"Getting A Negative of the Large Assembly on the Cemetery Ground"

Samuel Weaver wrote about the dedication of the National Cemetery at Gettysburg and his role in helping to rebury the dead. He also noted that his son, Peter Weaver, was one of the photographers who created an image of the famous cemetery dedication ceremony. 

(Learn more in this Step Into History video about the Gettysburg Address.)

Spelling and punctuation is original; some punctuation added in parenthesis. 

Brother

I wish you could have been here on the 19th last at the dedication of the National Semetary[.] it was one of the largest assembling that ever met in our county with the exception when the battle was fought, it is supposed that there where not less than from 30 to 40,000 strangers present, & the order of the day was so excelent every thing was done in peace and harmony, I didn't see one drunken man all day nor evening, though I was kept very buisey all day, in the fore noon I assisted Peter of getting a Negative of the large assembly on the Semetary ground, which I think is very fine, we have not as yet printed any Phot.[ograph] of the Negative. Peter went off to Hanover on last sunday Evening to attend to his car again, I suppose he has printed some Phot. of the assembly that was at the dedication of the 19th, I have had Peter at G. [Gettysburg] for 7 weeks—taking Negatives of the surgeons Hospital tents at the General Hospital, he has some very fine Negatives, we have sold over 1000 Phot. up to this time, we have something like 75 different Negatives, I intend as soon as all the dead soldiers are burried in the National Semetary, to take a Picture of the whole ground & also take a Negative of the ground for each state, Brother it is going to make one of the pertiest Semetary in U.S. I have been employed by the government to supertend the raising of all the dead that fell on the battle fields at G. & all that died in the hospitals to the N. Semetary[.] in 20 Days I sent in 1285, If the weather remains favourable I think that I can have them all sent in by the first of Jan. 

Please let me hear from you soon,

Yours in love &c

S. Weaver

Source:

Samuel Weaver to John George Weaver, November 26, 1863.