Headquarters Army Of The
Potomac, July 29, 1864.
Your letters of the 24th and 27th arrived this evening. They
are written in very bad spirits, and I am tempted to scold you for indulging in
such. I want you to recover your original elasticity of spirits which
characterized you in the early days of our married life, when you were always
sure something was going to turn up. You must now try to look on the bright
side and hope for the best. I think we have a great deal to be thankful for,
and things might be much worse.
I had a visit yesterday from our old friend the Rev. Mr.
Neill. He was very complimentary to me, and promised to call and see you on his
return to Philadelphia. He was here as agent of the Christian Commission.
Yesterday I went to see General Grant at City Point. He said
he wanted an officer to go to Washington to take command of the Department of
West Virginia, Susquehanna, Baltimore and Washington. That not wishing to take
any one from the field, he had suggested Franklin, but they had declined to
have Franklin. He then suggested my name, to which he had received no reply,
but a message from the President asking him to meet him at Fortress Monroe. I
made no reply to Grant, except to say I was ready to obey any order that might
be given me. So far as having an independent command, which the Army of the
Potomac is not, I would like this change very well; but in other respects, to
have to manage Couch, Hunter, Wallace and Augur, and to be managed by the
President, Secretary and Halleck, will be a pretty trying position that no man
in his senses could desire. I am quite indifferent how it turns out. I think
the President will urge the appointment of Halleck; but Grant will not agree to
this if he can help it.
Grant told me Sherman has assigned Howard to McPherson's
command.1 This had disgusted Joe Hooker, who had asked to be and had been
relieved. To-morrow we make an attack on Petersburg. I am not sanguine of
success, but hope for the best.
_______________
1 Army of the Cumberland
SOURCE: George Meade, The Life and Letters of George
Gordon Meade, Vol. 2, p. 216-7
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