Headquarters Army Of Potomac
December 12,
1863
I still think, and more strongly than ever, that no change will
be made in our chief command; and those who have been to Washington think the
same. I am more and more struck, on reflection, with General Meade's
consistency and self-control in refusing to attack. His plan was a definite
one; from fault of his inferiors it did not work fast enough to be a success;
and he had firmness to say, the blow has simply failed and we shall only add
disaster to failure by persisting. By this time the officers here know just
about how well the Rebels fight, and what we have a reasonable expectation of
taking, and what not. It should be remembered, also, as a fundamental fact,
that this line is not approved as a line of operations, and never has
been; but we are forced to work on it. Those who think that (according to
the Hon. Kellogg) “it would be better to strew the road to Richmond with the
dead bodies of our soldiers rather than that there should nothing be done!” may
not be content; but those who believe it best to fight when you want to, and
not when your enemy wants to, will say simply they are sorry nothing could be
effected, but glad that there was no profitless slaughter of troops that cannot
be replaced.
SOURCE: George R. Agassiz, Editor, Meade’s
Headquarters, 1863-1865: Letters of Colonel Theodore Lyman from the Wilderness
to Appomattox, p. 61
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