Headquarters Army Of The Potomac, November 13, 1864.
To-day I had a visit from a Colonel Coles, of the English
Army, who is the Military Commandant of New Brunswick. He was quite a
gentlemanly person. I took him around our lines and showed him all that was to
be seen.
Grant has gone to-day to pay a visit to Admiral Porter, at
Fortress Monroe, and as Butler is absent, this leaves me in command of all the
forces operating against Richmond.
I suppose you have seen Mr. Davis's Message to the
Confederate Congress. Although a dignified and well-written document, to my
mind it betrays unmistakable evidences of despondency. His proposition to arm
and free forty thousand slaves, to make engineer soldiers, is most significant,
for nothing but an acknowledged exhaustion of the white race could ever make
him willing to free and arm the black race. The idea of limiting the number to
forty thousand, and making them engineer soldiers, simply means that this is an
experiment, the result of which is doubtful, and until the fidelity of the race
is tested, it is better not to have too many. I think this is prudential on
their part, for I cannot believe they will get the blacks to fight for them.
Gibbon was here to-day, the first time I have seen him since
his return.
I judge from the tone of the Tribune, Washington Chronicle,
and other Administration papers, that there is a disposition on the part of
the successful party to be magnanimous and invite harmony among all the friends
of the Union. I see it reported the President has declined McClellan's
resignation, and it is said is going to give him a command. I doubt the latter
part, but think the former very probable. I have no means of hearing or knowing
anything that is going on till it is made public. I never go to City Point, and
Grant does not come here, so that I am not au courant des affaires.
SOURCE: George Meade, The Life and Letters of George
Gordon Meade, Vol. 2, p. 241-2
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