GDG- war councils

[Tom Ryan]

<<Hi,

Tom, If I may add to this discussion, Hancock, after the war, related
the 2 July council details to artist James Kelly (who drew a picture of
the council).
Hancock stated that he told the council, "At this (the question whether
to stay at Gettysburg or withdraw to PC) I got mad.  I said, "as long as
the enemy stays.  Let us have no more retreats.  The Army of the Potomac
has had too many retreats.  Let us have no more flank movements.  Let
this be our last retreat."  That was about all I said.
After considerable discussion, it was voted to fight them, at which
General Meade who had been walking up and down the room said: "As you
wish gentlemen; but Gettysburg is no place to fight a battle in; Lee can
turn our flanks."",(Styple, "Generals in Bronze", pp 66).

In a postwar letter, Slocum related a very similar account of Meade's
statement.
Doubleday related that he had heard the same account from one of
Birney's staff officers.

Also from Styple's book, is Kelly's account of his meeting with General
Martin McMahon, who served as Sedgwick's Chief of Staff.  McMahon
related a 2 July conversation with Sedgwick, "Gen. Sedgwick called me
about nine [P.M. July 2] saying that he had been called to a council at
General Meade's Headquarters and I rode with him part of the way.  He
said that General Meade was thinking of a retreat and I said, "For God's
sake General, don't you favor any such move.  Why here we have been
hunting for Lee for weeks and now that we've got him here, don't
retreat..." (pp 84).

Meade, during the battle, related to his artillery chief, Hunt that he
would not have selected the ground on which the battle was fought.

Meade appears to have determined to go along with whatever his generals
voted to do, whether or not he agreed with the vote, as he clearly
stated at the 2 July council that he did not agree.

He was given command of the army, but never actually "took" command at
Gettysburg, consistently deferring (I think that word is appropriate) to
the opinions of his corps commanders, and Warren.
Yes, he was new to army command, but he was familiar with the army and
his corps commanders, having served with the AoP through its major
battles in the 1st and 5th Corps.

Meade, at Gettysburg, was the only general wearing two stars on his
shoulder straps that was in command of the AoP, and subject to his
orders from his superiors in Washington.  His corps commanders were
responsible only for their individual corps.  In order to follow his
orders, he would have to make decisions that his subordinate commanders
might not agree with.  He was not willing to make those decisions.

VR, Rick Schaus>>

Rick,

	Very interesting.  This provides more grist for the "Meade deferred to his
commanders" mill.  It also changes the context of Meade's position on the
questions posed at the July 2 meeting from desiring to stay and fight it out
to prefering to retreat.  That is a whole different subject for discussion,
and should elicit additional commentary, I suspect.

Regards, Tom