Headquarters Army Of The Potomac, March 6, 1864.
I returned from Washington to-day. I went there Friday
morning on business connected with the reorganization of the army. The night
before I left I saw Mr. Wilkeson's attack on me in the Senate and Reverdy
Johnston's reply and defense. When I reached Washington I was greatly surprised
to find the whole town talking of certain grave charges of Generals Sickles and
Doubleday, that had been made against me in their testimony before the
Committee on the Conduct of the War. On Saturday I was summoned before the
committee. I found there only Mr. Wade, of Ohio. He was very civil, denied
there were any charges against me, but said the committee was making up a sort
of history of the war and was now taking evidence to enable it to give an
account of the battle of Gettysburg, and my administration since commanding the
army. I then occupied about three hours giving a succinct narrative of events.
Subsequently Mr. Stanton told me (this is strictly confidential), that there
was and had been much pressure from a certain party to get Hooker back in
command, and that thinking, through Sickles and others, they might get me out
(a preliminary step) they had gotten up this halloobaloo in the Committee on
the Conduct of the War; but that I need not worry myself, there was no chance
of their succeeding. The only evil that will result is the spreading over the
country certain mysterious whisperings of dreadful deficiencies on my part, the
truth concerning which will never reach the thousandth part of those who hear
the lies. I suppose and fear you will be worried about them, but I beg you to
be calm and quiet, and rest satisfied that I will come out all right in the
end.
I saw nobody in Washington, except people about the
Government, except Mr. Howard, of Michigan, whom I went to see and to whom I
explained the absurd charge of Sickles, that I had ordered a retreat at Gettysburg,
and that that battle was fought in spite of all my efforts to prevent it.
It is a melancholy state of affairs, however, when persons
like Sickles and Doubleday can, by distorting and twisting facts, and giving a
false coloring, induce the press and public for a time, and almost immediately,
to take away the character of a man who up to that time had stood high in their
estimation. However, I suppose we cannot change human nature; we must be
patient, await the period when the truth will slowly and surely make itself be
known.
You have doubtless seen that Kilpatrick's raid was an utter
failure. I did not expect much from it. Poor Dahlgren I am sorry for.
SOURCE: George Meade, The Life and Letters of George
Gordon Meade, Vol. 2, p. 169-70
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