Media coverage and General Mead

[lg325]

Media bias was even an issue in the 19th century. This is an article on General Meads's coverage by the media of the time after the Battle of Gettysburg and his response. You can't fight city hall or the press without sever retaliation.

MSN

 

[1srelluc]

That's Meade and he was too timid.

Had he supervised and pushed his Corp commanders he could have easily cut-off and destroyed A.P. Hills Corps as it was retreating through my town, in fact it was a huge missed opportunity as French's III Corp had the men detrained and available for the push but stayed mostly idle along the Manassas Gap RR.

The First Battle of Wapping Heights

A little more that twenty years ago, while writing a regimental history of the 4th Maine Infantry, I came across an entry in the Official Records of the Civil War indicating the regiment had fought…

shenandoahcivilwarhistory.blog

In the grand scheme of things it was but a small affair (400 casualties) but had French showed more resolve 1/3rd of Lee's army, perhaps even Lee himself, could have been destroyed/captured.

That said French's III Corp was pretty much fought-out being heavily engaged at Gettysburg. French was a replacement for the wounded former corps commander (Dan Sickles) so he had only been in command for just 20 days.

This fight occurred in my backyard and I have found relics (mostly spent bullets/shell fragments and a yankee spur) on my property.