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Civil War Soldiers - Meade
| Meade, George G., major-general, U.S.
Army, was born at Cadiz, Spain, during the consulship of his father at
that port, in 1815. At an early age he was sent to the boys' school in
Washington, D. C., at that time kept by Salmon P. Chase, afterward
chief-justice of the United States supreme court. Subsequently he
attended the military academy near Philadelphia, and, in 1831, entered
the academy at West Point, whence he graduated in 1835, as brevet
second lieutenant of the 3d artillery. The same year he was made
second lieutenant, and served in Florida in the Seminole war. The
state of his health induced him to resign his commission in 1836, and
he became a civil engineer; but, in 1842, he again entered the army,
as second lieutenant in the corps of topographical engineers, and in
that capacity served in the Mexican war. During this campaign he was
attached to the staff of Gen. Taylor, and afterward to that of Gen.
Scott, distinguishing himself at Palo Alto and Monterey, and
receiving, as an acknowledgment of his gallantry, a brevet of first
lieutenant, dated Sept. 23, 1846, and also upon his return to
Philadelphia, a splendid sword from his townsmen. During the interim
between the Mexican war and the Civil war, having been promoted to a
full first lieutenancy in Aug., 1851, and to a captaincy of engineers
in May, 1855, he was engaged in the particular duties of his
department, more especially in the survey of the northern lakes ; but
upon the call of the government for men in 1861, he was ordered to
report at Washington, and upon the organization of the Pennsylvania
reserve corps, was made a brigadier-general of volunteers and assigned
the command of the 2nd brigade, his commission dating Aug. 31, 1861.
During the Seven Days' battles Gen. Meade was severely wounded, but
soon recovered and, in Sept., 1862, took command of a division in
Reynolds' 1st army corps, which he conducted with great skill and
bravery during the Maryland campaign. At Antietam, when Gen. Hooker
was wounded, Gen. Meade was placed in command of the corps and fought
bravely the remainder of the day, receiving a slight wound and having
two horses killed under him. He received the appointment of
major-general of volunteers on Nov. 29, and took part in the battle of
Fredericksburg, displaying courage and coolness during the engagement.
In June, 1863, when Lee was advancing up the Shenandoah valley to
invade Maryland and Pennsylvania, Gen. Meade was suddenly and
unexpectedly called to succeed Gen. Hooker in the command of the Army
of the Potomac, and he displayed masterly ability throughout the three
days' battle of Gettysburg. Following this engagement, about July 18,
he moved his army across the Potomac into Virginia, where he had
several skirmishes with the enemy in October and November, and he was
in command of the Army of the Potomac during the operations against
Richmond in 1864. On June 18, 1862, Gen. Meade was promoted to the
rank of major of engineers in the regular army, and on July 3, 1863,
was advanced by the several grades of lieutenant-colonel and colonel
to the brigadier-generalship in the regular army. During the session
of 1863-64 he received the thanks of Congress, and was on Feb. 1,
1865, promoted a major-general in the regular army, his commission
dating from Aug. 18, 1864. In the reconstruction of the military
divisions after the war, Gen. Meade was given the command of the
division of the Atlantic, with headquarters at Philadelphia, where he
resided in the house presented to his wife by his fellow-citizens, in
grateful recognition of his eminent services. He died at this
residence in Philadelphia, Nov. 6, 1872.
Source: The Union Army: A History of Military Affairs in the Loyal
States 1861-1865, Volume 8 Biographical, 1908
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