Meade Meade!

[kevikens]

The powder mills of Clio grind slowly, but they ultimately produce the finest powder. In time, and with good historians seeking to sift out the truth, George Gordon Meade ( and George Thomas while they are at it) will become better known as two of the very best commanders of that war. That he had the common sense to back away from Mine Run without turning it red with Union blood , a decision he knew would make him seem hesitant and weak in the Northern press, tells us that he possessed a fine sense of understanding that sometimes the cost of an advance would not be worth the price to be paid. Did he have the willingness of Grant to accept the high casualties necessary to crush Lee? That is difficult to determine because he was never required to undertake that strategy with Grant calling the shots from 1864 on. If one is willing to pay any price, any cost, to win the war, then Grant is the man but had Grant fallen in battle Meade just might have undertaken his own Overland campaign with no Cold Harbors a likely part of it. If Meade has not been apotheosized to Mount Olympus, he at least ought not be buried in some obscure academic limbo. To put it this way, had Meade not done some hard plowing Grant would have had a much harder time brining in the harvest.

 

[OldBrainsHalleck]

I've long been curious about Maj. Gen, George Gordon Meade and his impact on commanding the Army of the Potomac. Even though Grant stuck with the AOTP after becoming General-in-Chief, the Old Snapping Turtle was still the commander of the Army of the Potomac, a position that at least 3 other men had held prior to Meade.

 

[jackt62]

Meade was a capable officer who preferred a cautious approach to field operations, favoring defensive positions and avoiding fontal assaults when possible. Given this approach to command and his lack of power madness, Meade to his credit offered his resignation upon Grant's elevation to supreme command to allow Grant to select his own man to lead the AOTP. But Grant rejected his offer and felt confident about Meade's abilities, notwithstanding his differences in tactics, to allow Meade to continue as army commander to the end of the war. Meade of course, had to adapt and work with Grant's more aggressive measures which were not always successfully executed.

 

[FZ11]

Not even a week. About 3:00 AM on June 28, 1863, to be quite precise. And he was ORDERED to take command of the army--it was a peremptory order, with nothing voluntary about it. He neither wanted it, nor asked for it, and after the battle tried to resign from it, to no avail.

He won that battle with a chief of staff he hated and who hated him. He won that battle without despite losing the two corps commanders he most trusted (Reynolds and Hancock). He won that battle despite Dirty Dan Sickles' insubordination that nearly destroyed an entire army corps. He won that battle despite taking one-third casualties and having his officer corps devastated.

I cannot imagine a general being asked to do as much under such circumstances, and then beating the odds and Lee in the process. It's why I admire the Goggle-Eyed Old Snapping Turtle so much.

This^^^^^. Can't wait for the book!