What actually happened?: Meade chose not to counterattack on July 4th. This made Abraham Lincoln furious.
Watch Lincoln’s anger from North and South.
Lincoln's exact words to Meade:
I am very -- very -- grateful to you for the magnificent success you gave the cause of the country at Gettysburg... You fought and beat the enemy at Gettysburg; and, of course, to say the least, his loss was as great as yours-- He retreated; and you did not; as it seemed to me, pressingly pursue him; but a flood in the river detained him, till, by slow degrees, you were again upon him. You had at least twenty thousand veteran troops directly with you, and as many more raw ones within supporting distance, all in addition to those who fought with you at Gettysburg; while it was not possible that he had received a single recruit; and yet you stood and let the flood run down, bridges be built, and the enemy move away at his leisure, without attacking him...
Again, my dear general, I do not believe you appreciate the magnitude of the misfortune involved in Lee's escape-- He was within your easy grasp, and to have closed upon him would, in connection with the our other late successes, have ended the war-- As it is, the war will be prolonged indefinitely. If you could not safely attack Lee last Monday, how can you possibly do so South of the river, when you can take with you very few more then two thirds of the force you then had in hand? It would be unreasonable to expect, and I do not expect you can now effect much. Your golden opportunity is gone, and I am distressed immeasurably because of it--
DISCUSS: Was Lincoln's anger warranted? Was it a good decision to invite General Grant to take control of the Union Army fighting Lee? Why?
Did you make the same decision? If not, do you think you made a better or worse decision?
GO BACK to the Councils