# George G. Meade — Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant character guide

> George G. Meade in Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant by Ulysses S. Grant.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Meade, General Meade, Major-General Meade, Major-General George G. Meade

**First appearance:** 0003-i

## Snapshot

The careful, irascible commander of the Army of the Potomac, whose well-fed, well-drilled soldiers stand in stark contrast to Sherman's hardened marchers at the war's end.

## Who they are

Meade leads the Army of the Potomac through the final campaigns, a general whose troops receive regular supplies from the North and whose review occupies six full hours of the grand parade. His army is disciplined and fit but lacks the feral resourcefulness of Sherman's western veterans, a contrast Grant draws without malice. Overshadowed by Grant's arrival and Sheridan's rise, Meade embodies the competent, unglamorous professionalism on which the Union war effort quietly depended.

## Relationships

### [Robert E. Lee](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/personal_memoirs_of_ulysses_s_grant_se/characters/robert_e_lee)

_rivalry_

Meade commanded the Army of the Potomac against Lee, notably defeating him at Gettysburg and later pursuing him in Virginia.

## In the story

### [XLVI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/personal_memoirs_of_ulysses_s_grant_se/chapters/xlvi)

Meets Grant at Brandy Station; offers to step aside if Grant wishes to replace him, demonstrating selflessness.

### [LI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/personal_memoirs_of_ulysses_s_grant_se/chapters/li)

Commander of the Army of the Potomac; Grant considered him a gallant soldier.

### [LIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/personal_memoirs_of_ulysses_s_grant_se/chapters/liii)

Army of the Potomac commander, orders Humphreys to remain with Warren, and is recommended for promotion to Major-General in the regular army.

### [Movement by the Left Flank—Battle of North Anna—An Incident of the March—Moving on Richmond—South of the Pamunkey—Position of the National Army](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/personal_memoirs_of_ulysses_s_grant_se/chapters/liv)

Commanding the Army of the Potomac; receives Grant's orders and is present at the plantation house.

### [Chapter LV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/personal_memoirs_of_ulysses_s_grant_se/chapters/lv)

Major-General commanding the Army of the Potomac; receives Grant's order to suspend further advance.

### [Left Flank Movement Across the Chickahominy and James—General Lee—Visit to Butler—The Movement on Petersburg—The Investment of Petersburg](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/personal_memoirs_of_ulysses_s_grant_se/chapters/lvi)

Commands the Army of the Potomac; ordered to fortify a line down the Chickahominy and later orders an advance toward the Weldon Railroad.

### [LXIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/personal_memoirs_of_ulysses_s_grant_se/chapters/lxiv)

Meade is referenced as commander of the Army of the Potomac, under whom the movements are coordinated.

### [The Capture of Petersburg—Meeting President Lincoln in Petersburg—The Capture of Richmond—Pursuing the Enemy—Visit to Sheridan and Meade](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/personal_memoirs_of_ulysses_s_grant_se/chapters/lxv)

Commands the Army of the Potomac; initially misled by a Confederate ruse but follows Grant's orders to pursue Lee.

### [LXVII: Negotiations at Appomattox](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/personal_memoirs_of_ulysses_s_grant_se/chapters/lxvii)

Commands the Army of the Potomac; receives Lee's flag of truce and hesitates to suspend hostilities.

### [The End of the War — The March to Washington — One of Lincoln’s Anecdotes — Grand Review at Washington — Characteristics of Lincoln and Stanton — Estimate of the Different Corps Commanders](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/personal_memoirs_of_ulysses_s_grant_se/chapters/lxx)

Praised as an officer of great merit but with a temper; subordinate and brave, though sometimes offensive in speech.

### [Organization Charts—Union and Confederate](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/personal_memoirs_of_ulysses_s_grant_se/chapters/organization-charts-union-and-confederate)

Commanding the Army of the Potomac.

### [Union Army on the Rapidan, May 5, 1864](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/personal_memoirs_of_ulysses_s_grant_se/chapters/union-army-on-the-rapidan-may-5-1864)

Commanding the Army of the Potomac.

### [Endnotes](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/personal_memoirs_of_ulysses_s_grant_se/chapters/endnotes)

Praised by Grant as one of the fittest officers for large commands.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/personal_memoirs_of_ulysses_s_grant_se/characters/george_g_meade
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/personal_memoirs_of_ulysses_s_grant_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/personal_memoirs_of_ulysses_s_grant_se/characters