Gettysburg: "Honor to Whom Honor Is Due"

Added: 2026-05-25

[00:00:06]Hey all, Ron here from Military Images magazine with a new episode of Life on the Civil War Research Trail.

[00:00:15]You know, the question of George Gordon Me's generalship at Gettysburg has always been something of an open question and an ongoing topic of debate.

[00:00:25]appointed to lead the army of the PTOAC only a few days before the battle. It's after Major General Joseph Hooker resigned and then facing General Roberty Lee and his army of Northern Virginia which had largely dominated the war in the east. It can be fairly stated that me had his work cut out for him. At the very least, the odds were not exactly in his favor. And yet somehow his army won a decisive victory after Lee's bid to break the Union center with Pickicket's division failed. Me's pursuit of Lee's army back to Virginia, described by most historians as lacking in energy and a result of two wounded armies limping along in the wake of three days of carnage and combat that resulted in 51,000 casualties. It tarnished Mi's reputation and Mi's follow-up mine run campaign in Virginia ended in early December of 1863 without achieving its objective to defeat Lee. Meanwhile, public opinion was forming a first draft of history on me's performance. The reviews were mixed. One of the negative reviews can be found in the Daily National Republican of Washington DC published on December 12th, 1863, just days after the conclusion of the failed mine run campaign. The Republican, the pro-UN pro-abrabham Lincoln newspaper was published by William J. Merrtto, who had previously worked for the National Era, an abolitionist newspaper before he left to found the Republican after Lincoln's election.

[00:02:14]Though the editorial was unsigned, it likely came from the pen of Myrt or one of his associates. And you'll understand after listening to it why me, the victor of Gettysburg, seems to stand in the shadows of the momentous battle.

[00:02:33]The editorial is titled Battle of Gettsburg, Honor to Whom Honor is Due.

[00:02:40]It goes like this. General Hock in his report of the operations of our armies in the field during the past year and commented upon the battle of Gettsburg says, "To General me belong the honor of a well-earned victory in one of the greatest and best fought battles of the war."

[00:03:00]As a public journalist, we cannot allow such a record to be made in the face of the well-known history of the Battle of Gettysburg, now made classic by the eloquence of Everett, it's Edward Everett, and in view of the important part the Gallon Hooker and his chief of staff performed preliminary to and during the battle without entering our solemn protest against it. And in doing this, we do not mean to detract in the slightest degree from the reputation and the honor of General me.

[00:03:35]I'll pause here for a second just to mention that Edward Everett of course delivered the major address in Gettysburg at the dedication of the national the soldiers cemetery.

[00:03:51]The editorial continues, "It is a matter of history that the army of the PTOAC was never in finer drill or better disciplined or more thoroughly in fighting trim than it was when fought at Gettysburg. So much to the credit of General Hooker. It is a matter of history that when the advanced column of the rebel army was within a day's march of the capital of Pennsylvania and the main body of the rebel army was in Maryland following the advances. Lee supposing that he had out general hooker in midshore Baltimore and Washington was startled to find Hooker across the PTOAC and right on his flank. So much to the credit of the latter. It is a matter of history that when General Hooker was about to direct some of the troops in the field on Maryland Heights under his command to prepare for a blow upon Lee's flank, before the latter could contract his lines, which would have resulted in cutting the rebel army in two, Booker's plans were interrupted by the general and chief. And at his Booker's own request, feeling justly indignant at the treatment he received, he was relieved.

[00:05:05]General Lee in his report to General Davis acknowledges he was outflanked and outgeneralled by Hooker. So much to the credit of the latter. It is a matter of history that when General Butterfield made out his lines of march in Maryland, he was directed by Hooker to keep well to the right in order to cover Baltimore, intending thereby to force Lee to fight at Gettysburg or thereabouts.

[00:05:33]So much to the credit of Hooker.

[00:05:35]It is a matter of history that Hooker had formed a general plan of battle that his chief of staff, Butterfield, had that plan. that General me knew it and that as Hooker's successor, me had not only the benefit of Hooker's plans and necessarily acted upon them, but he also had Hooker's chief of staff, Butterfield, by his side constantly. And if General Hooker dislikes to acknowledge the facts briefly cited above in his report, it does not detract any the less from the gentlemanly and soldier-like conduct of General Meade, who immediately after the Battle of Gettsburg in a personal letter to General Butterfield acknowledged his great indebtedness to that officer for his valuable aid without which he stated he could not have succeeded. General Butterfield knew all of Hooker's plans and was instructed by the latter to communicate them freely to General Meade. And we happen to know that General me received them, acted upon them, and after the battle, like a true gentleman, acknowledged his gratitude.

[00:06:46]So much to the credit of General Hooker.

[00:06:50]It is not a matter of history, but it is a matter of the plainest common sense that neither General me or any other military chieftain living could have taken the army of the PTOAC, and in so short a time have it well enough in hand to hurl it successfully against such a witty, wellorganized, and well- host without aid from his immediate predecessor.

[00:07:14]General me can ask for no higher honor than that which he acquired by winning such a victory over the best disciplined army the rebels have had in the field in a series of battles which commenced only about 48 hours after he assumed command of the army of the battoomeac even upon the plans of another Mr. Everett and his oration at Gettsburg did not fail to do General Hooker justice, nor did General Lee, the leader of the crust fallen and defeated rebel army. We will get the more therefore that the general and chief of the army of the United States Alec in making up an official report which is now a part of the history of the present war and to whom the country looks for a faithful chronicler of passing military events should have omitted to do so, especially in view of the signal service General Hooker has recently rendered by his dashing and daring exploits in the mountain fastness of the past astonishing even the peerless Grant who promptly awarded to fighting Joe and his brave troops the credit so justly due to him and them honor to whom it is due.

[00:08:33]So there you have the opinion of an editorial writer at a Washington DC newspaper honoring credits to Joe Hooker for the Battle of Gettysburg.

[00:08:49]So thanks for listening. We'll see you on the next episode of a life fun of Civil War research trail.