Headquarters Army Of The Potomac, March 20, 1864.
I have received a letter from Gibbon which has worried me a
great deal. It is now evident that Butterfield, either intentionally or
otherwise, misconstrued something that I said to him on the 2d of July into
instructions to prepare an order to withdraw the army. To-be-sure, this order
was never issued; it is also certain I never intended it to be prepared, much
less issued. Nevertheless, the fact that he did prepare it, and, as he will
swear, was ordered to do so, notwithstanding it was never issued, will operate
against me, as people disposed to find fault will say I was all the time
anticipating defeat, and hampered accordingly. God knows my conscience is clear
that I never for a moment thought of retreating, although I presume I held in
view the contingency that the enemy might compel me so to do, and I may have
told Butterfield to familiarize himself with the roads, etc., so that if it
became necessary we would be prepared to do it promptly and in good order. Out
of this he has manufactured the lie that I intended at the time to do
so. The falsehoods that have been uttered against me, and the evidence of a
regular conspiracy which has been organizing almost since the date of the
battle, make me heartsick. I believe now that Butterfield commenced deliberately,
from the time I assumed command, to treasure up incidents, remarks and papers
to pervert and distort in the future to my injury. How otherwise to account for
his having a copy of this pretended order? Not only is no such order or paper
found among the records of the Adjutant General's Office, but the clerks and
others have no recollection of any order.
It is hard that I am to suffer from the malice of such men
as Sickles and Butterfield.
Grant is expected here next Wednesday. He spoke very fairly
when here last, and from all I can hear of what he has said of me to others, I
ought to be satisfied, as I understand he expressed every confidence in me, and
said no change would be made in the command, as far as he was concerned. Still,
he undoubtedly will have the power, and will exercise it, of bringing here such
a force as will effect results that hitherto I have been unable to effect, and
this will by the ignorant public be set down to his superior merit and quoted
against me. However, I shall do my duty to the best of my ability, and trust to
Providence.
SOURCE: George Meade, The Life and Letters of George
Gordon Meade, Vol. 2, p. 181-2
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