Headquarters Army Of The Potomac, July 7, 1864.
I am glad to hear the good news about Baldy, as I am very
much attached to the old brute.
Matters seem to be at a standstill for the present, and will
continue so until the arrival of expected reinforcements. I see a tendency to
despondency in some of the public journals. This arises from the folly of
expecting one man to perform miracles, and then being depressed because
unreasonable anticipations are not realized. Things have occurred very much as
I expected. I had hoped for better success at the beginning, but after we
failed to defeat Lee at the Wilderness, I took it for granted we should have to
manoeuvre him into the fortifications of Richmond, and then lay siege to that
place. I knew this, with the men we had, would be a formidable undertaking,
requiring time and patience, and the final result depending very much upon the
support we obtained from the Government and people in the way of reinforcements.
I always knew the enemy would fight desperately, and would be skillfully
handled. I still think, if the men are furnished promptly, that we shall
eventually succeed in overcoming Lee's army, and when that is done the
Rebellion is over.
I presume you will all be excited again in Philadelphia at
the appearance of the rebel army in Maryland and Pennsylvania. If it stirs the
people up to turning out and volunteering, I shall thank Mr. Ewell very much,
even if he does rob and steal some. The apathy of our people is our stumbling
block. This move of Lee's is an ingenious effort to get Grant to send troops
from here, but I think he will be disappointed.
SOURCE: George Meade, The Life and Letters of George
Gordon Meade, Vol. 2, p. 210-1
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