Alexandria, Virginia, just across the Potomac River from Washington D.C., has stood at the crossroads of history for three centuries. From the French-Indian War to the American Revolution, the War of 1812 to the Civil War and World Wars, it’s been home to presidents, generals, and even rockers like Jim Morrison and Dave Grohl. Owen reports what he found at the city’s birthday celebration, this week on Angry History.
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The sick, achy Abraham Lincoln visited the dedication of Gettysburg National Cemetery. Some panned his remarks, and he faced grim prospects: More dead, losing the Civil War, and being thrown out of office. We look back on that 272-word speech — featuring the oldest known recording of an actor reenacting it for the Gramophone — and give a nod to several alternate history works: What if the battle had gone the other way?