When and where was George Meade born?
George Gordon Meade arrived into the world on the 31st of December 1815, in the Spanish port city of Cádiz. He was the eighth child born to Richard Worsam Meade and Margaret Coats Butler.
Questions about George Meade
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What engineering projects did George Meade complete before the Civil War?
George Meade built the Brandywine Shoal lighthouse in Delaware Bay and directed the construction of lighthouses across Florida and New Jersey from 1851 to 1856. His specific projects included the Carysfort Reef Light in Key Largo, the Sand Key Light in Key West, the Barnegat Light on Long Beach Island, and the Absecon Light in Atlantic City.
How did George Meade become commander of the Army of the Potomac?
Meade received news of his appointment as Army of the Potomac commander in the early morning hours of the 28th of June 1863 when a messenger from President Abraham Lincoln woke him with this unexpected order. Three corps commanders recommended him for command despite outranking him, and he assumed leadership just three days before the Battle of Gettysburg began.
Why did Ulysses S Grant keep George Meade as a subordinate during the Overland Campaign?
Grant assured Meade he had no intentions of replacing him despite warnings from Edwin M. Stanton that Meade was weak. Grant later wrote that this incident gave him a more favorable opinion of Meade than the great victory at Gettysburg even though friction existed between their headquarters.
What happened to George Meade after the Civil War ended in 1865?
George Meade assumed command of the Military Division of the Atlantic in July 1865 and took command of the Third Military District in Atlanta on the 6th of January 1868. He supervised state governments formed in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina for reentry into the United States under Reconstruction Acts.
When and how did George Meade die?
Meade died on the 6th of November 1872, in the house at 1836 Delancey Place from pneumonia complications caused by his war wounds. He was buried at Laurel Hill Cemetery and left behind several statues including an equestrian statue at Gettysburg National Military Park.