The New York herald., 1872-11-07

on June 81, 1855. Major General Meade was ap-
pointed commander Of the % new military division
into which the whole OF che States. nom Maine to
Florida, are divided. He entered upon lts duties
quar- quarters which E s"a were i located IN PSsdslphs
bnrss TIA o. sv9SD M on 70 TIM snsr
was presented % With magnificent ~ sword and 90
u ns oSk "a
division Of the Filth corps PennsyIvanis Reserves
which which was the division long commanded by General
General Meade responded with much feeling. and
sylvania Reserves. There were present
D man. '"' pessanson us EumpSrsys, n seasWicH,
e r1ss EsC, 5 sS TS, Gsa
Russell; colonies, lieutenant colonels. majors and
under officers almost without number. Letters
gretting their Inability to be present were read.
THE SWORD WITH ITS APPENDAGES
o e e oiGs
somely ornamented. the hilt Of solid silver. heavily
plated with gold. surmounted with 9 heavily gilt
SssS SesSy W." chased as' and sA0 With s fDs
garnets. The sword has two scabbards, one
% "
gold and finely chased. The service scabbard has
"Major General George q. Meade" engraved neatly
ornamentatlon than the dress scabbard. The latter
bears the initials sc. G. NJ" elegantly set in
The arms Of the state Of Pennsyivanla are ex.
anseGy SET ~ IN ere s
American shield, fags and other appropriate de-
signs. set In the same style as the Pennsylvania
plate on the side OF this scabbard appears the in
scription n:-"Mechanicsvill Gaines Hill, New Mar
k set Cross & Roads Malvern Hill, Bull Run second,
ce0rsvtlle, GettysDurg.n
In addition to the sword and scabbard there is a
embroidered with heavy gold bullion also a yellow
SILK sash, with heavy tasses and pair OF splendid
sags hons sSs assr lisS n Ssak s0 with
GENERAL MEADE AND THE ESCAPE OF LEE
The state Of facts connected with this much dis
war for the Union was described in letter written
BY distinguished officer Of the United States
forces of which the following are the most salient
retreated through the mountain passes, Meade's
army was greatly exhausted by three days. fight
greatly reduced In numbers, having lost nearly
twenty thousand men, killed. wounded and miss
ing saying nothing OF stragglers. Directly to pur-
row passes, would have enabled him with a
strong rear guard to have held Meade in check
Cumberland Valley and then thrown his masses
on the heads OF his columns when he forced his
way through, or he could have detained Meade SO
gotten away with the main portion of his army II
he SO desired 1t was plain that il Lee chose to run
the only chance was to endeavor to intercept him
at Hagerstown, provided he was not retiring fast
as he might have done. The rise in the Potomac
favored Meade, who was able to concentrate his
army in Lees vicinity before he had crossed
But Lee was found In very strong position
army behind breastworks, ready to defend or op
pose our advance. The great difficulty. was that
owing to the character OF the country, 1t was I'M
m Tao5o tiouo ond rtot.
what chances of success our attack would have
Had 1t been practicable to see exactly where Lee
positive Judgment on the subject of the probability
OF success in an attack, General Meade might have
sought no advice, or at least might have given it
less importance. But in the absence OF such precise
information his duty required that before he incur
red the hazards Of blind attack he should submit
the question to those who had to execute the work If
decided upon. After consultation the corps com
manders decided that the risks incurred would not
justify an attack being made until there was some
reasonable degree Of probability apparent that 1t
would succeed. They based their judgment on the
consequences to the cause and country in case our
army should be repulsed and eventually defeated,
thus losing all the advantages gained at Gettys-
burg and placing Lee completely In mastery
O. the situation a The country they thought
Of the Army of the Potomac. The reports
Of the demoralzation Of the enemy were
OF his condition, II defeated would tend to make
the battle desperate beyond comparison. General
Me- Meade acted as . prudent man would have done
when ignorant or ali essential matters having.
therefore, no clear view that success was prObabe
against splendidly posted desperate and power
ful enemy when his 1--WE corps commanders
advised against it, and when to be defeated was to
lose all the benet OF the past victory and to place
the North and Washington again at the command
of Lee and his armyP Had he seen his own way
reasonably clear to victory he should have
discarded advice and overruled MS sub
Ordinates But no peneral-in- chief would have
a right to imperil SO much when his mind
was not clear that he would win. The next day
AFTER a, tae council was spent 10 making examina-
tlOnS OF the enemy'S position. They all resulted
showing him in great force and yery strongly
posted. But having acouired this fner thongR
by deay determimed On an ATTACK the day adssr
That night General Lee escaped to the surprise OF
ala surprise which has had its counterpart more
Lee himself when Burnside escaped at Fredericks.
DuTg anu H0oker raICnancellOrsvlle ~ OF Haueck when
Beauregard got away at Corlnth. On one import
ant fact the public are greatly misinformed 1t is