Warrenton, Va., July 31, 1863.
I enclose you two letters recently received—one from the
President to General Howard, who thought it proper to write to Mr. Lincoln,
deprecating his dissatisfaction with me, and informing him I had the full
confidence of the army. The other is from General Halleck, written voluntarily
and without any particular call that I know, unless he has had repeated to him
something that I have said. His letter is certainly very satisfactory, and
places the matter, as I have replied to him, in a very different light from his
telegram. Disappointment was a feeling natural to every one, and was fully
shared in by myself. It could have been entertained without implying censure,
but dissatisfaction implied a failure on my part, which I repudiated at the
time and since. I have answered Halleck in the same spirit as his letter,
thanking him for his kind feeling and good opinion, and explaining my position,
and stating that personal considerations aside, I hope that whenever the
President thinks I am wanting, or has another whom he deems better suited, I
trust he will at once put me aside.
I see by the Richmond papers that Lee denies we had any
fight at Falling Water, or that I captured any organized body of prisoners. He
has been misinformed and it will be easy to prove the truth of my despatches.
SOURCE: George Meade, The Life and Letters of George
Gordon Meade, Vol. 2, p. 137-8
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