While on winter break in Philadelphia 150 years ago this week, General Meade, commander of the Union Army of the Potomac, was serenaded. He used the occasion to encouraged the walking wounded in the audience to rejoin the army and, during a second serenade, urged everyone to do all they could to encourage recruits.
From The New-York Times January 14, 1864:
Gen. Meade at Home.; [S]ERENADES AND SPEECHES. THE SECOND SERENADE.
From the Philadelphia Inquirer, Jan. 12.
An imprompra serenade and welcome was given to Gen. MEADE, the hero of Gettysburgh, last evening, at the residence of Mr. BENJAMIN GERHARD, No. 226 South Fourth-street. The participants were the convalescent soldiers of the Broad and Cherry Hospital, accompanied by their band. The parlors of Mr. GERHARD were well filled by friends of the General and prominent citizens of our own and other States. Among the guests were Admiral Dupont, Mayor Henry and others.
The parlors were decorated with the tri-color, and when the soldiers reached the house the national airs were given. After they had ceased Gen. MEADE came forward. As he appeared in the dim light of the balcony his features were not discernible, and a soldier cried out, “Give us a light.” Gen. MEADE then responded to the serenade in the following address.
needs the men for the “hard fighting” ahead
“FELLOW-SOLDIERS: Those of you belonging to the Army of the Potomac who are from the field of Gettysburgh, as many of you doubtless are, need no light to recognize my voice and my features. I am delighted to see you here, and glad to see that you have so far recovered from your wounds that you are able to march out on this inclement night. And I am gratified that the soldiers of my old command should visit me and extend me such a welcome. (Cheers.)
We are anxious for your entire and speedy recovery. I have just left the army, where I must soon return. There all your old comrades are reenlisting, anxious to remain in the army until they bring this unnatural and unholy war to a termination; a termination which shall be satisfactory to us [???] a termination which will be worthy of the old flag and an honor to the Government. And this mu[s]t be the reestablishment of the old Union in its former glory and the acknowledgement of the Constitution [???] one end of this continent to the other. [Loud and continued applause.]
I am glad to see that you are all so well and able to leave your quarters to-night. I hope to find you soon in the ranks, where I am obliged to return. We are making every effort to improve the present, and, as soon as the weather moderates and the season will allow, active operations will be commenced anew, and in earnest. We want you all to be there. We want you all to return and to bring all you can with you; and may you all live to see what we all want to see, this struggle brought to a speedy and a glorious end. [Renewed applause.]
It is a question of numbers and of time. You all know that if we bring the men to the work, it will be ended speedily. I have nothing further to say, except that I return you my thanks for the welcome you have this night extended me.”
The soldiers continued cheering for their old leader for a long while after he ceased speaking. Admiral DUPONT was loudly called for, and, appearing in the balcony, was received with loud cheers. He declined speaking, and merely acknowledging the compliment tendered him, he retired. The soldiers then returned to the hospital.
The Union League assembled at their rooms later in the evening, and preceded by Birgfield’s Band, marched to the house where the General was stopping, and serenaded him for the second time. The whole street was closed with the people who accompanied the well-filled ranks of the Union League, and the second testimonial of the city’s admiration for its son and General was even more imposing than the first. The address delivered by Gen. MEADE was neat, terse and appropriate. His appearance was the signal for the most unmistakable manifestations of applause, terminating with three stentorian cheers for Gettysburgh. Then the General spoke:
“I am much obliged to you, my friends, for your compliment in giving three cheers for Gettysburgh. I am here but for a very few days, and have only visited my home to see my wife and children, and I am happy to hear you remember Gettysburgh and its deeds of heroic daring. I speak to Philadelphians; I have always felt it to be a matter of pride that I am a Philadelphian. Everything that I do in the discharge of my duties is increased and nerved with new strength when I think that I am a Philadelphian, and that my fellow-citizens of Philadelphia will be glad to hear, when I come back among them, that I have done my duty.
As I said when I took command of the Army of the Potomac, I say to you now, I have no pledges to make. When I return to my army, all I can say is that we will do the best we can to suppress the rebellion and to overthrow all those who are in arms against our common country; and we will do the best we can to have our flag respected, and to have it wave over every foot of ground from the Canadas to the Rio Grande and the golden sands of the Pacific. The banner of the Stars and Bars we will number among the things of the past, and the rebellion, with all its associations, will be remembered as things that have existed, but have no longer any being.
What we need is men. I want you here, all of you, every man of you, however small may be his influence, to use that influence to send recruits to the army. The more we get the better will it be for that army, and the quicker will the war be ended. The war must be ended by hard fighting, and it becomes every man, woman and child to work for the increase of our armies in the field, and when that is done I trust that next Summer will come to us with peace restored to the land, and happiness, contentment and prosperity pervading the entire country.”
The General retired amid great enthusiasm.
In a report from the front the Richmond Dispatch “X” correspondent began by referring to the North’s double-carrot approach to recruitment – generous furloughs and bounties. General Lee is issuing furloughs and using courts-martial to try to limit desertions. How will the Confederate Congress respond the manpower issue?
From the Richmond Daily Dispatch January 14, 1864:
From General Lee’s army.
[from our own Correspondent.]
Army of Northern Virginia, Jan.11th, 1864.
The situation remains essentially unchanged.–Both sides have occasionally to change camps for the purpose of getting wood. The enemy are hugging the railroad closely, busily engaged in securing re-enlistments of their three year’s men by the grant of a thirty-five days furlough, and bounties reaching as high in some instances as one thousand dollars. It is generally understood that they will preserve their old organizations undisturbed. Whilst this is the policy of our enemies, all eyes are turned to the Congress, and every patriot is anxiously solicitous to know the character of its legislation; for all feel that upon Congress hangs the fate of the country. I would again earnestly entreat them to lose no time in perfecting the military bill. Sixty days more and we may expect the campaign to begin. McClellan moved in 1862 as soon as March opened; whilst Hooker delayed until April only because a wide river intervened between him and us. There is, let me say again, no time for delay.
Mosby, the gallant guerilla chief, is constantly disturbing and harassing the enemy. …
Courts-martial are now in session all over the army, and a large amount of business is being disposed of. The desertions are much less frequent since the institution of the permanent system of furloughs in the army. Gen. Lee is now granting furloughs in the ratio of four to every hundred men present for duty. …
The Substitute bill has caused a general “skedaddling” among the sutlers, not less than twenty having been compelled on this account to close up and get ready to march either in the ranks or out of the country.
The weather during the past week has been intensely cold, and it has been with great difficulty that the men could keep comfortable. Blankets, overcoats, and shoes are still needed, and I am surprised that more and liberal donations are not received. I have alluded to this matter in my correspondence for the tenth and last time. If the people still refuse it is their fault, not mine. …
I have repeatedly seen allusions to the way in which this army is fed. Let me give the list of articles now on issue: Bacon, beef, flour, rice, molasses, sugar, and sure enough genuine store coffee, and occasionally sweet and Irish potatoes. It is a pity the demagogues in Congress cannot better employ their time than in publishing our want of bread and meat to the enemy. For two days the army did fail to get meat; but it was occasioned by the failure of cattle to arrive in time, and not because we could not have it. It is easier to find fault than to help the Government.
X.
