Lincoln Recording of an eyewitness to the Gettysburg address

CowCavalry

First Sergeant
Joined
Aug 17, 2017
Forgive me if this has already been posted but here is the only known recording of an eyewitness who was present at the cemetery dedication and Lincoln's Gettysburg address by William V. Rathvon. It was recorded on Feb 12, 1938. Mr. Rathvon died the next year.

 
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I thoroughly enjoyed this rare recording. Thanks for posting it. Although a lot of the recording is poetically composed, pre-written words about the battle and Lincoln, there are snapshots of Rathvon's remembrances and family oral tradition that really are little gems. For example, Rathvon remembers worming his way through the crowd to the wooden platform and standing about 15 feet away looking up into Lincoln's face; he goes on to honestly say he didn't remember a word of Lincoln'e actual speech. Typical of a nine year old boy....
 
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