The Last Full Measure of Devotion

“They gave the last full measure of devotion, and we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain. This nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom, and government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”

Abraham Lincoln wrote and spoke these words in November 1863. On that day in November, early in the morning, he and Secretary Seward journeyed to the battlefield alone in a carriage. Unfortunately, no record exists of what they witnessed or discussed. The burials we know had temporarily halted to make way for the ceremony in Evergreen Cemetery later that day. It is likely that Lincoln, the 16th president, who had witnessed seven states secede from the Union before his inauguration, witnessed the shallow graves and the mingling of blue and gray still littering across the battlefield. Reports indicate a faint but unmistakable odor of death still emanated from areas heavily marked by casualties that the winds may have carried in the president’s path. Perhaps, in the distance, Lincoln and Seward saw people wandering around the battlefield, searching for signs of their missing loved ones. Maybe, like Lincoln, some were seeking a semblance of understanding as they traversed the blood-soaked ground.

Later that day, Lincoln defined the fallen soldiers’ sacrifice as “the last full measure of devotion,” recognizing their commitment to a cause under the scrutiny of the world. He further proclaimed, “we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain.” These deaths possessed meaning. He envisioned, or quite possibly declared, a new birth of freedom for the nation. This birth of freedom Lincoln spoke about should have transpired for all citizens occupying the new country throughout the previous eighty-seven years. However, true freedom for African Americans would not be achieved for another century, and it is still an ongoing struggle. Lincoln firmly believed in the injustice of slavery. Speculation remains regarding the kind of America that could have materialized during his second term as president. Regrettably, that remains unknown. What we know is his resolute dedication to preserving the Union under the “self-evident truth” of human equality, meaning that also humans had equal natural rights, had equal dignity, and should possess equality under the law. His final statement expressed his unwavering resolve, declaring that “government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.” This form of government would face further challenges in World War I and World War II and then the Civil Rights clashes which occurred. A nation produced a Nobel Prize winner in 1964, a winner that the world recognized, yet the nation he lived in still did not extend Civil Rights to all Americans. Martin Luther King Jr., the Nobel Prize winner still did not enjoy the all rights enumerated by the Declaration of Independence.

On Memorial Day, I think about the young men, like my great uncle Thomas, who fought at Normandy and were immortalized in history, as they witnessed their comrades fall under the relentless German gunfire on those beaches but still pressed forward. They gave their all. They may have hit the beaches as boys, but they matured as they liberated Paris and then defeated Berlin and the hate which had filled that nation. They are the epitome of the phrase “the last full measure of devotion.” Throughout our history, there have been numerous battles where Americans were called upon to fight.

On this Memorial Day in 2024, I hope that we, as diverse, opinionated, freedom-loving Americans, comprehend that it was for freedom that such devotion was required. It is possible that we may witness another rebellion, as Thomas Jefferson once wrote about. However, I earnestly hope that on this Memorial Day in 2024, we remember the essence of community and coexistence. We can live together and disagree.

How do we do that?

By asking first of our neighbor what we do agree on and letting our conversations begin there. Let us pause to honor those who never returned home, for they sacrificed their lives, enabling us to live in freedom.