. it has been a very busy day here havee anniversary events unfolded. but now it is time to pause and take a moment to reflect on the magnitude of what happened here 150 years ago. to set the stage for this ceremony, i would like to welcome superintendent jim nort hrup to say a few words. [applause] >> well, good evening. norty said, my name is jim hrup. it is my great privilege to serve as the superintendent. i'm here to join with amy and ou r hosts to welcome you and thank

you for coming to this very important element in the 150th anniversary events here at cedar creek. activity that is taking place around us, we are gathered at this place in this moment to remember exactly what happened here. and to remember all of those who were killed or wounded on this battlefield. all of you know, on october 19, 1864, a great battle was fought here. secure theat shenandoah valley of virginia for the union, and a battle that is credited with propelling president abraham lincoln to reelection. a great deal about the interesting tactics associated with the battle. risky surprise attack, the great success of the confederate forces in the morning. general shared his famous ride from winchester, and the union counterattack. but what we don't talk about

quite as much are the lives of the young men who fought here. 25roximately 46,000 men from states, 17 for the union, and 8 for the confederacy, proximally 1000 of whom were killed or mortally wounded on this ground. with another 7600 wounded or captured. the second-largest and the second bloodiest battle fought in the shenandoah valley. this evening, we gather in this tranquil setting with signal nob in the distance and the beautiful belle grove plantation house behind us to remember heir bravery and their sacrifice and the impact of the loss on their families that lasted for generations.

creek and belle grove national historical park is not just about this battle. that tells the story of this part of the shenandoah valley from native american use of this landscape to early settlement through a rich agricultural period and a plantation era to the civil war and beyond. but today, we take a moment to think only about one thing. to honor the men who fought and died here at the battle of cedar creek. today,ards of this land we must never forget. welcome, and thank you for joining us. [applause] >> 150 years ago at this moment, this field would have been filled with union camps. soldiers would have been sitting

around the fire talking about what has been going on or perhaps you would be the best candidate for the presidential election in three weeks. would lincoln be reelected? would mcclellan be the better choice? which candidate would bring the end to this war? that theme time relaxing atmosphere was here at belle grove, the environment was completely different over at fishers hill. the air at fisher's it was probably filled with electric nervous energy. the confederate army of the valley was having their last meal before they would be marching through the night to surprise the camps sitting unaware here at belle grove. 150 years ago tomorrow, this landscape will erupt with the sounds of war. the sun will set tomorrow in the valley with almost 1000 men fields withse

tattered tents and camp supplies strewn everywhere. by tomorrow evening, the union soldiers will return to their camps here victorious but solemn. here has changed the course of the shenandoah valley for the rest of the war. at this place, we find the last major battle of the valley that not only secure this corridor for the union, boosted the votes for lincoln's reelection, and contributed to the beginning of the end of the war. the place here in shenandoah valley has significance for our local community, the commonwealth, and the nation. its effects of far-reaching and forever remembered. impact of thehe battle of cedar creek had on the commonwealth of virginia, governor mcauliffe has issued a proclamation recognizing tomorrow as the 150th anniversary. here to read the proclamation,

it is my pleasure to introduce kristin lays, the executive director of belle grove incorporated. [applause] >> by virtue of the authority vested by the constitution of virginia in the governor of the commonwealth of virginia, there is hereby officially recognized the 150th anniversary of the battle of cedar creek. the the events of the civil war have left a mark on thecommonwealth and whereas events surrounding the war and the war itself led to the ultimate abolition of slavery fertileeas the shenandoah valley, the breadbasket of the confederacy witnessed repeated campaigns and over itsor control resources and access to washington, d.c., during the civil war, and whereas the

confederate army of the valley under the direction of lieutenant general jubal a early initiated a surprise attack in the early morning of october 19, 1864. that pushed the federal army back in defeat. generaleas major philip sheridan's ride from -- to middletown to rally the army of the shenandoah cemented his status in american history as an iconic american military general. union army ofe the shenandoah launched a successful afternoon counter attack that marks the end of the confederate control of the shenandoah valley and whereas union and8000 confederate men were killed, wounded, or capture that day and the second bloodiest battle in the shenandoah valley. thewhereas the defeat of

confederacy and the shenandoah was a turning point that led to the preservation of our union and the beginning of the end of our nation's bloodiest conflict later,reas 150 years virginia recognizes the significance of the battle of cedar creek and the outcome of the american civil war, now therefore, i, terence mcauliffe, do hereby recognize october 19, 2014, as the 150th anniversary of the battle of cedar creek in virginia andlth of i call this observance to the attention of all of our citizens. [applause] thank you. is my distinct honor to introduce our keynote speaker. of distances list to read about jonathan i allis

but the first one i want to share is that he is a passionate scholar on the batter of cedar creek. he is a supporter of this park and an active participant and an active participant in sharing the history of this place. jonathan is an assistant professor of history and the director of the center of civil war history at lord fairfax community college in middletown. a is the author or editor of biography of robert h millwright and the book of "the battle of cedar creek." jonathan is active in battlefield preservation in the shenandoah valley and serves on the board of directors for the first timethe battlefield association. it is my honor to introduce jonathan noyales. [applause] andhank you, amy, superintendent northup. professor who has

spent the past decade of my career researching and writing about commemoration here in the shenandoah valley, i feel a great sense of honor and humility to stand here this evening as part of a chain of commemorations that go back to the 1880's on this landscape. new veterans from the 128th york infantry gathered on the cedar creek battlefield in 19 no 07 to dedicate a monument not too far from us here, a veteran imentthe reg observed, i do not believe there is a spot on this continent where more for the interest of our nation was concentrated than here at cedar creek. while some individuals might seem inclined to think that this veteran exaggerated cedar history, one in could argue that because of what was at stake for the union war effort in the auto of 1864, a momentek if but for

became one of the most significant places on the north american continent. among all the battles fought in the shenandoah valley, nine achieve morsi -- nine mor results and had wider success than cedar creek. t finally impermanent we rest of the shenandoah valley from confederate control. that victory here meant valley harvests, what was left of them after the destruction of the burning, would not be available to feed confederate forces operating in the old dominion. union victory here 150 autumns ago, solidified philip sheridan's emerging reputation while simultaneously helping president abraham lincoln secure his bid for reelection in

november. the union successes cedar creek also proved a turning point in the civil war. as with the shenandoah valley secured, the region could no diversionarys a theater of war for confederate forces. union successes cedar creek meant that freedom for the region's salves, -- slaves, a proved uncertain due to the back-and-forth nature of the civil war and the shenandoah valley, now stood on firmer ground. african-americans would still confront obstacles in the ensuing decades to realize the promise of president abraham lincoln's emancipation proclamation. mountains which define the shenandoah valley, news of cedar creek rock hope to those in the north for ultimate

union success or the sobering reality to individuals in the south that the confederate experiment would ultimately end in defeat. in one of his many chronicles of the american civil war, pulitzer prize-winning historian bruce hichon imagined a scene wchih took place on the grounds where we stand in front of the majestic house which looms behind me. described a scene where general share it and after the battle cedar creek was over, was leaning against a captured confederate cannon parked in front of belle grove. peering into the distance at the flickering campfires of the army of the shenandoah. and catton so eloquently captured from sheridan's viewpoint what victory meant to the union war effort. sun had gone "the

down, the fight was over, and early's army was wrecked for keeps. the war and the shenandoah valley had been one without the valley. lee's amr cannot hope to hold richmond much longer. it was an omen of the final set set of the confederacy. aile this battle with surprise early-morning assault of an inferior army, the arrival astride his horse, renamed winchester after the battle, an event immortalized by poetry and art after the battle. the rallying of union forces drove the confederate south. cedar creek indeed proved to be

a syndicate turning point in the conflicts, an omen of the final sunset for the confederacy. the landscape upon which this landscapeurred, a which witnessed 8824 men become casualties, reminds us of the very tragic nature of the american civil war. sometimes as we stand upon the battlefield such as this one,one aat is usually cloaked in quietness broken only by the sounds of nature, we forget how was,y our american iliard that claimed the lives of three quarters of a million americans. sacrifice inen who this field had their whole lives in front of them. interrupted and sadly ended during that conflict. as a college professor, who teaches students who are the same age as many of those

slain on this hollowed ground, i pause to wonder about the might have been. of theght have become young division commander general dtephen dodson -- 27 years ol at the time of the battle, 27 years old at the time he breathed his final breath. one wonders what might have become of the harvard educated union colonel charles russell -- is emblazoned in harbors memorial hall. mortally wounded, like his confederate counterpart during the battles after the battles afternoon chaise. three years after the civil war ended, the short biography of lowell is published along with ardothers in the harv memorial biographies, a series edited by a union veteran. its publication, the

widow sent a copy to a well-known scottish intellectual thomas carlyle, a m aan long admired by her late husband. after carlisle received and read the essay on the colonel's life he penned a note to his widow which captured the tragedy of our civil war, a tragedy was -- we must never forget. carlisle penned, " it would need harder than my not to recognize the hyatt noble spirit that dwelt in these young men, their readiness, devotedness, patience, diligence and virtue in the cause that they sought to be the highest.

difference only deepens me to the sorrowful tragedy that each of the brief lives is." while this battlefield can be viewed as a place where a turning point in a conflict occurred, or is a tragic landscape where men with potential had their lives cut short, it is also a place that reinforces robert e lee's axio thatm it is history that teaches us to hope. who fought it cedar creek in october, 1864, and survived could have never fathomed that just 19 years after the battle men who had once shot at each other would come back as part of a united country. an unbreakable nation welded together with blood and fire to remember, contemplate, and commemorate. when the members of the sheridan's veterans association

made their excursion to the shenandoah valley in september, 18 83, the 19th anniversary of 64 shenandoah campaign, they visited all of the battlefield of that campaign, including this one. owners ofd by the belle grove, the veterans visited their old battlelines, delivered remarks of commemoration and walked side-by-side with confederate veterans. veterans who served in early's army and called the shenandoah valley home. veteranssheridan's association returned two years later, this time to dedicate a monument to the exploits of the eighth for mont infantry, a spirit of true national feeling prevailed. a spirit that did not require the veterans to forget their past but not let the create a stagnant presence nor paralysis for the future among former foes. while that block of vermont

marble was intended to commemorate the exploits of the ofhth vermont on the morning october 19, a morning where the regiment lost three quarters of its men in a span of 30 minutes, it also stood as a testament to the bravery and courage and shared experience of sacrifices of its citizen soldiers. whether they donned the blue with a grey. one vermonter noted during the dedication of the symbolic importance of this monument as a tangible testament to national healing. this monument will serve as a pillar stone which shall forever mark an era of genuine fraternal feeling between us. let it be an everlasting covenant that we will not pass over the stone to thee. thout shall not pass over this pillar to us for harm. may all the social and moral

virtues have a high rating with us and the people. then there will be ground for the hope that the future of our beloved country may be worthy of its glorious past." as we commemorate the battle of cedar creek this evening, and contemplate its many meanings, remember thatt to this battlefield can teach us and generations that we know not not only about the civil war's the significant battle in shenandoah valley, but it can instruct us on such thing as heroism, devotion to duty, the tragedy of war, memory and forgiveness. the men who fought here, bled who, died, and those survived and returned after our american iliad have earned the right along with this battlefield to remembered -- to be remembered not only once every quarter of a century but every year. it is fitting this evening to close my remarks with the words

of a veteran of the second ohio cavalry. who fought here at cedar creek 150 years ago. for the occasion of the grand army of the republic reunion in cleveland, ohio, 37 years after this battle, he penned a poem entitled "cedar creek." cut across time offer a reminder as to why we must always continue to commemorate, preserve, and learn from this battlefield landscape. and he wrote in part, " confronting each other like tigers at bay layawar-battered armies across the shenandoah valley that october day these veterans were all that words can apply as brave as the biggest of men, when they -- duty demanded, they dear not die

-- dare not die they had done it again and again the flower of this nation met there that day in that army and blue, and army in gray and took their position of every advantage each saw to make most and reeled into their places full soon as evening closed in around each host andrew down its state -- shades with a the semblance of a ghost. waged with as valor that no mortal can tell in hand-to-hand struggle, they fiercely engaged the passing the theory of lines and caged and charts back and forth in their unbridled rage while brave men like autumn leaves fell tears for each

hero who found a great. rust may destroy sort of gone, but here in conclusion permit me to say that whoever took part in that battle that day, wearing the blue or gray will never forget cedar creek but the world we regret grows poor when such brave men die." thank you. [applause] >> thank you, jonathan. eard, it is a sacred place we remember. the war weary soldiers who kept fighting to ensure their beliefs were protected. we remember the soldiers who fell here at our feet. who took their last breath in this field, who looked upon

this landscape as their last site. we remember their families who were back in vermont or iowa or georgia, who were waiting for news for their safety, news that never came. we are here to remember our ancestors and descendents, our own who sacrificed everything so that we may continue to live in a country today where all are all can stand up and express themselves and all can stand together as one. we have many people and the audience tonight who have personal connections to cedar creek. many descendents of union and confederate soldiers have come here to follow in their ancestors footsteps, to see the landscapes they saw and to understand the importance of what happened. i would like to ask any descendents of cedar creek soldiers to stand at this time.

[applause] thank you for being here. it has been a tradition at belle grove to present a wreath on the anniversary every year to honor the soldiers, families, and communities who were impacted by the battle of cedar creek. we are going to continue that tradition this evening. in just a moment, the commanders of this year's reenactment will come forward and present a memorial wreath. jenetteajor general jake and the brigadier general make the presentations, i will ask for a moment of silence to remember and honor the sacrifices and reconciliation that has happened here on this battlefield.

♪ many hearts ♪ turning tonight on the o lld campgrounds give a song -- our weary hearts are told of old and friends we loved

so dear many are the hearts that are weary through night wishing for the one who sees many are the hearts looking for the right to see the dawn of peace tonight tempting tonight old campground we've been tenting tonight on the old campground ♪ loved ones

that gave us a hand the -- that said good bye we are weary of war on the old campground many are dead and gone ♪ many are the hearts that are weary tonight oneing for the who sees heartse the

looking for the right peace the dawn of tenting tonight tenting tonight tonight on the old campground ♪ [applause] present arms! forward march

>> thank you. place istment to this evident in the activities this weekend and your presence this evening. he number ofd t people here is directly related to our power and ability to keep the memory alive and to keep this special place preserved. it has taken countless people through the decades to ensure that this place is here for productivity. --perpetuity.

private citizens, local committee groups, nonprofit organizations, and government entities have worked together to create cedar creek and belle grove national historical park. and to keep the preservation work going. it is an ongoing effort need thats all of us to support the cause and support the legacy of this place. one organization who is taking the lead and honoring the history is the heritage area known as journey to hallowed ground. their preservation efforts span from charlottesville to gettysburg, as they work with local communities to preserve this land ofand the history. in commemoration of the sesquicentennial of the civil war, they have taken on a project to have heard about -- you will hear about shortly. it is my pleasure to introduce a member of the national advisory council for journey through hallowed ground and most known for his most known civil war

films of gettysburg, guides in general, and copperhead. it is my pleasure to introduce ron maxwell. [applause] hi. wow. are your teeth chattering yet? i do not know how y'all could sing so beautifully in this cold? if it keeps getting cold, it will remind me of a few nights when we were filming the battle of fredericksburg. we filmed that on december 13, exactly the night it was -- there's a confederate nodding. you were with us. that was one couple of cold nights when we filled those -- filmed those scenes. i was to ground onto that organization within months of one i moved here. i live right over here and rep had -- in rappahannock county. i enjoy living here. ok.

so, what's the journey through hallowed ground up to? know, during the civil war, six under 20,000 soldiers were killed. these men represented union, confederate, and u.s. colored troops. these mental fathers, sons, husbands and brothers. they died on battlefields, hilltops and streams and roadside, and homes, hospitals, and prisons. according to the chief historian of the national park, robert or 20,000 the sixth soldiers who died, approximately 50% are unknown to us. these men in each had stories to tell injury and they wish to fulfill. and yet buyer research, most have been forgotten. that theen said american civil war was largely fought over words, words asc ribed to thomas jefferson and patrick henry from jefferson -- all men are created equal. from henry, give me liberty or

give me death. today, as you turn out of jefferson's property at monticello you'll travel 180 miles north along the journey through heller ground national scenic byways to gettysburg, pennsylvania. you pass the, largest concentration of civil war battlefields in the country, including the beginning of the war harpers valley in the analysis -- harpers valley in manassas and the end of the war wilderness. it was upon these battlefields that most of the 62,00,000 men died. the journey through hallowed ground is commemorating the second 10 neil of the civil war -- is commemorating the sets with centennial of the civil war. it is a simple and eloquent plant to plant one tree for each 0,000 soldiers who died as a living room moral for the individual and combined

sacrifices. that's right. you heard it. correctly. trees. this is such a great idea. . wish i thought of it myself these trees will create an 180 mile alley from monticello to journeyrg along the through hollow ground national scenic byways that reminds visitors they are on hallowed ground. have been planted to honor 1400 and 63 fallen men 1,463 fallen men. in the next 30 days, we will be planning another 1900 trees along the frontage of former james monroe's home. ormer president james monroe's homes. some of these trees will be honoring soldiers who fought and died at cedar creek. the journey through hallowed ground is geotagging each tree

to allow visitors to learn the name and the story of each young is for whom the tree planted by allowing photos and diary entries and letters home to be shared. you can imagine if you have your iphone or your ipad with you, you will be able to instantly learn about this particular soldier. the time tohis is create and implement a living legacy for those who gave the last full measure during our country's most trying time. this project further lends itself to a national service learning program as we work with students from around the country to research the fallen from their own communities. to learn their stories and to dedicate trees in their honor. year, this p[asast students from vermont, massachusetts, pennsylvania, and

virginia have researched the stories of their own ancestors and helped us plant trees in honor of these men from their communities perished. recently, we announced a partnership with ancestry.com and the history channel who are supporting our efforts to engage teachers and school children from around the country to learn who from their community fought and died and after researching their stories, these children are actually coming to dedicate the trees. date, partners include the national park service, the virginia department of transportation, the civil war trust, corporations including warner bros., my oma meyer, -- my alma mater. prince charitable trust and so many others, too many to mention here. you, too, can get involved by donating $100 to plant a tree. by doing so, you may select the

soldier you wish to honor and is also make the donation chevy to others or to honor the life of an unknown soldier -- as or to honor others the life of an unknown soldier. we thank you for your many efforts to give voice to the known and unknown so they can be remembered for generations to come. trees are the largest living organisms on earth and the organisms with the longest life spans. we americans love our trees and we love our forests. by their presence along this route, we are proclaiming that we will never forget the brave men and women of the civil war, our ancestors. alive alle are trees across the united states that were alive at the time of the civil war. we invite you to share stories of your own asters is -- and

sisters or consider helping others to do the same by dedicating a tree along our living legacy national memorial. turn what was a landscape most saturated in blood, the blood of our forebears, into the largest landscaped alley in the world as a tribute to our dear, sacred, and never forgotten fallen. thank you. [applause] >> thank you. i would just like to add that the journey through hallowed ground is working with historian to identify those names of the fallen at cedar creek. an impressive job and researching the castle to list for the battle cedar creek. the living legacy tree project variety ofple of a

efforts happening in our own communities. here at cedar creek and belle grove national park, the staff and volunteers are working tirelessly to ensure this place is preserved and available for your experience. you may already realize, this park is a very unique national park. understood as a partnership park, the lands and operation of this area are owned and operated not only by the national park keyice but i k -- but by partners who maintain facilities, run operations, provide visitor services, and access to preserve lands. withpark is co-managed the national park service, belle grove incorporated, the cedar creek battlefield foundation, the shenandoah valley battlefields foundation, shenandoah county, and the national trust for historic preservation. vital organizations like the civil war trust and all of our

surrounding communities round out our partnership efforts. i would like to take a moment to recognize these amazing stewards of this park. i would like to ask all staff members of the national park service and all of our park partners to please stand and be recognized. [applause] these partners have been doing amazing work these last few years. earlieria conference this week, we were able to announce the acquisition and preservation of an additional 186 acres of battlefield land. the civil war trust recently acquired close to seven acres of land near the amount caramel cemetery in middletown that witnessed battle action in the morning surprise attack any

afternoon counterattack. valleynandoah battlefields foundation also announced the preservation of 179 acres at the island farm property near strasburg through easement that will forever protect the view shed related to the morning attack. these new preservation efforts ofs year brings the number preserved acres related to the battle of cedar creek to close to 1700 acres. thatis an impressive feat is happen because of our collective partnership efforts. we are a fairly young park. in 2002,ng established this park has worked hard to increase visitor services, programming, community outreach, and visitor materials to share with you. haspartnership collective been working together to find new ways to not only preserve traditional battlefield lands --

[coughs] excuse me. >> [inaudible] >> excuse me. so, we have been working together to preserve additional, not only additional battlefield lands but to increase visitor access through trails, wayside exhibits, programs, and other offerings. [coughs] i encourage you to continue checking in with cedar creek and belle grove and see how we will continue to grow as a park. but all of this cannot be done

without the support of our local citizens and communities. all of our organizations are supported by a strong and passionate group of volunteers. our volunteers help with everything from providing house tours at belle grove to operating the visitor contact station in middletown to running and bcm andr park the cedar creek battlefield foundation headquarters office. creek the cedar battlefield foundation headquarters office. these volunteers are honoring this every day through their commitment. without them, this anniversary weekend would not have been possible. i would like to ask all of the volunteers involved at this park to please stand to be recognized. [applause] thank you. it's the community that has created this park, and it is the

community that has created these partnerships to ensure that the land is taken care of. i would now like to introduce the executives, director of the war and heritage society and front royal to say a few words about these partnerships. [applause] amy.ank you, word about these partnerships beginning with this reminiscence. when i was in my 20's and felt like i could go anyone in -- anywhere in the world, i came to virginia. and i went everywhere that i could in virginia. and i remember being at the birthplace of booker t. it ofngton, a very small un the national park service, and i can remember to this day over quarter a century ago, i can remember the stories i learned there about the people who lived at that place and about booker t. washington himself.

i can remember after all these years because it is the stories that stay with us when we visit a place. it is often the story or the stories of a place that draw us to that location in the first place. and where we are seated in d ofding today is a myria those stories. i'm looking into the distance at that silent sentinel, the mess and on, -- the massanutten. we are standing in frederick in those t counties, theh towns ofr strasburg in middletown, all of these the civilneded by war, torn apart for years only to have to bear witness to the battle cedar creek itself. the many men who fought, sacrifice their lives, their access toeir freedom,

their families, their futures on these fields. those stories are the stories that draw so many of us here, not just today on the 150th anniversary weekend of the battle cedar creek, but that have drawn us here before and will continue to draws in the future and our children and our children's children. the partnership that makes up this park is composed of foundations, historic sites, political units like those counties and towns. and it is the stories that they have maintained over the years that have allowed us to create a national park in this place. and it is because that national park exists now that i feel comfortable and safe as i am sure you do that those stories will continue to be protected, will continue to encourage people to come here and learn

not just about those people then what about themselves. -- but about themselves. it is those stories that make this place. and it is the partners that have put together this park with those stories that make it such a poignant reminder of the en tirety of that civil war. thank you very much for being here today. and i thank you even more for coming back. [applause] >> all of us here at the park are working here to continue the legacy. our goals are simple. to be good caretakers of this land, share the history with our visitors, and pass these places onto the next generation so that they may take up the torch of preservation. our youth play a vital role in

the legacy of his history. it is up to them to keep the effort going. a is up to us to instill passion and urgency in them to ensure they stay involved. with this in mind, we have worked with the nasa military academy in woodstock to encourage troops think about the civil war from their perspective. we asked the students to reflect on why youth should care about this place in history. working with her teacher, michelle harper, we have two cadets with us tonight who will present their thoughts on the subject. the first cadet who will be speaking is -- egypt.a junior from she will be sharing an essay written by her fellow

cadet, a senior from florida. the second speaker will be -- who is a junior from gainesville, virginia. please welcome them. [applause] >> today we gather to remember the battle that was fought 150 years ago, but wise this -- does the civil war matter twice today? once said, history does not repeat itself. but it does rhyme. if we forget the past, we may repeat it. that is one of the many reasons ar important. the biggest outcome of the civil war was the abolition of slavery. moree more tolerant, integrated, and more varied in our demographics and culture. in fact, in 1913, the

anniversary of gettysburg, african-american veterans were -- we embrace and celebrate our differences. furthermore, no other kinds of tests over from a change our society. the political and social impacts and shaped america. for example, the 13th amendment, slavery was banned. for amendment, citizen all born in the united states. 15th amendment, voting rights for all citizens regardless of race. the 1862 homestead act was passed. momentum'shts gained and jim crow's laws were passed. the civil war also set stage for modern medicine, providing thousands of positions with a vast training ground -- thousands of physicians with a vast training ground. what we take for granted, these

include modern hospitals, organized ambulances, safer surgical techniques and improved anesthesia. the warriors also brought the technological advance. mass production of canned food, battlefield photography. the transcontinental railroad and 15,000 miles of telegraph lines which reached the west coast. wartime helped to devise part of our daily lives. such things include paper currency, home delivered mail, premade clothing, shoes being shaped -- differently from our left and right foot, and can openers. today, we take all of these for granted because we had them growing up. however, one of the most important impacts of the war has included our veterans. careivil war left us to for and establish the first national cemeteries. later became the veterans

administration and social care for veterans - and for orphans. for oure we have ancestors. that in itself is one lesson we should never forget. why does the civil war matter? not only that it changed lives but the war has made our countries -- it defined us as a nation. it was a crossroads of who we are and who we became to be. warren called the war the american oracle. meaning it told us who we are. and reflected the changing -- nature of america. there is no better historical register then the memory of the civil war and how it morphed our nation every time -- over time. as shelby foote once said, representatives

were referred to as these united states, but after we became 'the'united states." let us never forget how abraham lincoln noted so eloquently in his famous address on november 19, 1853, that the battle consecrated the unfinished work to guarantee this nation under god shall have a new birth of freedom and that the government of the people, by the people, and for the people shall not perish on the earth. thank you. [applause] >> i wanted to start by saying thank you for inviting us and letting us come to this historical site. we do not normally show our appreciation and generosity like we should for what soldiers during this time had to sacrifice for what we are privileged with today. of ao not realize how much oa

change there wasn't basically history. technicaled off with advancements such as the continental road, which led now to the metro. whole demographic variety -- and definitely diversity within this area, within the united states of america. those who do not learn from the past are bound to repeat themselves, which means that we mistakes andr those mistakes that those soldiers had made to sacrifice. we should honor them and thank you. nation broughtr us together for the civil war. and we thank you for all you have done for us. i would also like to say that, even though we do not normally

go through each day by day wondering what it was like and eache should thank individual people there, we should recognize the fact how the people in the past made what we have today. and we ought to say thank you. on behalf of the military academy and the youth for today. [applause] >> before we close for the evening, i want to take a moment to recognize our wonderful choir. winchester music -- has joined us and will close the program. choir is based out of winchester and has been a wonderful addition to the program tonight. scheduled concert is for next weekend, october 25, 26, at the grace lutheran church in winchester. you can get more about the

information -- information about them at the table in the back. a big thank you to winchester musical aviva. i would also like to offer a thank you to sell growth plantation for hosting us and providing a wonderful setting for this commemoration. you to belle grove plantation for after the ceremony, the city of middleton will be hosting a street. event in may they are placing 964 luminaries down both sides of main street. one luminary for every soldier that died at cedar creek. shops, restaurants, and historic sites will be open later for you to explore. evening, i this would like to encourage you to continue exploring the special

place as you think about the soldiers who fought here. i encourage you to walk in their footsteps. take a moment and visit the monument where they defended their colors 150 years ago tomorrow. take a moment to explore the beautiful manor house, where the family took shelter against the raging war around them. talk to a reenactor and learn about the regiment they are interpreting. travel the path of the battle as it unfolded 150 years ago on a ranger real-time program. immerse yourself in this history. you are sitting on hallowed ground. it is this place that holds these memories. it is this ground that has witnessed so much. it is up to us to pick up the torch from our ancestors and to champion the continued preservation of this sacred space.

us, as we are enjoying the sunset in this place, to take a moment and continue to reflect. our reenactment community would like to provide a salute and we will begin the last piece. thank you.

[applause]

♪ mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the lord -- s traveling out loosed the fateful lightning of his terrible swift sword his truth is marching on

glory, glory, hallelujah glory, glory, hallelujah glory, glory, hallelujah is marching on i have seen him in the watch-fires of a hundred circling camps builded him an evening dews and damps

i can read his righteous sentence by the dim and flaring lamps his day is marching on glory, glory, hallelujah earlier --y, held hallelujah rching on is ma ♪ the beauty of the lilies

christ was born across the sea thata glory in his bosom trans figures you and me as he died to make men holy, let free to make men while god is marching on ♪ hallelujahory, glory, glory, hallelujah glory, glory, hallelujah

is marching on lory, glory, hallelujah glory, glory, hallelujah glory, glory, hallelujah his truth is marching on on amen amen ♪ [applause]

[captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2014] [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. visit ncicap.org] here everyl war airs saturday at 6:00 and 10:00 p.m. eastern time. to watch the civil war, visit our website www.c-span.org/history. look at theue our 1864 presidential election between abraham lincoln and george mcclellan. was marked by1864 heavy union casualties and dwindling support for lincoln's goal of emancipation. many believe that lincoln would fail to win reelection. professor of kansas jennifer weber examines the political climate in the summer of 1864 and explains how lincoln won by a landslide. of a symposiumon hosted by the lincoln group of d.c. it is 50 minutes. >>m