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Appendix G
Newspaper article, attack on General Meade, mentioned in letter of December 28, 1863.
see page 164, Vol.
II
（
Wilkes' Spirit of the Times, December 26, 1863）
(From the Washington
Republican）
Battle of Gettysburg—honor to whom honor is due
General Halleck, in his report of the operations of our armies in the field during the past year, in commenting upon the
Battle of Gettysburg, says: ‘To
General Meade belonged the honor of a well-earned victory, in one of the greatest and best fought battles of the war.’
As a public journalist, we cannot allow such a record to be made in the face of the well-known history of the
battle of Gettysburg, now made classic by the eloquence of
Everett, and in view of the important part the gallant
Hooker and his chief of staff performed preliminary to, and during the battle, without entering our solemn protest against it. And in doing this, we do not mean to detract in the slightest degree from the reputation and honor of
General Meade.
It is a matter of history that the army of the Potomac was never in finer drill, or better discipline, or more thoroughly in ‘fighting trim’ than it was when it fought at
Gettysburg.
So much to the credit of
General Hooker.
It is a matter of history that when the column of the rebel army was within a day's march of the capital of
Pennsylvania, and the main body of the rebel army was in
Maryland, following the advances,
Lee, supposing that he had out-generaled
Hooker, and made sure of
Baltimore and
Washington, was startled to find
Hooker across the
Potomac and right on his flank.
So much to the credit of the latter.
It is a matter of history that when
General Hooker was about to direct some of the troops in the field (on
Maryland Heights) under his command to prepare for a blow upon
Lee's flank, before the latter could contract his lines, which would have resulted in
cutting the rebel army in two,
Hooker's plans were interrupted by the
general-in-chief, and at his (
Hooker's) own request, feeling justly indignant at the treatment he had received, he was relieved.
General Lee, in his report to
Jeff Davis, acknowledges he was outflanked and outgeneraled by
Hooker.
So much to the credit of the latter.
It is a matter of history that when
General Butterfield made out his line of marches in
Maryland, he was directed by
Hooker to keep well to the right in order to cover
Baltimore, intending thereby to force
Lee to fight at
Gettysburg or thereabouts.
So much to the credit of
Hooker.
It is a matter of history that
Hooker had formed a general plan of battle: that his
Chief of Staff had that plan; that
Gen. Meade knew it;
