Headquarters Army Of The Potomac, October 7, 1864.
I was afraid you would be uneasy at not hearing from me
during our recent operations, but my headquarters were some five or six miles
from the scene of action, and it was always at midnight when I got back, tired
out with the day's work, and had to start early in the morning, so that I really
did not have time to write.
I see the papers announce my narrow escape. It was a pretty
close shave, as I have written you. You need not worry yourself; I am not going
to commit the folly of foolish and unnecessary exposure. But there are times
when it is my duty and it is proper I should take my chances. Let us hope
Providence will always be as merciful and protecting as in this instance; for I
take it, it was only God's will that saved my leg and perhaps my life.
The enemy have allowed us to retain the ground acquired by
our recent movement, and seem to be busy fortifying against another advance. We
have been reinforced, but not to the extent imagined by the sanguine public;
neither is Richmond so near its fall as you tell me people believe. However,
these absurd alternations of exaggerated anticipations of successes and
reverses seem to be chronic with our people, and no amount of experience will
ever cure them of the folly.
I note all you say of politics, but in the army we take but
little interest except earnestly to wish the election was over, as we see,
until it is, nothing else will be thought of and no proper thought given to the
war. It is generally believed here that McClellan has very little chance. I
think he is very unfortunate in his friends and backers.
I see the Chronicle announces me as a supporter of
Mr. Lincoln, and is pleased to class me among the ill-treated generals who have
been driven into the opposition. Well, the one has as much authority for his
assertion as the other, neither having anything on which to base his remarks.
Grant has gone to Washington, leaving Butler in command.
To-day the enemy made a demonstration on Butler, and I thought we were going to
have a grand time, but it passed off.
SOURCE: George Meade, The Life and Letters of George
Gordon Meade, Vol. 2, p. 232-3
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