The lieutenant and commanded the first Nato Training Mission in afghanistan before retiring. He was a very animated and energetic speaker. He always made it interesting. He was first person who ever actually make history something that i wanted to go sit down and talk to because he didnt really teach history nearly as much as he told stories. Isnt that what history really is . Its a story. Its our story. Its the story of what got us here today. So we commemorate the battle crater which is just one story of our nation. Now as i said earlier im not a great story teller so i will leave the details of the battle up to more qualify personnel than myself. And liewis oecpening and introduction of comments thanks for setting the bar so high. Very powerful words. It was awesome so im not going to attempt to tell the story or amplify it or offer any insightful details on how it unfolded but what i would like to talk about is the people. The soldiers who played the parts of the story as it unfold
Watching recalled, they made two attacks and they fell like autumn leaves. The georgians leave us some of our best accounts of their anger at the sight of armed black men, such as james verderi of the 48th georgia infantry sharing with his dear sister the day after the battle, the prisoners came leaping over our breastworks by 50 but our men took none, for they, he underlined this part, were niggers. Burnsides ninth army corps. As fast as they came over, the bayonet was plunged through their hearts. The muzzle of our gun was put on their temple and their brains blown out. Others are knocked in the head with the butts of their gun. Few would succeed in getting to the rear safe. Dorsey binian, also the 48th georgian, someone who ought to know about beating black bodies since he had been over he was an overseer before the war began, told his dear sister, mary, just 11 days afterwards, when we got to the works it was filled with negroes and yanks crying out no quarter. When a handtohand co
God the inkarnate. The god who lived as one of us. God who is with us. God who looks like us, god who frees us, god bless you now, may god the life giver, god the devine breath, doed the hogod t maker, the community creator, may the peace revealer, god the comforter of all. May god who moves among us all, god who lifts us into eternal life, god lead us forward today. May god the earth maker, the pain barer, the life giver, bless you and keep you now and always. Amen. Just from me personally i want to thank you all for being here today with us today on 150th anniversary of the battle of crater. Once again superintendent rogers. Just want to be very short and thank you all for coming. I learn when its time for things to be over its time for them to be over. I want to thank fort lee for coming us. People dont realize that people e petersberg used to be a part of fort lee. We were actually cut out of fort lee to be created as a battlefield created by one union and one confederate soldier.
We dont always find newspaper editors and area embracing reporting. Its not just economics. Is the discomfort that investigative reporting often causes in the newsroom. Because its troublesome. Its that more than the economics. If youre going to ruffle the feathers of somebody powerful that gives those people running into complaint to the publisher and destroys their legion over those and we are fortunate to go through the 70s and really almost all of our careers to work for people who are really Strong Enough right in that area, and let the chips fall where they may. Akhil reed amar presents his thoughts on the interpretation of the u. S. Constitution and what the author means by up to his passages. Mr. Amar posits the constitution can be understood by the original text alone or historical precedent. Akhil reed amar discusses his book with Supreme Court Justice Clarence thomas of the national air cried archives here in washington. This is about 20 minutes. Good evening. Im the archivi