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The Battle Of Gettysburg At Gettysburg

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Over the last 153 years Gettysburg, has moved from honoring those who fought and died during the battle at Gettysburg to preserve the battlefield. Gettysburg went through two phases of change. The first phase happened between 1863 –1938 and the second phase happened in 1938 when the War Department transferred the administration of Gettysburg to the National Park Service. During the first phase the National Cemetery was built in Gettysburg for the creation of a proper burial of their now dead sons, brothers, and husbands. David Wills, a local attorney, purchased twelve acres on behalf of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for the creation of a proper burial of their now dead sons, brothers, or husbands. Wills selected the high ground of Cemetery Hill, a key piece of terrain that had figured prominently as part of the union battle line. After the National Cemetery was built a veteran of the Union Army and now New York Representative Daniel E. Sickles introduced a bill to congress. On December 06, 1984 Daniel Sickles, introduced H.R. 8096 with little debate on February 11, 1895 Congress approved an act to establish a National Military Park at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Popularly called the Sickles Bill, this legislation established the federal park boundary at 3,331.5 acres. The Gettysburg Battlefield Memorial Association (GBMA) deeded its 522 acres to the federal government, which this formally established Gettysburg National Military as the fourth Civil War battlefield

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