Story by Michael Wereschagin

GETTYSBURG — Over 4,000 people gathered on a gentle slope near Soldiers' National Cemetery. The United States Military Academy Band prepared as families settled on blankets and folding chairs for the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg.

Behind them, Cemetery Hill stood silently adorned with 3,512 small U.S. flags, each marking a Union soldier's grave. National Park Service Director Jon Jarvis called Gettysburg a sacred place, highlighting its significance in American history and reconciliation.

Lisa and Tom Donnelly, dressed in Civil War-era attire, lit luminaries at each grave, symbolizing the 51,000 casualties of the battle.

The town of Gettysburg, expecting up to 200,000 visitors, commemorated the conflict where more than 158,000 Union and Confederate troops clashed. This battle, the bloodiest in North America, was a turning point in the Civil War.

“Gettysburg has embraced its history in a special way,” said Lisa Donnelly, reflecting on her experiences growing up visiting Civil War battlefields.

The ceremony, featuring country singer Trace Adkins and historian Doris Kearns Goodwin, concluded with a procession to Soldiers' National Cemetery, where Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address.

Reenactments, involving around 10,000 participants each, marked the anniversary, though not on the actual battlefield.

As Confederate reenactors retreated during a re-creation of Pickett's Charge, Eric Huisimtveld from the Netherlands marveled at the event's preservation of history.

Organizers planned events culminating in a hike retracing Pickett's Charge, honoring the high-water mark of the Confederacy. The walk will end with taps, commemorating the sacrifice made 150 years ago.