July 1st Dawn

July 1st, 1863 

Two Great Army's converge in Pennsylvania. 

~~~~ Gettysburg ~~~~

With the first morning light.

The battlefield is quiet.
That quiet is short lived.

A decisive battle of the American Civil War 

is about to begin. July 1st- July 3rd.

The two army's clash. 
158,000 men enter the battlefield. 
Resulting in 51,000 casualties

During the three days of battle.

If you enjoy history, the movie Gettysburg 

Provides a good overview of these three days. 

It's hard to imagine 158,000 men going into battle.

Even harder to imagine 51,000 casualties

across the battlefield. 

Visiting the battlefield,  you can almost 

see the troops crossing the fields.

Misconceptions....

Those misconceptions within lack of Education

or perhaps simply something with which to blame their 

Lives that are not what they'd hoped for...

People have desecrated the graves of civil war soldiers

Under the banner of racism, which is not only a complete lack of knowledge,  but itself prejudice & racist. 

Confederate soldiers were not fighting to ensure slavery. 
Though misleading by southern politicians & land barons,

That were indeed trying to keep slavery,

Southern soldiers were fighting to secede from the Union  

and The Northern government controlling the south.

Confederate soldiers were not fighting to keep slavery.

They could care less about slaves...

They were not wealthy and didn't own slaves.

And until after Gettysburg, northern soldiers

Were fighting to perserve the union of the states. 
Not to abolish slavery.

That Proclamation by Lincoln came after Gettysburg.

So the vast majority of both sides,  97% estimated,

WERE NOT FIGHTING OVER THE SLAVERY ISSUE. 

Making the Vandals of graves & monuments...

Simply uneducated Ignorant vandalism. 

While the message about racism & prejudice 

Is certainly an important issue, 

the actions for expressing their concerns

Was in fact prejudice and racist on their part.

They rallied around the saying...

Black lives matter. 
Doesn't all lives matter ?

And can history from 161 years ago

Negatively impact their quality if life today? 
Or is it simply something to blame

for their shortcomings in their own lives.

Yes there are real issues. 
But they are today's issues. 
Perpetrated by continued social division 

and prejudicial actions that only encourage more racism.

Not that of soldiers from 160 years ago. 

But I digress... Enjoy the movie, 

Gettysburg.  

Note: one if the lofty quotes form the movie...

The union officer says...

We are fighting to free others from slavery 

But this concept was not yet accepted prior to 

Lincoln's Proclamation... after Gettysburg.