Headquarters Army Of The Potomac, September 30, 1863.
I am sorry to see
you so anxious about me, because it is impossible to keep you constantly
advised of what is going on, and your imagination undoubtedly makes matters
worse. You must try and be resigned, and not anticipate evil, but wait for its
actual arrival. My position is of course liable to misconstruction so long as
the public are ignorant of the truth, but the time will come when they will be
enlightened, and then I shall be all right. Of course, if people believe that
Lee has no army, and that I have an immense one, it is hard to expect them not
to inquire why I do not do something; but when they come to know that just as I
was about trying to do something, my army was suddenly reduced to a figure a
little greater only than Lee's, and that he occupies a very strong position,
where the natural advantages in his favor more than equalize the difference in
our forces, they will understand why I cannot do anything. I have remained here
to offer Lee battle if he chooses to come out of his stronghold, and to prevent
by my threatening attitude his sending any more troops to Bragg. Whether I will
get any credit for this is perhaps questionable. The whole matter, however,
reverts to what I have always told you, that I intend to act up to the French
motto, "Faites bien, laissez dire."
I don't think I
wrote to you that I had a very pleasant visit from a General Cortez, of the
Mexican army, who came here with letters from the Secretaries of State and War.
He spent a day with me, and I took him around the camps and showed him
different portions of the army, and he went away much gratified. I also had a
visit from Sir Henry Holland, physician to the Queen of England. He was a very
agreeable, intelligent gentleman, over seventy years of age, who had crossed
the Atlantic fourteen times. He seemed greatly interested with everything we
showed him.
To-day Gouverneur
Paulding and a Dr. Young, of Cold Spring, New York, have been here to present
General Warren with a sword. Paulding I have known from a boy, and Dr. Young
married a daughter of old Parson Hawley, of Washington. They also have been
delighted with their visit.
SOURCE: George Meade, The Life and Letters of George
Gordon Meade, Vol. 2, p. 151-2
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