The Republican journal., 1913-06-26

AS revelation of character the let
ters are equally valuable. They show
Gen. Meade as strong man, bearing the
burden of supreme command of a great
army with firmness ard without fear,
even though that command was thrust
upon him on the eve of the greatest
battle fought in the New World.
History does not place Meade among
the greatest of generals, for he won
nothing by chance, and hence was not
counted as a brilliant commander; but he
was safe commander, and the traits in
his character that made him so are re-
vealed in the dignity and clearness of
moral vision displayed in his letters.
Accompanying the letters is running
narrative of the life of Gen. Meade,
which has historical value chiefly as
thread upon which to string the more i'm
portant tirst-hand material of the book.
There is also in the second volume an
extended account of the Battle of Gettys-
burg.
This, in connection with the letters,
has particular interest at this time. 1t
deals with many points not usually clear
and among them with Gen. Daniel E.
Sickles' part in the battle. Until Meade's
death he held Sickles responsible for
much of the slaughter of July End. Now,
like voice from the tomb comes the
privately expressed view of Gen. Meade
that Gen. Sickles willfully disobeyed his
orders when he took up position on the
field other than the one assigned him by
Meade-the position that led to the fierce
fight generally designated as that of the
Peach Orchard.
Whatever the merits of the controver-
sy on this point-and it has not been set
tied IN 30 years of debate-the final
statement of Gen. Meade's views, as
here concretely put into historical form,
is not without value.
In the letters dealing with Lees re-
treat from Gettysburg the period that
many people have thought presented to
Meade a golden opportunity to win fame
that he did not grasp--the reader gets
new view of Meade, and is able to con-
firm an old view. The new one shows
Meade's dignity of character, his calm
ness, his clear weighing of every chance
of failure as we'll as of success if he at
tackled Lee on his retreat; the old one
shows his inherent caution. his devotion
to duty as expressed in his orders, hold
ing him back from taking great risks.
This surely was the crucial period of
pish what Lincoln expected of him, the
destruction of Lees Army the fact that
he continued in command of the Army
of the Potomac to the end of the war
demonstrated that he had character and
ability enough to offset the defect, if
such it were, Of exceeding caution.
After reading this book one cannot but
feel that Meade was a safe man. SOL
der devoted to his cause, a man who
would not be sWerved from his duty by
tiattery or threats or hope OF gain. His
comments on men and events of the
great times in which he lived show this a
thousand times over. His references to
other generals, always moderate and IN
good taste, furnish some vivid touches in
historical pictures of the times.
The book does not confne itself to
letters relating to the Civil War. Al
present one naturally turns to them, but
there is abundant material for study of
another interesting period. Meade was
an officer in the Mexican War and in
view of the relations of this country and
Mexico, his observations on the cam
paigns of Gen. Zachary Taylor and Gen.
Winfield Scott, with whom he served,
have special value.
His style in those earlier days was
more vivid than when he bore the weight
of leadership of the Army of the Poto-
mac, and he was keen observer. His
relations regarding the movements of
the United States Army and the conduct
of its soldiers in Mexico are important
to all Americans especially those who
have too exalted an opinion of the value
of volunteer troops.
Not that be reviles or libels the citi
zen soldier-he merely gives facts con
corning him that throw light on the
causes for the savagery of wars between
peoples of different blood and countries
New York: Charles Scribner's Sons.
A LETTER THAT WENT TO GENERAL PICK
ETT's SWEETHEART FROM THE FELL
OF GETTYSBURG.
1t will be fifty years on July LIST since
the Battle of Gettysburg began, and the
anniversary is celebrated in the July
American Magazine with an extraordi
I'D ,to &c cfr, In hx