SHARPSBURG, MD., September
20, 1862.
I wrote you a
few lines, day before yesterday, on the field of battle, hurriedly, and at
a time when we expected every moment the battle would be renewed. The battle of
the day previous had been a very severe one, and our army was a good deal
broken and somewhat demoralized — so much so that it was deemed hazardous to
risk an offensive movement on our part until the reinforcements arriving from
Washington should reach the scene of action. Yesterday morning, at early dawn,
we moved forward, when lo! the bird had flown, and we soon ascertained from
prisoners, taken straggling on the field, and from the evidences the field
itself bore, that we had hit them much harder than they had us, and that in reality
our battle was a victory. They all crossed the river and retreated into
Virginia, the night of the battle, so that Maryland is free, and their
audacious invasion of our soil put an end to. Whether the country will be
satisfied with this or not I cannot say, but it ought to be, as I am free to
confess I feared at one time the movement from Washington was a dangerous one,
for if we were defeated and this army broken up, the country was gone. Now, if
there is any common sense in the country, it ought to let us have time to
reorganize and get into shape our new lines, and then advance with such
overwhelming numbers that resistance on the part of the enemy would be useless.
My command took a great many prisoners. They all concurred in saying that the
Southern army was dispirited; that the great bulk were tired of the war and of
fighting, and would be glad of any settlement that would terminate it. They
were ragged, shoeless and half starved, and were certainly in a most pitiable
condition.
I am afraid I shall not get the credit for these last
battles that I did for those near Richmond, for two reasons: First, I was not
wounded; second, old Sam Ringwalt was not there to write letters about me. I
find the papers barely mention the Pennsylvania Reserves, call them McCall's
troops, never mentioning my name; whereas I was not only in command, but at
South Mountain, on the 14th, I was on the extreme right flank, had the conduct
of the whole operations, and never saw General Hooker, commanding the corps,
after getting his instructions, till the whole affair was over. I must,
however, do Hooker the justice to say that he promptly gave me credit for what
I did, and have reason to believe it was his urgent appeal to McClellan, that I
was the right man to take his place when he was wounded, which secured my being
assigned to the command of the corps. I send you two pencil notes received on
the field of battle, which I wish preserved as evidences of my having done my
duty, and which I think will bear this out when it is remembered that there
were on the field several major generals in command of divisions only, besides
several brigadiers who were my seniors, and one of them in the corps I was
assigned to. These papers, written on the field of battle, amply compensate. A
man who under such circumstances is elevated to rank may well be proud of the
fact, and can hardly have his elevation charged to political or petticoat
influence.
Yesterday we were occupied moving up from our position on
the battle-field to the river, which the enemy succeeded in crossing before we
could stop them. To-day Porter's corps was sent over, but not being properly
supported, the enemy turned on him, and he had to retire to this side.
SOURCE: George Meade, The Life and Letters of George
Gordon Meade, Vol. 1, p. 311-2
For “Pencil Notes,” McClellan to Meade, mentioned see:
- Albert V. Colburn to Brigadier General George G. Meade, September 17, 1862 – 1:25 p.m.
- Randolph B. Marcy to Brigadier General George G. Meade, September 17, 1862, 3:10 p.m.
No comments:
Post a Comment