HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF
THE POTOMAC,
July 31, 1863.
Major-General HALLECK,
General-in-Chief :
MY DEAR GENERAL: I thank you most sincerely and heartily for
your kind and generous letter of the 28th instant, received last evening. It would be wrong in me to deny that I feared
there existed in the minds of both the President and yourself an idea that I
had failed to do what another would and could have done in the withdrawal of
Lee's army. The expression you have been pleased to use in your letter, to wit,
“a feeling of disappointment,” is one that I cheerfully accept and readily
admit was as keenly felt by myself as any one. But permit me, dear general, to
call your attention to the distinction between disappointment and
dissatisfaction. The one was a natural feeling, in view of the momentous
consequences that would have resulted from a successful attack, but does not
necessarily convey with it any censure. I could not view the use of the latter
expression in any other light than as intending to convey an expression of
opinion on the part of the President that I had failed to do what I might and
should have done. Now, let me say, in the frankness which characterizes your
letter, that perhaps the President was right; if such was the case, it was my
duty to give him an opportunity to replace me by one better fitted for the
command of the army. It was, I assure you, with such feelings that I applied to
be relieved. It was not from any personal consideration, for I have tried in
this whole war to forget all personal considerations, and have always
maintained they should not for an instant influence any one's actions.
Of course you will understand that I do not agree that the
President was right, and I feel sure when the true state of the case comes to
be known, that however natural and great may be the feeling of disappointment,
no blame will be attached to any one.
Had I attacked Lee the day I proposed to do so, and in the
ignorance that then existed of his position, I have every reason to believe the
attack would have been unsuccessful, and would have resulted disastrously. This
opinion is founded on the judgment of numerous distinguished officers, after
inspecting Lee's vacated works and position. Among these officers I could name
Generals Sedgwick, Wright, Slocum, Hays, Sykes, and others.
The idea that Lee had abandoned his lines early in the day
that he withdrew, I have positive intelligence is not correct, and that not a
man was withdrawn till after dark. I mention these facts to remove the
impression, which newspaper correspondents have given the public, that it was
only necessary to advance to secure an easy victory. I had great responsibility
thrown on me. On one side were the known and important fruits of victory, and,
on the other, the equally important and terrible consequences of a defeat. I
considered my position at Williamsport very different from that at Gettysburg.
When I left Frederick, it was with the firm determination to attack and fight
Lee, without regard to time or place, as soon as I could come in contact with
him; but after defeating him, and requiring him to abandon his schemes of
invasion, I did not think myself justified in making a blind attack simply to
prevent his escape, and running all the risks attending such a venture. Now, as
I said before, in this, perhaps, I erred in judgment, for I take this occasion
to say to you, and through you to the President, that I have no pretensions to
any superior capacity for the post he has assigned me to; that all I can do is
to exert my utmost efforts and do the best I can; but that the moment those who
have a right to judge my actions think, or feel satisfied, either that I am
wanting or that another would do better, that moment I earnestly desire to be
relieved, not on my own account, but on account of the country and the cause.
You must excuse so much egotism, but your kind letter in a
measure renders it necessary. I feel, general, very proud of your good opinion,
and assure you I shall endeavor in the future to continue to merit it.
Reciprocating the kind feeling you have expressed, I remain,
general, most truly and respectfully, yours,
GEO. G. MEADE,
Major-General.
SOURCES: 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. 108-9; George Meade, The Life
and Letters of George Gordon Meade, Vol. 2, p. 139-41
No comments:
Post a Comment