Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-04-24


times even greater, than these who attained
the highest measure OF distinction. 1ne
rewarded heroes of our late Civil war are
well known to the country and to the world,
but that great conflict left unrewardeo
heroes whose names and merits should be
crystalIized in the history of the Republlc
Prominent among these are General george
G. Meade, General George n. Thomas, Gen.
eral FitZ John Porter, General u. IL +" arren
and General d. C. Buell..
The country has never done Justice to
General Meade as military commander
No man ever accepted q command under
any circumstances as embarrassing and In
every way discouraging as those which con-
fronted General Meade when he succeeded
Hooker as commander OF the Army OF the
Potomac. 1t had known scarcely anything
but defeat and distrusted both itself and Its
officers. He has been thoughtlessly or ma
liciously criticised because he took the wise
precaution to provide ior his retreat from
Gettvsburg had the chances of war made
IL necessary. and also because he failed to
pursue Lee more vigorously on the retreat,
and decided not to assault him at Williams
port
Censu-ed Only for His Discretion.
When General Meade arrived at Gettys-
burg, which he did Rt the earliest hour pos
sible, he knew how desperate the battle
must be and how the advantage was with
the enemy, as Lee had largely superior num-
bers on the first day, and should have had
largely superior numbers on the second day.
Not until the morning of the third day was
Meade's army all upon the field, and then
one corps had made a forced march Of nearly
80 miles. He had expected to fight de-
fensive battle east of Gettysburg, and his
L. hol haaV
fully made and his lines fully formulated.
He thus acted as wise and skillful General
in making the earliest preparations for the
retirement OF his army to another nosition
in case he should be assaulted or fanked
from his lines on Cemetery Hill He was
thus prepared to retire his army at any
moment in perfect order, with every corps
advised precisely where to form their new
lines; but he proved BY the dauntless cour-
ace with which he held his position at
Gettysburg thas he did not contemplate
retreat until retreat became an absolute
necessity.
When Lee was defeated and retired from
the field, the Armv of the Potomac was
worn by forced marches and fighting for
more than a week, and more than 20, 900 of
its gallant warriors were killed or wounded;
and when the two armies were brought face
to face again at Williamsport, they were
vet equa, in number, equal in prowess, and
presumably equal in equipment, and Lee
had the advantage of a chosen position for
repelling assaults upon his lines. Meade
might have won another victory, but it
would have been at such fearful sacrifice
that no wise soldier would have attempted
it
Might Bave Wen Fame as Grant Did.
After Gettysburg, General Meade had but
- n nlor
eralsnip in handling the Army of the Poto-
mac, and that was in the trultless move
ment upon Mine Run, where, by disobedi-
ence of his orders owing to mistake of one
of his corps commanders, Lee was enabled to
unite his forces in an impregnable positio
before the Army of the Potomac was ready
for assault. He might have done at Mine
Run as Grant did at Vlcksburg and Cold
Rarbor, and as Burnside did Fredericks-
burg, and sacrificed 10000 men with only
defeat as his reward; but General Meade
was toe great a soldier to sacrifice an army
TO conceal failures in generalship. General
Grant, the victor OF Vicksburg on the same
day that Meade was victor at Gettysburg,
added fresh laureis to his crown at Mission
arv Ridge, where he had overwhelming
numbers to assure success That achieve
ment made him Lieutenant General, as
Meade would have been made had he sue
ceeded at Mine Run and Grant failed at
Missionary Ridge, and thenceforth Grant
was the only chiettain the nation could
know until his final victory at Appomattox.
1 have reasons to believe that Meade lost
the Lieutenant Generalship that was con-
ferred upon Sheridan in 1869 because of the |
disappointment in Washington at his fall |
ure to deliver battle to Lee at Williamsport |
SEW Lincoln within week after Lees |
retreat from Pennsylvania, and he inquired |
most anxiously and in great detail as to all |
the roads and mountain passes from Get |
tvsburg to the Potomac. 1 was entirely |
familiar with them, and gave him minute |
on the subject. After a some |
what protracted inquiry into the topography |
of the country, 1 asked Lincoln whether he
was not satisfied with what Meade had ac-
complished.
He answered with the caution that always |
Lincoln in speaking of those
who were struggling for the preservation of
the Government. / remember his exact
language as well to-day as if it had been
spoken but yesterday. He said: "Now
don't misunderstood me about General
Meade. am profoundly grateful down to
the bottom of nv boots for what he did at |
but 1 think that if 1 had been
General Meade 1 would have fought another
battle.