July 3, 1863

The battle that took place of July 3, 1863, on the fields just south of the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, was largely the result of the decisions of two men. The first, of course, was Robert E. Lee. His questionable decision to resume the offensive after being repulsed the previous day with significant losses has been debated since the last gun fell silent that day. The other was George Gordon Meade. Meade held a council of war in the very early hours of July 3rd, and concluded that the best course of action was to stay where he was and see what Lee would do next.

Battles are won and lost, and lives are spared or sacrificed, on decisions such as these. We tend to think of these judgements being made by historical titans who stride through our books and our imaginations like giants. But Meade and Lee were mortals like the rest of us. Uncertain about the intentions of the other, receiving questionable information about the situation, and under the influence of very human elements we work through every day; too much work and too little sleep. It is something of wonder that these men were able to think clearly at all, much less make such decisions with so much at stake.

It was at that early morning council that Meade had the clairvoyance to caution General John Gibbon that the next attack would likely be on the Union center. He was wearing the uniform coat and hat pictured above at that council, as he had been for the entire battle. It is a custom made uniform frock coat, possibly made for him here in Philadelphia, and has a beautifully embroidered lining featuring eagles and stars and shields that unfortunately can not be seen when the coat is on display. The hat, in the wide brimmed style usually favored by Meade, has a bullet hole through the crown from a previous engagement. After Meade's death in 1872, these items went to his son, George G. Meade, Jr., who served on his father's staff durning the Battle of Gettysburg and throughout the war. Meade Jr., gave them to the Museum, one of the first to come to what was then called the War Library and Museum.

The items connect us not just to the man and the event, but to the very moment one of the great decisions in our American history was made. He earned the rest that came with victory.