Listened to part of the discussion by KMB on Civil War: Meade at Gettysburg on CSPAN2 tonight and it definitely motivated me to buy the book. In my earlier years I read huge amounts about the soldier's experiences in the war/battles, learned about the material culture - being a reenactor uniforms, equipment, weapons etc are an obsession - and read a few histories and biographies here and there. As I'm getting older, gained more experience and understand better how things work in the world I developed a love and respect for men like Grant and Meade who were put in situations where they could have either floundered and failed which would be devastating for themselves, the army and the country, or shoulder the responsibility layed on them and acted the best way they knew how, or were able to, with the people they had to work with. I'm very glad Meade is getting some hugely overdue recognition. He has been ignored by so any for so long and it is a disgrace. While many of the Southern leaders were venerated a huge number of the Union leaders were criticised, slandered, ridiculed, or just ignored and forgotten. Grant was once an international hero, today I'm very sure few people could tell you much about him except maybe that he was a cigar smoking runk who butchered his troops (think about what the orange man said about him in Ohio). Meade, possibly because he didn't seek fame and glory, seemed to take a backseat to many others and all but faded away. As for the "shoeless AoP"..Meade wanted to get things moving and supplies to the army. How do you get past all the bureaucratic BS? Tell them your men are starving and shoeless, you want them to move and fight, then move your butts and get the supplies moving. He was just forced into a situation he did not really want or expect - isn't it true he told his wife he thought he was being arrested? Lee's Army was in Pennsylvania, he needed to get his own command organized and moving, he needed to find out the disposition of the Confederates, he didn't have time to crap around. As for not pursuing Lee more vigorously. Both armies just beat the hell out of each other. Lee's army was like a wounded bear, it was going to fight hard to not be captured or completely defeated (look at the finals days / hours up to and around Appomatox), it would have meant more bloodshed, more wounded, etc, etc. maybe even a Union defeat. Gettysburg and the surrounding area was overwhelmed with dead, dying and severely wounded and traumatized soldiers. Just pushing his army blindly at the enemy could have been a disaster. As KMB reminds us, all these guys read the same book. They followed the same rules. People question Lee's right-left--center punch (roughly speaking) at Gettysburg, but McClellan did the same thing at Antietam. Why did Lee and his army lose at Gettysburg? Because General Meade and his officers cooperated and the soldiers kicked butt. Can't wait to read the book.
Did Meade’s extreme dislike of Sickles impair his judgment in dealing with Sickles on the early afternoon of July 2? If Meade had no confidence in Sickles, why did Meade not spend more time getting Sickles set up properly?
Each day goes by historic markers and monuments are being removed, renamed, put in storage or melted down entirely. What is the point of being preservationist when at this rate there isn't going to be anything left to preserve?
What famous historians have criticized George Meade that warrant borderline slander? I am not aware of any and would be curious to know whom you speak of. Because I doubt their source is of value.
I blame Meade for Sickles being out of position. He should have given Sickles at least 10 min over a map. But maybe they didn’t have a good map? Even more reason to talk it through.
When I think of shoeless soldiers during the Gettysburg campaign. I think of Confederates being barefooted. Not the Army Of The Potomac. Remarkable hearing Kent say they were roughly 50% barefoot.
@@nimitz1739 I thought so too until doing more research earlier in the war. After Antietam the Army Of The Potomac was in rough shape with supplies. No shoes, clothing, etc. were getting to the army. The supplies were being distributed to the forts and installations around Washington. Not to the army in the field. Quite literally tons of supplies waiting for distribution.
@@jacobmasters438 oh, I have heard of the supply shortages after antietam. And that It was some of the hardest times for the army of the Potomac. But half of the whole army being barefooted? That seems far-fetched. If so, a whole lot more accounts would have been brought up. In diaries and such.
Loved the book. Will need to refer to it again. Lots of new info for me
Listened to part of the discussion by KMB on Civil War: Meade at Gettysburg on CSPAN2 tonight and it definitely motivated me to buy the book. In my earlier years I read huge amounts about the soldier's experiences in the war/battles, learned about the material culture - being a reenactor uniforms, equipment, weapons etc are an obsession - and read a few histories and biographies here and there. As I'm getting older, gained more experience and understand better how things work in the world I developed a love and respect for men like Grant and Meade who were put in situations where they could have either floundered and failed which would be devastating for themselves, the army and the country, or shoulder the responsibility layed on them and acted the best way they knew how, or were able to, with the people they had to work with.
I'm very glad Meade is getting some hugely overdue recognition. He has been ignored by so any for so long and it is a disgrace. While many of the Southern leaders were venerated a huge number of the Union leaders were criticised, slandered, ridiculed, or just ignored and forgotten. Grant was once an international hero, today I'm very sure few people could tell you much about him except maybe that he was a cigar smoking runk who butchered his troops (think about what the orange man said about him in Ohio). Meade, possibly because he didn't seek fame and glory, seemed to take a backseat to many others and all but faded away.
As for the "shoeless AoP"..Meade wanted to get things moving and supplies to the army. How do you get past all the bureaucratic BS? Tell them your men are starving and shoeless, you want them to move and fight, then move your butts and get the supplies moving. He was just forced into a situation he did not really want or expect - isn't it true he told his wife he thought he was being arrested? Lee's Army was in Pennsylvania, he needed to get his own command organized and moving, he needed to find out the disposition of the Confederates, he didn't have time to crap around.
As for not pursuing Lee more vigorously. Both armies just beat the hell out of each other. Lee's army was like a wounded bear, it was going to fight hard to not be captured or completely defeated (look at the finals days / hours up to and around Appomatox), it would have meant more bloodshed, more wounded, etc, etc. maybe even a Union defeat. Gettysburg and the surrounding area was overwhelmed with dead, dying and severely wounded and traumatized soldiers. Just pushing his army blindly at the enemy could have been a disaster. As KMB reminds us, all these guys read the same book. They followed the same rules. People question Lee's right-left--center punch (roughly speaking) at Gettysburg, but McClellan did the same thing at Antietam. Why did Lee and his army lose at Gettysburg? Because General Meade and his officers cooperated and the soldiers kicked butt.
Can't wait to read the book.
Very interesting, Thank you
Love the book! Meade is impressive.
Great book. Well argued KMB!
Did Meade’s extreme dislike of Sickles impair his judgment in dealing with Sickles on the early afternoon of July 2? If Meade had no confidence in Sickles, why did Meade not spend more time getting Sickles set up properly?
Each day goes by historic markers and monuments are being removed, renamed, put in storage or melted down entirely. What is the point of being preservationist when at this rate there isn't going to be anything left to preserve?
What famous historians have criticized George Meade that warrant borderline slander? I am not aware of any and would be curious to know whom you speak of. Because I doubt their source is of value.
Allen Guelzo
I blame Meade for Sickles being out of position. He should have given Sickles at least 10 min over a map. But maybe they didn’t have a good map? Even more reason to talk it through.
When I think of shoeless soldiers during the Gettysburg campaign. I think of Confederates being barefooted. Not the Army Of The Potomac. Remarkable hearing Kent say they were roughly 50% barefoot.
So basically half the army of the Potomac was barefoot at Gettysburg? That’s really hard to believe.
@@nimitz1739 I thought so too until doing more research earlier in the war. After Antietam the Army Of The Potomac was in rough shape with supplies. No shoes, clothing, etc. were getting to the army. The supplies were being distributed to the forts and installations around Washington. Not to the army in the field. Quite literally tons of supplies waiting for distribution.
@@jacobmasters438 oh, I have heard of the supply shortages after antietam. And that It was some of the hardest times for the army of the Potomac. But half of the whole army being barefooted? That seems far-fetched. If so, a whole lot more accounts would have been brought up. In diaries and such.
My dude seems like the most grifty person I've seen cover the civil war.