Gen Meade takes control

Yesterday I took a little drive down to Frederick, MD. In the process of reading George Meade's biography, I decided that it was time to find the spot where Meade was given command of the Army of the Potomac.

George Meade was the 5th Corps commander just prior to the battle at Gettysburg. Joseph Hooker was the commander of the Army of the Potomac. But Hooker had some issues with the army....Lincoln....and Halleck. So, thinking that he could get his own way, he threatened to quit, and it backfired because Lincoln accepted his resignation. But who to place in command? Meade was the best answer. Prior to Hooker's resignation, a bunch of generals had tried to convince Lincoln to get rid of Hooker and put Meade in command. Now the time had come and President Lincoln knew that the best man for the job was the same man that so many generals had recommended: George G. Meade. Meade was awaken at around 3am and told that he was now in command of the army....he wasn't asked if he wanted it, he was told that he wanted it....and he had no choice but to accept. So now George Gordon Meade is in charge and the Army of the Potomac is heading for a major battle. Meade is hoping for Pipe Creek, but little does he know that its going to be a little crossroads town in Pennsylvania called Gettysburg.

It's not a long drive from Gettysburg. I can be there in 30 minutes. I've been to Frederick many, many times, but never once did I ever try to find where Meade was given command. There's a monument down there and everything, but I never saw it before. So, yesterday was THE day to do it.

I hopped in my car knowing sort of the area in which it is located....but not having brought directions or an address or anything, I figured it was a long shot....but I was determined. So off I drove.

AND I found it! Its on a road that takes you back to a housing development, and its off to the side, but the minute I saw it, I knew that that was it! Its a large boulder taken from Devil's Den and cut down to size. Then they put some plaques on it commemorating Gen. Meade taking over the army.

As I stood there taking pictures and thinking about that fateful night, I wondered just what was going through Meade's head at that point. Would he be able to do it? Who was he up against? Would the other generals (who outranked him) work with him or against him? Today, we can look back with hindsight and see just what transpired and know that Meade was ok....but that night, he must have been extremely concerned.

The more I read about him (and yes, I am almost finished that book), the more I like him. I like the fact that he was known to some as an "Old Snapping Turtle". I like that he was vulnerable but didn't let the others know it (only to his wife did he let his vulnerability show). I like that he was able to FINALLY bring a victory to the North. Meade was a very human person and only by studying him can we see just who he was and how he felt. Thank goodness his wife didn't destroy his letters so we CAN see the human side of this great man.