| |
Rick Schaus
Capon Springs, WV, USA
Posts: 505
 | | An Exchange of Letters, July, 1863 | | Posted on: 7/21/2010 1:20:32 PM | Hi,
On 18 July 1863, MG Howard wrote the following letter to President Lincoln:
” HEADQUARTERS ELEVENTH CORPS,
Near Berlin,
July 18, 1863.
SIR: Having noticed in the newspapers certain statements bearing upon the battle of Gettysburg and subsequent operations, which I deem calculated to convey a wrong impression to your mind, I wish to submit a few statements. The successful issue of the battle of Gettysburg was due mainly to the energetic operations of our present commanding general prior to the engagement, and to the manner in which he handled his troops on the field. The reserves have never before during this war been thrown in at just the right moment. In many cases when points were just being carried by the enemy, a regiment or brigade appeared to stop his progress and hurl him back. Moreover, I have never seen a more hearty co-operation on the part of general officers than since General Meade took the command. As to not attacking the enemy prior to leaving his stronghold beyond the Antietam, it is by no means certain that the repulse of Gettysburg might not have been turned upon us. At any rate, the commanding general was in favor of an immediate attack, but with the evident difficulties in our way, the uncertainty of a success, and the strong conviction of our best military minds against the risk, I must say that I think the general acted wisely. As to my request to make a reconnaissance on the morning of the 14th, which the papers state was refused, the facts are, that the general had required me to reconnoiter the evening before, and give my opinion as to the practicability of making a lodgment on the enemy's left, and his answer to my subsequent request was that the movements he had already ordered would subserve the same purpose. We have, if I may be allowed to say it, a commanding general in whom all the officers with whom I have come in contact express complete confidence. I have said this much because of the censure and of the misrepresentations which have grown out of the escape of Lee's army.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
O. O. HOWARD,
Major-General.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN,
President of the United States. “
The President’s reply:
” EXECUTIVE MANSION, July 21, 1863.
My dear General Howard: Your letter of the 18th is received. I was deeply mortified by the escape of Lee across the Potomac, because the substantial destruction of his army would have ended the war, and because I believed such destruction was perfectly easy—believed that General Meade and his noble army had expended all the skill, and toil, and blood, up to the ripe harvest, and then let the crop go to waste.
Perhaps my mortification was heightened because I had always believed—making my belief a hobby, possibly—that the main rebel army going north of the Potomac could never return, if well attended to; and because I was so greatly flattered in this belief by the operations at Gettysburg. A few days having passed, I am now profoundly grateful for what was done, without criticism for what was not done.
General Meade has my confidence as a brave and skilful officer and a true man. Yours very truly,
A. LINCOLN.”
VR, Rick Schaus
|
| tom ryan
Bethany Beach, DE, USA
Posts: 258
| | Re: An Exchange of Letters, July, 1863 | | Posted on: 7/21/2010 1:58:56 PM | Time heals all wounds, at least temporarily. Lincoln demonstrated his ability to forgive and forget repeatedly with McClellan, and to a certain extent with Hooker. Yet Lincoln was also a very practical leader and politician. If his generals eventually proved they were not up to the task, he had no other option than to replace them -- if only for his own political survival.
Meade was given an opportunity after the Gettysburg Campaign to prove his ability as commander of the most important Union army. But failing to engage the ANV in a battle that would demonstrate his mastery over Lee, Meade set himself up for demotion similar to his predecessors. This happened for a number or reasons, but perhaps the most compelling one was the forthcoming elections in November 1864. Something good had to happen militarily, and it had to happen without delay if Lincoln was to win another term in office.
|
| Wayne Wachsmuth
Shippensburg, PA, USA
Posts: 270
| | Re: An Exchange of Letters, July, 1863 | | Posted on: 7/21/2010 7:47:14 PM |
Quote:
Meade was given an opportunity after the Gettysburg Campaign to prove his ability as commander of the most important Union army. But failing to engage the ANV in a battle that would demonstrate his mastery over Lee, Meade set himself up for demotion similar to his predecessors. This happened for a number or reasons, but perhaps the most compelling one was the forthcoming elections in November 1864. Something good had to happen militarily, and it had to happen without delay if Lincoln was to win another term in office.
--tom ryan
Tom,
The 1864 elections were after the Overland Campaign of that summer. By that time I would think that Gettysburg was pretty much relegated to a FAR back burner so I would think there would be serious doubt that Lincoln was looking that far ahead .
Wayne
Wayne
|
| tom ryan
Bethany Beach, DE, USA
Posts: 258
| | Re: An Exchange of Letters, July, 1863 | | Posted on: 7/22/2010 11:03:31 AM | Hi Wayne, it has been awhile since I have seen you or talked with you. Trust all is well.
Regarding Lincoln's thoughts about reelection and his consideration of Meade's generalship, John Waugh addresses this in his book Reelecting Lincoln: The Battle for the 1864 Presidency. Waugh says that L. actually began to plan for and work towards his reelection in the summer and fall of 1863. He was particularly concerned about the off-year elections in a couple of the states that would point to which way the political winds were blowing. His supporters began beating the drums about his reelection in late 1863, and friendly newspapers published stories that Lincoln was planning to run again in 1864.
Also late in 1863, the fortunes of the North had turned pretty much for the better, and Lincoln was considering his potential reelection in November 1864 as a culmination and approval of all that he had worked for in reuniting the country. However, one major problem was his inability to get Meade and the AoP to go all out in confronting Lee and the ANV. That was one of the obtacles that he foresaw as preventing a military victory over the South and, very possibly, his reelection.
This description of events is supported by Stephen Oates in With Malice Toward None: A Life of Abraham Lincoln. Oates said it was known by early 1864 that Lincoln wanted a second term, and Secretary of Treasury Chase was already campaigning to replace Lincoln.
Oates also quotes Lincoln in Nov. 1863 as saying, "Now if this Army of the Potomac was good for anything--if the officers had anything in them--if the Army had any legs, they could move thirty thousand men down to Lynchburg and catch Longstreet. Can anybody doubt, if Grant were here in command that he could catch him?" Oates also quotes Lincoln, since Meade wasn't going to do anything, "how hard we have tried to get this army to move towards the enemy and we cannot succeed."
After Lincoln decided to bring Grant east to take over the army, Oates concludes, "Grant would now act as the strategic commander of the Potomac Army and Meade as its tactical commander, fighting as Grant ordered him to fight--a role that suited Meade best."
I gather from what both Waugh and Oates have written that Lincoln started to point toward reelection a good year ahead of time (which was quite unusual in those days even to seek a second term), and that he had to rectify the military situation in the East by replacing Meade with a more aggressive general.
Regards, Tom
|
| borderstates
Raceland / Lafayette, LA, USA
Posts: 715
| | Re: An Exchange of Letters, July, 1863 | | Posted on: 7/22/2010 11:09:54 AM | Tom,
Correct me if I am wrong, but Meade was never replaced as the General Commanding the Army of the Potomac. Grant was promoted to Lt. General and General in Chief, IIRC. Did not Meade lead the AoP through Washington during the Grand Review?
---------------
Respectfully yours,
Mike
OUR DEBT TO THE HEROIC MEN AND VALIANT WOMEN IN THE SERVICE
OF OUR COUNTRY CAN NEVER BE REPAID. THEY HAVE EARNED OUR
UNDYING GRATITUDE. AMERICA WILL NEVER FORGET THEIR SACRIFICES.
President Harry S Truman
|
| tom ryan
Bethany Beach, DE, USA
Posts: 258
| | Re: An Exchange of Letters, July, 1863 | | Posted on: 7/22/2010 11:46:12 AM | That is correct, Mike. Meade stayed on as head of the AoP. However, when Grant chose to travel with the army, Meade no longer had free rein as army commander. He took his orders directly from Grant. So, Meade was commander in name only.
But as Oates commented, it turned out to be a good arrangement that fit the skills of both men fairly well. Prior to taking over the AoP, Meade was a solid tactical commander. But at the army level, it turned out that he operated better when someone pointed him in the right direction.
My observation is that Meade had trouble ordering those he considered his peers, rather than subordinates, to do his bidding, and that he was reluctant in some cases to shed the blood of those soldiers under his command. Grant, on the other hand, was much less constrained by these compunctions.
|
| |
|
|
|