The bloated dead bodies of thousands of Union soldiers on the battlefield of Gettysburg. Union casualties were 23,055 (3,155 killed, 14,531 wounded, 5,369 captured or missing).Confederate dead are more difficult to estimate but range anywhere from 28,000 -30,000 killed.
On January 13, 2014 Rep. Paulsen of Minnesota asked for and was granted permission to address the United States House of Representatives regarding Gettysburg and the inclusion of a train station within the national military park.
The Battle of Gettysburg was fought July 1–3, 1863, in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania between Union and Confederate forces during the American Civil War. Over 50,000 men bled and died during the three day battle of Gettysburg.
“Mr. Speaker, it was over 150 years ago, on a battlefield near a small town in Pennsylvania, that President Abraham Lincoln gave what many would argue was one of the most prolific and inspiring speeches in history. His Gettysburg Address may not have been long, but his words lifted a Nation and shone an everlasting light on the immense sacrifice and patriotism displayed on that battlefield only a few months earlier.”
“Lincoln’s words and, to a larger extent, the actions of the brave soldiers who fought at the Battle of Gettysburg must never be forgotten. Today the House will pass legislation to give the National Park Service the authority to incorporate the Gettysburg Train Station into the Gettysburg National Military Park”, he said.
“Mr. Speaker, our Nation’s national parks, including Gettysburg, are some of our greatest treasures. It is imperative that we continue working to ensure that future generations of Americans can visit the history, the scenery, the vistas, and the landmarks of our Nation’s national parks”, said Rep. Paulsen (source: Congressional Record http://thomas.loc.gov).