By Tom Emery
This week marks the 150th anniversary of Gettysburg, the most famous battle of the Civil War. The Union victory on July 1-3, 1863, checked the northern invasion of Robert E. Lee, and is considered the turning point of the war.
Several Illinoisans played key roles at Gettysburg, including Lt. Marcellus Jones of the 8th Illinois Cavalry, who borrowed a carbine from a fellow soldier and fired the first shot of the battle around 7:30 a.m. on July 1.