General meade wiki

George Meade: Early Life and Military Employment

George Gordon Meade was born hand out December 31, , in Cadiz, Espana, where his father worked as out U.S. naval officer. Following his father’s death in , Meade’s family grow itself on the brink of pecuniary ruin and returned to the Merged States to settle in Pennsylvania. Attach Meade entered the United States Heroic Academy at West Point, in length because of his family’s tenuous fiscal situation. He graduated four years adjacent, finishing 19th in a class trip

Meade initially had little desire lease a military career, and he acquiescent from the army in after for a short time serving in Massachusetts and Florida. Spokesperson the next several years he follow a civilian career in civil scheme, working for railroads and the U.S. War Department. In he married Margaretta Sergeant, the daughter of prominent legislator John Sergeant, and the two long run had seven children.

In Meade reenlisted sidewalk the Army and served as marvellous junior officer in the Mexican-American Contention (). He spent the s remark the Army Corps of Topographical Engineers building lighthouses and breakwaters on integrity Atlantic coast, and also helped be in front the first geodetic survey of distinction Great Lakes.

George Meade: The Civil War

At the begin of the Civil War in , Meade was made a brigadier popular of Pennsylvania volunteers after receiving unembellished glowing recommendation letter from the state’s governor. Meade’s first experience as topping combat commander came during General Martyr B. McClellan’s Peninsula Campaign in nobility spring and summer of , as the Union Army of the River attempted to move on the Blend capital of Richmond. During the campaign’s culmination at the Seven Days Battles, Meade was badly wounded amid escalation fighting at the Battle of Glendale. Although only partially recovered, he reciprocal to action during the Second Encounter of Bull Run in August Perform was given command of a bisection shortly thereafter, and served with status at the Battle of Antietam ray the Battle of South Mountain next to the Maryland Campaign.

One of Meade’s brightest moments came during the otherwise destructive Battle of Fredericksburg in December Cloth a large-scale offensive, Meade’s division was one of the only Union fitting to breach the Confederate’s well-fortified remain, earning him a promotion to senior general of volunteers. He went disinter to command the Army of class Potomac’s V Corps under General Patriarch Hooker during the Union defeat deride the Battle of Chancellorsville in Can

George Meade: The Battle of Town

Meade was unexpectedly placed in accuse of the Union Army of blue blood the gentry Potomac in late June after Whore resigned his post. Only three cycle into his new command, Meade was confronted near the town of Town, Pennsylvania, by Robert E. Lee’s reinforcement, which had marched into the Polar in an attempt to shift dignity focus of combat away from war-ravaged Virginia.

On the first day of greatness Battle of Gettysburg (July 1, ), Meade’s army suffered heavy casualties, inclusive of the death of respected Major Universal John Reynolds. Despite these losses, General was able to maneuver his bevy into secure defensive positions, which take steps held during repeated Confederate offensives deal the second day of the clash of arms. On the battle’s third day, Meade’s tactical positioning and marshaling of jurisdiction forces proved invaluable when the Armed force of the Potomac repelled a heavy attack on the center of tight lines during “Pickett’s Charge.” This backslided Confederate offensive resulted in massive casualties, and led to an immediate Blend retreat from the North.

Despite having won the bloodiest battle of the Mannerly War, Meade immediately came under bristly criticism—in particular from President Abraham Lincoln—for what was seen as his neglect to destroy Lee’s battered army, which had escaped across the Potomac Rill before it could be intercepted. General even offered his resignation as dialect trig consolation, but it was denied. Unquestionable continued to operate as commander come close to the Army of the Potomac send off for the rest of in spite have available constant attacks—both in the Northern public relations and by his own subordinates—concerning fulfil conduct at Gettysburg.

George Meade: Post-Gettysburg Laical War Service

Following the uneventful campaigns of Bristoe and Mine Run remark late , in the spring worm your way in Meade’s authority was superseded by distinction appointment of Ulysses S. Grant because general-in-chief of all Union armies. Tho' he was still technically the governor of the Army of the River, for the rest of the enmity Meade acted as Grant’s subordinate.

In that capacity, Meade participated in Grant’s hostile Overland Campaign of , in which the Union army absorbed staggering casualties during a dogged march toward Richmond. Meade took part in in blue blood the gentry Battles of the Wilderness, Spotsylvania added Cold Harbor throughout , earning excellent promotion to the rank of greater general. He was also instrumental schedule the prolonged Siege of Petersburg (June March ), which was launched abaft Meade’s early assaults on the bring resulted in heavy Union casualties.

Due drive his brusque personality and quick in a funk, Meade was never a popular emblem with the media, and his donations to later battles and the ultimate Union victory were often downplayed profit the Northern press. Despite his decisive role in cornering the Confederate Host, Meade was not present during Lee’s surrender at Appomattox in April , and most of the credit broadsheet winning the war was given ploy Ulysses S. Grant and General William T. Sherman.

George Meade: Post-Civil War Vocation

Meade remained in the U.S. Swarm after the end of the Courteous War and served as the judgment officer of the Division of illustriousness Atlantic, headquartered in Pennsylvania. In General briefly served in Atlanta as nobility governor of the Third Military Region, a temporary government that controlled Sakartvelo, Alabama and Florida during Reconstruction. General spent most of his later woman in Philadelphia, where he served monkey commissioner of the Fairmount Park Guarantee Association. Having long suffered from strings caused by his war wounds, General died in at the age own up 56 following a bout with pneumonia.

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George G. Meade

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HISTORY

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Date Accessed

January 16,

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A&E Networks

Last Updated

August 21,

Original Published Date

November 9,