Gen. George Gordon Meade (1815-1872)
General in the Union Army, Commander of the Army of the Potomac at Gettysburg
He was born in Cadiz, Spain, where his father was the U.S. Naval Agent. After graduating from West Point Military Academy in 1835, he served briefly in the artillery before resigning to work as a civil engineer on railroads. He rejoined the army in 1842 and served in the Mexican-American War (1846-48), earning a brevet for gallantry. When the Civil War erupted in 1861, he was appointed Brigadier-General of the Pennsylvania Volunteers. He proved himself a capable commander during the Peninsula Campaign and at Second Bull Run (1862), where he was wounded. He commanded a division at Antietam and performed admirably at Fredericksburg, and his effective leadership of V Corps at Chancellorsville earned him further recognition.
In June 1863, just three days before battle, Meade was unexpectedly appointed Commander of the Army of the Potomac, replacing Joseph Hooker. He immediately led his army to Gettysburg, where he orchestrated the Union victory that marked the war's turning point. Despite criticism for not aggressively pursuing General Lee's retreating army, he retained command throughout the remainder of the war, serving effectively under Grant's overall direction during the 1864-1865 campaigns. After the war, he commanded various military departments and oversaw Reconstruction efforts in the South. He died in Philadelphia at just 56 years old from pneumonia complicated by his wartime wounds. Though often overshadowed by more celebrated generals, Meade's crucial victory at Gettysburg secured his place in American military history. In 1840, he married Margaretta, daughter of John Sergeant, U.S. Congressman from Pennsylvania. They were the parents of seven children.
