The World Will Never See the Like: The Gettysburg Reunion of 1913

The 1913 Gettysburg reunion brought together 53,000 Union and Confederate veterans in the largest gathering of its kind ever held. For seven days, the aging soldiers lived under canvas on a 280-acre encampment run by the U.S. Army in stifling heat. They shared stories, debated controversies about the battle, and spoke with reporters. On July 3, survivors of Pickett's Division and the Philadelphia Brigade shook hands across the wall on Cemetery Ridge in a notable moment of the reunion. Notable attendees included Union III Corps commander Dan Sickles, age 92, and Helen Dortch Longstreet, widow of Confederate Lt. Gen. James Longstreet. Both wrote syndicated newspaper articles from the event. Cavalry officer George S. Patton Jr. also made an appearance. John L. Hopkins examines the 1913 reunion through the experiences of the veterans within the context of society, politics, and the national mood of the time. He draws on letters, diaries, published accounts from veterans, archival records of the reunion's organizers, and newspaper coverage. The book covers the event's planning, obstacles overcome, its role in sectional reunion and reconciliation narratives, and individual veteran stories.