Headquarters Army Of The Potomac, June 25, 1864.
We have had for ten days past most intensely hot weather,
and in consequence have desisted from carrying on any more active operations
than were absolutely necessary. Grant being at City Point, some eight miles
distant, I see but little of him. He paid me a visit of an hour or two day before
yesterday.
I received a few days ago a very kind letter from Cortlandt
Parker, expressing much consideration for me in my present position, and saying
it was well known how much of the work I was doing, and how little of the
credit I was getting. Among other matters he alluded to the Cropsey affair, and
said he was at George Harding's when his brother came in with the news. Both
the Hardings, he said, were quite excited, George the less so of the two; and
Cortlandt thought he convinced him I was right, and advised me to write to him
to endeavor to smooth it over. This I do not see how I can very well do,
because I got Markoe Bache to write to him when the affair occurred, and to
send him Cropsey's confession, which he made, hoping by its publication in the Inquirer
to get off. I asked Markoe to tell Mr. Harding that, as I could not let
Cropsey off, he was at liberty to do as he pleased about the letter, though in
my judgment the cause of truth and justice demanded its publication. The letter
was never published, and the public are to this day ignorant of the real
character of Cropsey's offense.
Hancock's wound discharged a big piece of bone the other
day, and since then he has rapidly improved, and expects in a day or two to
return to duty. In the meantime Birney has done very well.
Gibbon, whom I suppose you know I have finally succeeded in
getting promoted, has been under the weather, but was about to-day.
SOURCE: George Meade, The Life and Letters of George
Gordon Meade, Vol. 2, p. 208-9
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