Sunday, June 22, 2014

Major-General George G. Meade to Major-General Henry W. Halleck, July 1, 1863 – 6 p.m.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
July 1, 1863 6 p.m.
(Received 10.20 p.m., via Frederick City.)
Maj. Gen. H. W. HALLECK,
General-in-Chief:

The First and Eleventh Corps have been engaged all day in front of Gettysburg. The Twelfth, Third, and Fifth have been moving up, and all, I hope, by this time on the field. This leaves only the Sixth, which will move up to-night. General Reynolds was killed this morning early in the action. I immediately sent up General Hancock to assume command. A. P. Hill and Ewell are certainly concentrating; Longstreet's whereabouts I do not know. If he is not up to-morrow, I hope with the force I have concentrated to defeat Hill and Ewell. At any rate, I see no other course than to hazard a general battle. Circumstances during the night may alter this decision, of which I will try to advise you. I have telegraphed Couch that if he can threaten Ewell's rear from Harrisburg without endangering himself, to do so.

 GEO. G. MEADE,
 Major-General.

SOURCE: George Meade, The Life and Letters of George Gordon Meade, Vol. 2, p. 40-1; The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 27, Part 1 (Serial No. 43), p. 71-2

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