“Wisdom is not the product of schooling but of the lifelong attempt to acquire it.” - Albert Einstein

From “Lincoln 365,” by Arnold Kunst

July 5

“In dealing with his sense of rage over Meade’s failure to pursue and destroy Lee’s army after the Battle of Gettysburg, it probably occurred to Lincoln that actually sending that letter almost certainly would have destroyed George Meade as an effective contributor to the Union cause, a most unfortunate prospect indeed. After all, Meade had assumed command of the Army of the Potomac only a few days before the battle commenced and had proved himself a brave and meritorious officer who had won not the final victory, or even close to the final victory, but a tremendous victory nonetheless. Furthermore, if Lincoln had been at Gettysburg for those fateful three days it is arguable that even he would find it difficult, as Meade apparently did, to conduct an aggressive pursuit. For those three days produced over 50,000 casualties [the Battle of Gettysburg holds the grim distinction of being the largest land battle ever fought on the Western Hemisphere] – aggressive pursuit on this scale is hard to contemplate when you are up to your armpits in blood and gore.” - Arnold Kunst