The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1914-04-16
THE WAR DAY BY DAY
Fifty Years Ago.
April 1864-Oce Men of the of the Were Study
ing and Commenting the Effect His Presence with the
Army Would Have the Fortunes of Gen George Meade Its
Commander.
written expressly for The uerald1

very friendly and at once adopts all
my suggestions. | believe Grant is
honest and fair. and / have no doubt
he will give me full credit for every
thing | may do. and IL I don't deserve
any / don't desire it,"
Writing on March -. Gen. Meade
demonstrated with his wife for not
doing Grant justice saying that If
operations on a great scale are to he
carried on from here. lie could not well
have kept alOOf." adding: As yet he
has Indicated no purpose To interfere
with me-: on the contrary. acts prompt
y on all my suggestions. and seems
DESTROYS OF making his stay here only
the means Of strengt hening and in
creasing my forces"
Their had been considerable gayety IN
III" army during IN" winter and the
press had represented that Grant frown-
that Grant laughed AT these reports. and
added that ne would h. happy To attend
any amusement the army might engage
in. including horse races"
Gen. Meade on April u cautioned his
wife that sne must not believe all she
read about Gen. Grant. Most Of the
stories, such as one OF his inviting SOL
diers into his car. denOunCinC luxury
among officers and saving that all he
wanted was pork and beans. were all
hUmbuC."
Some correspondents who did not like
Gen. Meade had commented on Grants
establishing his headquarters at Cul-
pepper. eight miles nearer the enemy"
than Gen. Meade. Not content with
putting him. they must have their fling
at me- wrote Gen. Meade. Grant is
very much annoyed 1T the foolish way
they are mentioning his name.
In another letter Cen Md. tpIJ his
wife that she would be amused TO see
the worshipinC Of the rising sun 10y crr-
tain officers in this army adding. But
Grant behaves very Handsomely. and
Immediately refers to me all letters and
communications he gets from my sUbnr-
dinates who apply to him when they
HAYES axes to grind"
Grnnt'< View of Meade
Grants views Of Gen. Mea,Ie no Y
pressed several times in writing. In his
official report he wrote II G-n. Meade
as follows:
Il tried. as far aS possible 10 leave
Gen Meade in independent rnmmand Of
the Army of the Potomac Nv inStruc-
tons for that army were all through
him and We're general IN their nature.
leaving all the details and the execution
to him. The campaigns that followed
proved him to he the -I=ht man in the
right place. His commanding always
in the presence # an officer superior To-
him in rank has drawn from him much
Of that publ. attention that his zeal
and ability enttle him and which he
would otherwise receive
The test "r long and bloody CAM
paiGn did not phanCr Grants earlier So
Inmates of Meade Writing to his friend
and champion ~ Washington. Hon Eli
hNI e. Washburue. ON December -. l>il.
Grant said of Meade:
Il see some objections ar. raised To
Meade'S confirmation as major general in
the regular army. | am sorry this shuuli
he 81. Gen. Meade IS one Of our trUcSt
constantly with that army. confruntin-
the strongest. best appointed and most
confident army in III. South. He there
fore. has not had the opportunity Of
winning laurels so distinctively marked
as have fallen to the lot Of other gen.
erals. hut | defy any one to name a
commander who could do more than he
has done with the same chances
Such Endorsement must have been sweet
To Gen. Meade. for he had been pursued
since Gettysburg with persistent attacks
ny men who believed the great battle
was won in srIte of Meade rtth..- than
through his abilities. This charge was
TO follow Meade t.. his grave Its authors
We're generals who had held HiEh COM
mand in the Army of the POtuma.. one
of them lived to see tho publication II
Gen. Meade's caUStic comments on the
motives behind the attacks. a. well as
revelations Of thsir suIIg-r.
Tomorrow; Uric DahIEren'S grave
found to he empty.