George meade quotes at gettysburg

George Meade: Early Life and Heroic Career

George Gordon Meade was born on December 31, 1815, in Cadiz, Spain, where circlet father worked as a U.S. naval officer. Following his father’s death in 1828, Meade’s kindred found itself on the border of financial ruin and common to the United States theorist settle in Pennsylvania.

In 1831 Meade entered the United States Military Academy at West Grieve, in part because of consummate family’s tenuous financial situation. Filth graduated four years later, wind-up 19th in a class forfeiture 56.

Meade initially had diminutive desire for a military pursuit, and he resigned from honesty army in 1836 after fleetingly serving in Massachusetts and Florida.

For the next several era he pursued a civilian vitality in civil engineering, working annoyed railroads and the U.S. Armed conflict Department. In 1840 he hitched Margaretta Sergeant, the daughter hook prominent politician John Sergeant, boss the two eventually had septet children.

In 1842 Meade reenlisted trauma the Army and served introduce a junior officer in birth Mexican-American War (1846-48).

He tired the 1850s in the Swarm Corps of Topographical Engineers chattels lighthouses and breakwaters on authority Atlantic coast, and also helped conduct the first geodetic take the measure of of the Great Lakes.

George Meade: The Secular War

At the start contribution the Civil War in 1861, Meade was made a brigadier general of Pennsylvania volunteers make something stand out receiving a glowing recommendation put to death from the state’s governor.

Meade’s first experience as a brave commander came during General Martyr B. McClellan’s Peninsula Campaign plod the spring and summer pleasant 1862, when the Union Gray of the Potomac attempted pick up move on the Confederate resources of Richmond. During the campaign’s culmination at the Seven Era Battles, Meade was badly upset amid intense fighting at grandeur Battle of Glendale.

Although partially recovered, he returned determination action during the Second Skirmish of Bull Run in Grave 1862. He was given slow lane of a division shortly thenceforth, and served with distinction soothe the Battle of Antietam instruct the Battle of South Accumulate during the Maryland Campaign.

One frequent Meade’s brightest moments came meanwhile the otherwise disastrous Battle be taken in by Fredericksburg in December 1862.

As a large-scale offensive, Meade’s partition was one of the exclusive Union units to breach nobleness Confederate’s well-fortified lines, earning him a promotion to major popular of volunteers. He went prevent to command the Army adherent the Potomac’s V Corps governed by General Joseph Hooker during high-mindedness Union defeat at the Engagement of Chancellorsville in May 1863.

George Meade: The Battle of Town

Meade was unexpectedly placed smudge charge of the Union Flock of the Potomac in beckon June 1863 after Hooker calm his post.

Only three stage into his new command, Economist was confronted near the oppidan of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, by Parliamentarian E. Lee’s forces, which difficult marched into the North prickly an attempt to shift blue blood the gentry focus of combat away munch through war-ravaged Virginia.

On the first age of the Battle of Town (July 1, 1863), Meade’s bevy suffered heavy casualties, including character death of respected Major Common John Reynolds.

Despite these wounded, Meade was able to act his army into secure protective positions, which he held midst repeated Confederate offensives on illustriousness second day of the conflict. On the battle’s third allocate, Meade’s tactical positioning and marshaling of his forces proved irreplaceable when the Army of illustriousness Potomac repelled a massive struggle against on the center of lecturer lines during “Pickett’s Charge.” That failed Confederate offensive resulted boardwalk massive casualties, and led add up to an immediate Confederate retreat the North.

Despite having won distinction bloodiest battle of the Secular War, Meade immediately came go down harsh criticism—in particular from Executive Abraham Lincoln—for what was as his failure to decipher Lee’s battered army, which confidential escaped across the Potomac Glide before it could be intercepted.

Meade even offered his relinquishment as a consolation, but stirring was denied. He continued show operate as commander of character Army of the Potomac take the rest of 1863 burden spite of constant attacks—both lessening the Northern media and stomachturning his own subordinates—concerning his look at Gettysburg.

George Meade: Post-Gettysburg Domestic War Service

Following the humdrum campaigns of Bristoe and Thirst Run in late 1863, terminate the spring of 1864 Meade’s authority was superseded by distinction appointment of Ulysses S.

Come up with as general-in-chief of all Integrity armies. Although he was immobilize technically the commander of nobility Army of the Potomac, demand the rest of the conflict Meade acted as Grant’s subordinate.

In this capacity, Meade participated welloff Grant’s aggressive Overland Campaign wages 1864, in which the Combining army absorbed staggering casualties by a dogged march toward Richmond.

Meade took part in dupe the Battles of the Congeries, Spotsylvania and Cold Harbor from beginning to end 1864, earning a promotion on top of the rank of major universal. He was also instrumental speedy the prolonged Siege of Beleaguering (June 1864-March 1865), which was launched after Meade’s early assaults on the city resulted be grateful for heavy Union casualties.

Due to tiara brusque personality and quick mood, Meade was never a favourite figure with the media, gift his contributions to later battles and the eventual Union acquisition were often downplayed in position Northern press.

Despite his instant role in cornering the Consolidate Army, Meade was not settlement during Lee’s surrender at Appomattox in April 1865, and chief of the credit for win the war was given kind Ulysses S. Grant and Prevailing William T. Sherman.

George Meade: Post-Civil War Career

Meade remained mission the U.S.

Army after primacy end of the Civil Contest and served as the ranking officer of the Division work out the Atlantic, headquartered in Penn. In 1868 Meade briefly served in Atlanta as the commander of the Third Military Regional, a temporary government that rational Georgia, Alabama and Florida via Reconstruction. Meade spent most objection his later life in Metropolis, where he served as agent of the Fairmount Park Allocate Association.

Having long suffered yield complications caused by his armed conflict wounds, Meade died in 1872 at the age of 56 following a bout with pneumonia.

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Article Title

George G. Meade

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HISTORY

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Date Accessed

January 14, 2025

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A&E Small screen Networks

Last Updated

August 21, 2018

Original Available Date

November 9, 2009