Hallowed Ground

Wednesday took us to two sacred sites: the Washington, D.C. temple, where we performed baptisms for our kindred dead, and the Gettysburg National Military Park.

Over 160,000 troops fought at Gettysburg. About 7,000 soldiers were lost, and another 44,000 were wounded. The only battle fought on northern soil, it was largest battle of the Civil War and marked the turning point for the north.

Ten different highways passed through Gettysburg, making it the perfect location to move and supply troops. The battle spanned some nine square miles of Gettysburg's farmland, shown here, overwhelming the community for years to come. Nearly 22,000 wounded soldiers remained  for months in Gettysburg homes until they healed sufficiently to return home.

The park is dotted with monuments honoring the actions of the brigades, divisions, and corps during the battle.

Freedom, like power, will always be contested. Lincoln could not foresee how this battle would shape the world, nor how the world would shape freedom over the next century. He only knew that for three days, the future of freedom depended on the battle at Gettysburg.