GDG- Pleasonton and the War Council

[J. David Petruzzi]

>>As far as his not having been at the council, my impression is (and J.D.,
please feel free to comment on this) that although a Corps commander, as
commander of the cavalry corps his position was more administrative in
nature than tactical, compared to the infantry commanders.

Jim Cameron>>


I think you're right, Jim, and I was going to mention something about this
when I made the previous post.  Meade definitely saw the cavalry commander
as administrative, harkening back to the "Chief of Cavalry" position of '62.
After taking command and until March '64 when Alf got the cavalry boot in
his posterior, Meade kept him close to HQ.

Also, I think in some ways Meade subscribed to the old "keep your enemies
closer" advice.  In the antebellum army, as a Lt. of Engineers, Meade worked
for Alf's father when the latter was the Administrator of US Lighthouses.
Pleasonton's father was less than efficient at his post, and there's
evidence that he took graft - he was eventually removed by a committee of
politicians and military officers, Meade among them.  I'm sure Meade felt
that in the Pleasonton men's case, the apple didn't fall far from the tree -
especially once observing Pleasonton's toady activities through 1862 and
1863.  Pleasonton, during the JCCW hearings, of course, turned on Meade and
even envisioned himself as the prime candidate for command of the AOP.

So, perhaps Meade felt that if he kept Alf close to his tent (where Alf
loved feeling in the loop) Pleasonton could actually do less damage.

As subsequent events show, I think he was right.

J.D.