General Meade

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1901. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER XVIII. ACROSS THE RAPIDAN AGAIN. Before the Committee on the Conduct of the War General Warren testified that Meade's plans had not been carried out, and that opportunities to destroy the enemy at Manassas Gap, before Mine Run, and at Warrenton had been lost because of defects in the army organization. He thought that there were too many corps; stated that it waS more difficult to obtain five able corps commanders than to obtain only three, and expressed his belief that all the corps commanders had not been equal to their positions. These combined defects established, in his opinion, a condition certain to impair every plan and jeopard every chance of victory. Before the same body General Humphreys testified that the commander of the Army of the Potomac could never lose sight of the fact that he was to protect Washington as well as carry on offensive war, and he added: "The difference of numbers in our favor is not great enough to admit of our making such movements as will oblige the enemy to fight us with equal advantages of ground. For instance, suppose we had had force enough, when we made that movement on Mine Run, to have left a heavy column near Culpeper, and had moved on his flank and brought his army away from the Rapidan; then, having the column in position concealed, which. might have been done, we could have thrown it on those portions of the enemy's lines which were not occupied, and have moved it to attack his left flank in connection with an attack on his front. If we had had force enough for that, there would have been no question as to the result. But such movements as these, being double movements, require a very great force, a very large superiority of numbers, in order to be carried on successfully." The defects in the organization of ...