1938 Gettysburg reunion The 1938 Gettysburg reunion was an encampment of American Civil War veteran s on the Gettysburg Battlefield for the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg . The gathering included approximately 25 veterans of the battle with a further 1 , 359 Federal and 486 Confederate attendees out of the 8 , 000 living veterans of the war . The veterans averaged 94 years of age , Transportation , quarters , and subsistence was federally funded for each veteran and their accompanying attendant . If an attendant was needed it was provided . President Franklin D . Roosevelt ' s July 3 reunion address preceded the unveiling of the Eternal Light Peace Memorial ; a newsreel with part of the address was included in the Westinghouse Time Capsule for the 1939 New York World ' s Fair . The reunion ' s support personnel included 19 officers and 250 enlisted men of the Pennsylvania National Guard , and there were 3 , 185 United States Army personnel in total . A " regular army camp " that displayed modern weapons was east of the northward tracks of the Reading Railroad to the Gettysburg College buildings , while the Third Corps headquarters tent was south of Gettysburg near The Angle . There were 548 police ; from the Pennsylvania State Police and officers from New York City , Philadelphia , and Pittsburgh ; and a Gettysburg College building was the " base hospital " under the First Regular Army Medical Regiment . Chronology . 1938 . January 15 : The navy sent the 75 - man Marine Corps Band for the reunion ( 4 other bands were also at the camp ) . February : Gettysburg , Pennsylvania , formed a 9 - person committee for the reunion . April 18 : The Works Progress Administration began improvements to the of the Gettysburg National Military Park . April 26 : Veterans ' camp construction began at the " north end of Gettysburg College and on adjacent private property " . The Civilian Conservation Corps ( CCC ) on Seminary Ridge provided manpower for building the veterans camp , and about 50 enrollees at CCC camp MP - 2 of Company # 1355 - C served as guides for the veterans . May 16 : President Franklin D . Roosevelt signed the bill for the federal transportation and camp appropriations of $ 900 , 000 ( federal memorial funding had also failed in 1912 ) . June 29 : Twelve special Pullman trains arrived carrying veterans ( 4 from the east , with the remainder from the north and west ) . Events . July 1 , Friday ( Reunion Day ) : Opening ceremonies in the Gettysburg College Stadium were in the morning and included an address by Secretary of War Harry Hines Woodring , chairman of the United States Commission . July 5 : The 62nd Coastal Artillery departed for Fort Totten , the 12th Infantry ( without 1 company ) to Fort Howard ( Maryland ) , and the Third Cavalry to Fort Myer . July 6 : The 66th Infantry departed for Fort Meade and the 6th Field Artillery to Fort Hoyle . July 7 : The 34th Infantry ( without 1 company ) departed for Fort Meade . July 8 : The 34th Infantry headquarters company departed for Fort Meade ( the remained until ~ July 25 to dismantle the veterans camp . ) September 23 : A World ' s Fair time capsule with a " permanent acetate film by RKO - Pathé " ( 15 minute newsreel ) with part of Roosevelt ' s Gettysburg reunion address and numerous other events was lowered into a 50 ft well .