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My desire was to give battle to Gen. Lee; but his movement so far to my right satisfied me that he was not going to attack me, and that he was moving off to seize the Rappahannock, . . . cut off my communications, and compel me to move out and attack him to my disadvantage. With this view I directed a retrograde movement of the army to the line of the Rappahannock, which was accomplished. . . .
Under this belief, and being anxious to give him battle, it not being my desire at all to avoid a battle, except to avoid it upon his terms, I directed the movement of three corps early the next morning, amounting to about 30,000 men, with which I marched back again in the direction of Culpepper with the expectation that if Gen. Lee was there we would have a fight. . . . . Question. When you retired on that retreat to Centreville it was not with any view to avoid a battle? Answer. Not: at all. . This matter must be settled by fighting. Question. Your constant object was to bring on a battle on advantageous terms? Answer. My object was to maneuver so as to bring my army into such a position that when giving battle to the enemy I would have a reasonable probability of success; and in the event of a disaster I would have a line of retreat or line of communication open.Gen. Meade: Testimony before the Committee on the Conduct of the War.
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