★ ★  Meade, George Gordon

George Gordon Meade

Meade.jpg

:us34stars:George Meade
entered the West Point Military Academy in 1831 and graduated four years later, ranking 19th in a class of 56 members. In 1836 he resigned from the army to pursue a career in civil engineering. In 1842, however, he returned to the army and was appointed 2nd Lieutenant in the Corps of Topographical Engineers. He served in the Mexican-War. Otherwise, Meade was employed as a military engineer: constructing lighthouses, breakwaters, and completing survey work. After the beginning of the Civil War, Meade, was made a brigadier general and given command of a Pennsylvania brigade. Soon he was given command of a division in the First Corps, followed by a promotion to command of the Fifth Corps. On June 28, 1863, Meade was appointed by President Lincoln to command the Army of the Potomac, a position Meade held until the end of the war, although he was later overshadowed by the direct supervision of a new general-in-chief, Ulysses S. Grant. Meade is best known for leading the army that defeated Confederate General Robert E. Lee and the Army of Northern Virginia at the Battle of Gettysburg.

Born: December 31, 1815

Birthplace: Cadiz, Spain
(His father, Richard Meade, was stationed in Cadiz, Spain as a United States Naval Agent at the time of his birth.)​

Father: Richard Worsham Meade I 1778 – 1828
(Buried: Saint Mary’s Catholic Churchyard, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)​
Mother: Margaret Coats Butler 1782 – 1852
(Buried: Laurel Hill Cemetery, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)​
Wife: Margaretta Sergeant 1814 – 1886
(Buried: Laurel Hill Cemetery, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)​
Married: December 31, 1840 at St. Peters Church, Philadelphia, PA.

Children:

John Sergeant Meade 1841 – 1865​
(Buried: Laurel Hill Cemetery, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)​
Captain George Meade Jr. 1843 – 1897​
(Buried: Laurel Hill Cemetery, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)​
Margaret Butler Meade 1845 – 1905​
(Buried: Laurel Hill Cemetery, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
Meade 1.jpg
Spencer Meade 1850 – 1911​
(Buried: Laurel Hill Cemetery, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)​
Sarah Wise Meade Large 1851 – 1913​
(Buried: Laurel Hill Cemetery, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)​
Henrietta Meade 1853 – 1944​
(Buried: Laurel Hill Cemetery, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)​
William Meade 1855 – 1891​
(Buried: Laurel Hill Cemetery, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)​
Signature:
1573841929877.png


Education:

1835: Graduated from West Point Military Academy – (19th in class)​

Occupation before War:

1835: Brevet 2nd Lt. United States Army, 3rd Artillery​
1835 – 1836: 2nd Lt. United States Army, 3rd Artillery​
1836: Resigned from United States Army on October 26th
1837 – 1838: Assistant Engineer, Survey of Mississippi Delta​
1838 – 1840: Assistant Engineer of Texas Boundary
Meade 3.jpg
1840 – 1842: Assistant Engineer of Northeastern Boundary​
1842 – 1851: 2nd Lt., United States Army Topographic Engineers​
1846: Brevetted 1st Lt. for Gallantry at Battle of Monterrey Mexico​
1851 – 1856: 1st Lt., United States Army Topographic Engineers​
1856 – 1863: Captain, United States Army Topographic Engineers​
Civil War Service:

1856 – 1862: Captain, United States Army Topographic Engineers
Meade 2.jpg
1862 – 1863: Major, United States Army Topographic Engineers​
1861 – 1862: Brigadier General, Union Army Volunteers Infantry​
1861 – 1862: Commander of Pennsylvania Reserves Brigade​
1861: Served in the Battles of Dranesville, Virginia​
1862: Served in the Virginia, Peninsula Campaign​
1862: Wounded during the Battle of Glendale, Virginia​
1862: Commander of First Army Corps, Army of the Potomac​
1862: Temporary Corps Commander during Maryland Campaign​
1862 – 1864: Major General, Union Army Volunteers Infantry​
1862 – 1863: Commander of Fifth Army Corps, Army of the Potomac​
1862: Corps Commander at Battle of Fredericksburg, Virginia​
1863: Corps Commander at Battle of Chancellorsville, Virginia​
1863: Major, United States Army Engineers​
1863 – 1865: Commander of Union Army of the Potomac​
1863: Union Army Commander at Battle of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania​
1863 – 1864: Brigadier General, United States Army​
1863: Union Army Commander during Bristoe, Virginia Campaign​
1863: Union Army Commander during Mine Run, Virginia Campaign​
1864: Offered his resignation to Lt. General Ulysses S. Grant​
1864 – 1872: Major General, United States Army​
1865: Not present when General Robert E. Lee Surrendered to Grant​
Occupation after War:

1864 – 1872: Major General, United States Army​
1865 – 1866: Commander Military Division of the Atlantic​
1865 – 1868: President of Board of Retiring Disabled Officers​
1865 – 1872: Honorary Member Pennsylvania Society of the Cincinnati​

1866: Member of Board for Recommendations for Brevets​
1866 – 1872: Commissioner of Fairmount Park in Philadelphia, PA.​
1866 – 1868: Served in Department of the East Headquarters

1867: Member of Board to select depots for Army Clothing​
1868 – 1869: Commander U.S. Army Department of the South​
1869 – 1872: Commander of U.S. Army Military Division of Atlantic​

Died: November 6, 1872

Place of Death: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Cause of Death: Pneumonia

Age at time of Death: 57 years old

Burial Place: Laurel Hill Cemetery, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

FOR FURTHER READING
 
Last edited by a moderator:
In Ken Burns Documentary Meade is referred to as a old goggled eyed snapping turtle. Who was it that made that statement?

Said to be not present at Lee's surrender , where was he?

I think only 15 officers received the "Thanks of Congress", Meade got his for Gettysburg.

I read somewhere that he was somewhat surprised in Lincoln's choosing him to head the AOP. And he said something to the effect that the officer bringing him the news was first thought to becoming to arrest him(Meade). I kind of think he was joking , wasn't he?After all what had he done to be arrested for?
 
In Ken Burns Documentary Meade is referred to as a old goggled eyed snapping turtle. Who was it that made that statement?

I don't recall where it came from, but the reference is to the fact that Meade did not suffer fools. And there were plenty around him.

Rod Andrew Jr. wrote a good biography of Wade Hampton some years ago and last I heard he was working on Meade. I'd love to see the latter brought out of Grant's shadow and treated fairly. Fingers crossed Andrew's work is published sooner rather than later.
 
I'd love to see the latter brought out of Grant's shadow and treated fairly. Fingers crossed Andrew's work is published sooner rather than later.

Couldn't agree more. Being overshadowed by Grant, Meade does not get all the credit he probably deserves. He steered the AOTP from a major victory at Gettysburg through the 1863 autumn campaigns in Northern Virginia, the Overland campaign, the siege of Petersburg, and the final pursuit of the ANV to Appomattox. In 20th century terms, I would almost compare Meade to General Eisenhower's leadership that led to American victory in Europe in WWII. But unfortunately, nobody really thinks of Meade in that way.
 
I will freely, and upfront admit, that I've always been in Meade's corner.....

My dad was very good with his history (used to teach it) and especially the ACW....a lot of my own interest was introduced to me, by him.

He and I used to have good conversations about Meade. He regarded Meade (and kind of derisively) as a 'political general'. I always agreed that there very much was the political side to Meade...however, some of that was born in his own interest in political science. "The Life and Letters of...." bear that out in his astute back and forth correspondences with his wife (herself a political science fan).

However, I always thought that to dismiss him at this point was a mistake and a disservice.

Meade was not cuddly....nor is he in posterity. I've always felt that colored his historical reputation as well....But, you know what?...he got the job done...meat and potatoes, un-fancy, 'just the facts Ma'am'...

He was very much respected and appreciated by the Pennsylvania troops while he was commanding them. I don't want to say 'liked' because that goes to my previous, 'un-cuddly' coloring...He was very much respected by his commands, and subsequent to that respect grew a confidence of competence from his soldiers. The Pa. Reserves would always take great pride in his advancing success in the command structure...and he in turn never forgot where he came from, and always held the Reserves in great affection and respect.

I'm not making excuses here for him...but think about this: Meade....an academy (West Point) educated, graduated, commissioned officer in the regular US army...finds himself in an environment in which regimental officers under him...are voted into command and rank...voted...Most of them eventually proving to be just smooth talking rascals....and he now has to deal with them...let alone the farm boys he now has to train, so they won't get themselves killed when they take their first step on the battlefield...I could see myself with a short temper trying to wrangle a situation like that...
 
Meade was not cuddly....nor is he in posterity. I've always felt that colored his historical reputation as well....But, you know what?...he got the job done...meat and potatoes, un-fancy, 'just the facts Ma'am'...

Agreed. I'm pretty sure they called him, "the old snapping turtle."

The problem with George Meade is that whatever accolades we have for Union generals belong to U.S. Grant. If something went right, Grant gets the credit. If something went less right, Meade gets blamed.

There are plenty examples of this, don't get me started.
 
Meade in the broader knowledge of the war is a forgotten figure in the war. He had won Gettysburg, but it seems the public never latched onto him, at the time or postwar, like they did with Grant and his posse. He was excellent in command. He led the one successful assault at Fredericksburg, and outgeneraled Lee on the heights south of Gettysburg. He had some other successes during the Fall Campaign; his men beat back A. P. Hill's attack at Bristoe Station; captured most of two brigades at Rappahannock Station; and showed restraint in not assaulting's Lee's Mine Run Line. Grant allowed Meade to continue in command of the AotP, but eventually made Meade supernumerary to his designs in the Overland and Petersburg Campaigns.
I don't believe he's the best general the Union army had, or even the best commander of the Army of the Potomac, but he certainly rose above the dysfunction which plagued his predecessors and achieved significant successes.
 
Said to be not present at Lee's surrender , where was he?

When Grant was appointed (1864) to the command of all Union Armies, Meade became the titular head of the Army of the Potomac. Apparently, Meade and Grant never got on and Meade was excluded from Grant's inner command circle. This would explain Meade's absence at the surrender scene.

I don't know where Meade was at the time of Lee's surrender. Suspect he might have been with his troops.
 
Said to be not present at Lee's surrender , where was he?
Around when Lee's surrender occurred, a New Jersey infantryman in Humphrey's II Corps, recalls Meade passing along the line and addressing the troops. This would place Meade a few miles north-east of Appomattox Court House at the relevant time.
 
Said to be not present at Lee's surrender , where was he?
By 1865, Meade and Grant were on poor terms. Meade felt like Grant was sidelining him and preventing him from achieving any action independent from grant's command. Grant made sure that the lead of the advance was by 24th Corps under Ord, and Sheridan's Cavalry, thus they are the ones present for the surrender, rather than Meade, whose force is trailing not far behind.
 
When Grant was appointed (1864) to the command of all Union Armies, Meade became the titular head of the Army of the Potomac. Apparently, Meade and Grant never got on and Meade was excluded from Grant's inner command circle. This would explain Meade's absence at the surrender scene.

I don't know where Meade was at the time of Lee's surrender. Suspect he might have been with his troops.
IMO, saying that Meade and Grant didn't get along is going a bit too far. They seemed to have genuinely liked one another but they had two very different viewpoints about how to conduct the war. Initially, Grant was content to be the strategic commander and let Meade run the tactical operations of the AotP. After the Wilderness, however, Grant realized that he was going to have to take a firmer command. That said, Meade was still given quite a bit of leeway from Grant.

Grant definitely had his favorites (Sheridan and Wilson for example) and Meade never reached that kind of affection with him but there was still a lot of respect between the two.

Ryan
 
I recall reading that he had a short temper and was quite cautious.

He definitely had a short temper but on more than one occasion later went back to an officer that he had blown up at in order to apologize. In that respect, he was different than many other officers. He is somewhat similar to Bragg in that he was quick to anger and to come away with an impression of somebody but, unlike Bragg, he was self-aware enough to know that he was like this and could make amends.

As for his caution, especially in the wake of the Gettysburg Campaign, he was very cognizant that there were elements in the government that wanted to see him out as commander (and he offered his resignation to Lincoln on at least one occasion saying that he should not be commanding the army if he did not have Lincoln's confidence) and he was present for the sacking of three other AotP commanders. But it is to his credit that he would not be pressured to make an attack if he did not feel that it had a good chance to succeed.

Of course, he is not above criticism and some of his actions during the autumn campaigns of 1863 demonstrate that he could have been far more aggressive than he historically was. But, it has to be said that any officer in the AotP in 1863 had been fighting against Lee for over a year and a cautious attitude is understandable.

Ryan
 
IMO, saying that Meade and Grant didn't get along is going a bit too far. They seemed to have genuinely liked one another but they had two very different viewpoints about how to conduct the war. Initially, Grant was content to be the strategic commander and let Meade run the tactical operations of the AotP. After the Wilderness, however, Grant realized that he was going to have to take a firmer command. That said, Meade was still given quite a bit of leeway from Grant.

Grant definitely had his favorites (Sheridan and Wilson for example) and Meade never reached that kind of affection with him but there was still a lot of respect between the two.

Ryan
These are fair points. I don't know enough about Meade to confidently say whether they liked or disliked each other. Perhaps it is more accurate to just say that they had their differences and Meade was excluded from Grant's inner circle.
 
He definitely had a short temper but on more than one occasion later went back to an officer that he had blown up at in order to apologize. In that respect, he was different than many other officers. He is somewhat similar to Bragg in that he was quick to anger and to come away with an impression of somebody but, unlike Bragg, he was self-aware enough to know that he was like this and could make amends.

As for his caution, especially in the wake of the Gettysburg Campaign, he was very cognizant that there were elements in the government that wanted to see him out as commander (and he offered his resignation to Lincoln on at least one occasion saying that he should not be commanding the army if he did not have Lincoln's confidence) and he was present for the sacking of three other AotP commanders. But it is to his credit that he would not be pressured to make an attack if he did not feel that it had a good chance to succeed.

Of course, he is not above criticism and some of his actions during the autumn campaigns of 1863 demonstrate that he could have been far more aggressive than he historically was. But, it has to be said that any officer in the AotP in 1863 had been fighting against Lee for over a year and a cautious attitude is understandable.

Ryan

Regarding Meade's caution. It reminds me of what Lee said in a memorable line from the film, 'Gettysburg'. At the start of the film, Lee is informed by Longstreet that Meade has newly taken over command of the Union Army. Lee's response is,..."George Meade?..........Meade would be cautious, I think"...
 
IMO, saying that Meade and Grant didn't get along is going a bit too far. They seemed to have genuinely liked one another but they had two very different viewpoints about how to conduct the war. Initially, Grant was content to be the strategic commander and let Meade run the tactical operations of the AotP. After the Wilderness, however, Grant realized that he was going to have to take a firmer command. That said, Meade was still given quite a bit of leeway from Grant.

Grant definitely had his favorites (Sheridan and Wilson for example) and Meade never reached that kind of affection with him but there was still a lot of respect between the two.

Ryan
Ryan, wasn’t General Meade sick the reason he was not available to go to the surrender?
 
These are fair points. I don't know enough about Meade to confidently say whether they liked or disliked each other. Perhaps it is more accurate to just say that they had their differences and Meade was excluded from Grant's inner circle.
Just as a follow-up, it's interesting that Grant wrote to Stanton after the Wilderness that Meade and Sherman were the best officers for large command that he had encountered when he endorsed them to be promoted to major general in the regular army.There was definitely respect between the two of them.

Ryan
 
Back
Top