Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1873-05-29
Gettysburg and Gen. Meade.


Gettysburg and Gen. Meade.
At the reunion Of the Army of the
Potomac at New Haven on the 14th,
General Devens, the orator of the day
spoke at length Of the battle of Get
tysburg and General Meade. The fol-
lowing is brief sketch of his remarks
Seen. Meade was placed in COM
mand, succeeding Hooker, who had
suddenly been relieved at his own re-
quest, because the War department had
refused to place at his disposal the
troops at Harper's Ferry at most
critical period, just as battle was i'm
pending, the loss of which might en-
danger all for which we had been
sIruggnng.-ISo tribute 10 Ine aisct-
pline that prevailed in this army, Gen
eral Deven thought, can be higher than
that which is paid by saying that this
change was made without in any way
affecting its spirits or its energy. The
French herald who in the same breath
announced the death of one king, and
the accession of another by the words,
"The King is dead: Long live the
King !" was never received with more
unquestioning loyalty than in its devo-
ton to the cause it served. and not in
indifference to its leaders, this army
received each announcement. of
change of commanders. Faithful and
devoted to those who had preceded, it
prepared to render the same obedience
to him who now in the very imminence
Of a mortal struggle found its heavy
cares and responsibilities thrown upon
him. General Devens gave most
thorough and graphic description of the
plan of the battle and of the battle
itself. He gave Meade the full credit
for its success. All the orders he
gave, he said, showed the great skill
which he (Meade) possessed as a tao
tician on a large scale, and demonstra-
ted his ability TO handle an army in q
series of man9uvres of the greatest
Importance. He is fully entitled, he
was sure, to the praise bestowed by
Swinton, the able critic of operations
of the army of the Potomac, who says
that1n spite of the malicious detrac-
tion Of his adversaries, who have tried
TO make it appear that he shrank from
the issue Of arms at Gettysburg, it
was in reality the moral firmness of
General Meade that determined the
combat in the form in which it actual
ly occurred l would not willingly do
injustice to the other great fields of the
war and their splendid results. Gen.
Devens said further on in his grafton,
and yet it has always seemed to me
that Gettysburg was the eliminating
point Of the rebellion, and that the
blow struck that day for the Union, ac-
companying the fall of Vicksburg,
turned forever its bloody tide Large,
varied. and constant as were the ser.
vices rendered by General Meade be-
fore that day and after it to the very
end of the war, it is by his judgment
in so maneuvring his army as to COM
pei the Confederate commander to take
the initiative, by his energy in bring
ing his troops to this decisive field, by
his skill in posting his force and ar
ranging his order Of battle, by his
calmness, courage and persistency in
all its viccissitudes that he will ever be
more gratefully remembered. His
fame is built upon the rocks and is i'm.
movable as the hills of Gettysburg.
Great fields were yet to be fought,
great sacrifices endured, great victo-
ries won the leader, wise of head and
stout Of heart, who should gather the
springs which moved all our armies
into single hand and control them
with single will, was yet to come be-
fore the lOng-tried army of the Poto-
mac should see all that it fought for
fully secured. Yet although all this
was still to be, and although the waves
of the rebellion we're to come again
and yet again, never was its bloody
crest to be reared so high as at Get.
tysburg. Recognition was also given
to General Meade's service after Get
tysburg. His splendid abilities as
tactician. the speaker said, his firmness
and judgment, his devotion to his
troops, were very conspicuous at the
Wilderness. Spottsylvania and Cold
Harbor, lavish Of their dead, and in
every conflict up to the last, when,
though the malaria fever that ragged
within his veins did not permit him to
sit his horse, he still directed the army
Of the Potamac in its stern pressure
upon the encompassed and beieagured