New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-07-02
GETTYSBURG.

THE LIFE AND LETTERS. OF GEN FL,
ERAL GEORGE GORDON MEADE;
Major General. U. S; a. By Geo TIA Ky
Meade, Captain and Aide-de-Ganp anu
Edited by George Gordon Meade, with Win
maps. etc 2 vols, Svo. PIP. VII $685.
Vii 432. Charles Scribner's Sons
THE RATTLE OF GETTYSBURG. A
Comprehensive Narrative. BY Jesse
Bowman Young. With maps, pl fss
and Illustrations. Svo, PIP. TX 400
Harper & Bros.
PICKETT AND HIS MEN, BY La Sale
Cornell Pickett (Mrs. G. Z. pickett.
With IS Illustrations Syo, PIP Xi. SIS:
Philadelphia: The ], B. Lippincott
Company.
GETTYSBURG THEN AND NOW: By
John NJ Vanderslice. With 10 Illus
trations from photographs. 12mo. PIP.
492. The G. W. Dillingham; Company
The Life and Letters" of the victor
of Gettysburg, handsomely printed
and amply provided with maps, is the
work Of three generations-of General
Meade himself, in his letters, mostly
addressed to his WIFE of his son ana
aide-de-camp, Colonel Meade, who rur-
nishes a most serviceable narrative
connecting the correspondence; and or
his grandson, who has edited the whole
work. Colonel Meade's partisanship IN
discussing the treatment meted out 10
his illustrious father after the battle
that has written his name on the roll
of the great commanders Of the Civil
War is only just tribute Of filial piety'
and nowhere transgresses; but what
absorbs the reader most Of all in these
pages is the character sketch OF him
self, drawn all unconsciously by George
Gordon Meade. A strong man, fair IN
his judgments, clear-eyed, self-reliant
vet modest, aware Of his abilities, but
never inclined to overestimate them;
a man, moreover, who could write with
calm detachment of the intrigues that
went on in Washington, even when
they We're directed against himself. a
man who serenely did his duty, with
out Interior considerations or motives.
George Gordon Meade was born on
December 81, 1915, at Cadiz, Spain
where his father. a Philadelphia mer-
chant. was United States naval agent
during the entire period Of the PENN
sular War. The family returned to its
home city in 1920, whence it removed
six years later to Washington. Young
Meade was appointed to the Military
Academy at West Point in 1881, grad
uating in July, 1885, and being as
signed as brevet second lieutenant 10
the Sd Artillery. He first saw active
duty in the Florida War, but, his
health breaking down, resigned his
commission in 1886. During the next
six years Meade was employed in en-
gineering and surveying work. both by
private interests and by the govern
ment. He married in 1910, and two
years later re-entered the service, be-
ing appointed by President Tyler a Sec
ond lieutenant in the Corps o. Topogra-
phical Engineers. In August. lS40, ne
was ordered to repair to Arkansas Bay,
Texas, and to report for duty with the
military forces assembling there. 1t
is with the Mexican War that his let
tiers begin. In the course Of this cam
paign, as earlier at West Point, Meade
met several of the leaders whom he
was to meet again In the Civil War, on
either side. Hooker. whom he was to
succeed in command Of the Army Of
the Potomac only a few days before
Gettysburg, was one of these. and we
= find him writing to Mrs. Meade in 1862
that Hooker was very good soldier,
capital general for an army corps. but
I am not prepared TO say as to his abil-
tiles for carrying on campaign and
commanding a large army"
Meade's judgments are all cast in
this fair, cautious mould, among them
one Of Grant. He appears to have had
a high opinion Of Mcclellan, but con-
CURED in the opinion which history has
confirmed that he was overcautious
and that "a little more dash" would
have improved his generalship. AS for
the command Of the Army of the Po-
tomac, that came TO Meade entirely I'M
expected, for we find him writing TO
his wife, on .-une %. 1863. three days
before his appointment;
see you are still troubled with visions
OF my being placed In command. ]
thought that had all blown over. and l
think II has, except in your imagination
and in that Of some others OF my kind
friends. | have no doubt, as you
surmise. that McClellan's friends would
look with no favor on my being placed In
command They could not say ! was an
unprincipled intriguer, who had risen by
crticising and defaming my predecessors
and superiors. They could not say / was
incompetent, for i have not been tried,
and so far as / have been tried ! have
been successful. They could not say l
had never been under fire. The
only thing they can say-and am willing
10 admit the justice of the argument-is
that II remains 10 be seen whether / have
the capacity successfully TO handle a
large army. / do not, however, stand any
chance. Besides, / have not the
vanity TO think my capacity so pre-emi-
nent and / know there are plenty OF
Others equally competent with myself.
For these reasons have never INDUCED
In any dreams Of ambition, contented TO
await events. and do my duty In the
sphere il pleases God 70 place me In.
Colonel Meade demonstrates in his
narrative how his father had earned
the appointment by cumulative service
in the Seven Days battles, at the sec