As the survivors of Pickett's heroic legion came streaming back toward
the Confederate lines Lee stood face to face with defeat for the first
time in his career. His long series of victories had not spoiled him and
the hour of triumph had always found him calm and thankful, rather than
elated and arrogant. But many a modest and generous winner has proved
himself a poor loser. It is the moment of adversity that tries men's
souls and revels the greatness or smallness of character, and subjected
to this test more than one commander in the war had been found wanting.
McClellan, staggering from his campaign against Richmond, blamed
almost everyone but himself for the result; Pope, scurrying toward the
fortifications of Washington, was as ready with excuses as he had been
with boasts; Burnside, reeling from the slaughter-pen of Fredericksburg,
had demanded the dismissal of his principal officers, and Hooker hurled
accusations right and left in explaining the Chancellorsville surprise.
But Lee resorted neither to accusation nor excuse for the battle of
Gettysburg. With the tide of disaster sweeping relentlessly down upon
him, he hastened to assume entire responsibility for the result. "It is
all my fault," he exclaimed, as the exhausted and shattered troops were
seeking shelter from the iron hail, and then as calmly and firmly
as though no peril threatened, he strove to rally the disorganized
fugitives and present a bold front to the foe. It was no easy task, even
with a veteran army, to prevent a panic and restore order and confidence
in the midst of the uproar and confusion of defeat, but the quiet
dignity and perfect control of their commander steadied the men, and
at sight of him even the wounded raised themselves from the ground and
cheered.
"All this will come right in the end," he assured the wavering troops,
as he passed among them. "We'll talk it over afterwards, but in the
meantime all good men must rally."
Not a sign of excitement or alarm was to be detected in his face, as
he issued his orders and moved along the lines. "All this has been my
fault," he repeated soothingly to a discouraged officer. "It is I that
have lost this fight and you must help me out of it the best way you
can.... Don't whip your horse, Captain," he quietly remarked, as he
noted another officer belaboring his mount for shying at an exploding
shell.... "I've got just another foolish horse myself, and whipping does
no good."
Nothing escaped his watchful eyes, nothing irritated him, and nothing
provoked him to hasty words or actions. Completely master of himself, he
rose superior to the whirling storm about him and, commanding order out
of chaos, held his shattered army under such perfect control that had
Meade rushed forward in pursuit he might have met with a decisive check.
But Meade did not attempt to leave his intrenchments and the Confederate
army slowly and defiantly moved toward the South. The situation was
perilous--desperately perilous for Lee. His troops were in no condition
to fight after battling for three days, their ammunition was almost
exhausted, their food supply was low and they were retreating through a
hostile country with a victorious army behind them and a broad river in
their path. But not a man in the gray ranks detected even a shadow of
anxiety on his commander's face, and when the Potomac was reached and
it was discovered that the river was impassable owing to an unexpected
flood, the army faced about and awaited attack with sublime confidence
in the powers of its chief.
Meanwhile Meade, who had been cautiously following his adversary, began
to receive telegrams and dispatches urging him to throw himself upon the
Confederates before they could recross the Potomac and thus end the war.
But this, in the opinion of the Union commander, was easier said than
done, and he continued to advance with the utmost deliberation while
Lee, momentarily expecting attack, ferried his sick and wounded across
the river and prepared for a desperate resistance. Absolute ruin now
stared him in the face, for no reënforcements of any kind could reach
him and a severe engagement would soon place him completely at his
opponent's mercy. Nevertheless, he presented a front so menacing and
unafraid that when Meade called his officers to a council of war all but
two voted against risking an attack.
In the meantime the river began to fall, and without the loss of a
moment Lee commenced building a bridge across which his troops started
to safety on the night of July 13th, ten days after the battle. Even
then the situation was perilous in the extreme, for had Meade discovered
the movement in time he could undoubtedly have destroyed a large part of
the retreating forces, but when he appeared on the scene practically the
whole army was on the other side of the river and only a few stragglers
fell into his hands.
Great as Lee's success had been he never appeared to better advantage
than during this masterly retreat, when, surrounded by difficulties and
confronted by overwhelming numbers, he held his army together and led it
to safety. Through the dust of defeat he loomed up greater as a man and
greater as a soldier than at any other moment of his career.
Even the decisive victories at Gettysburg and Vicksburg failed to offset
President Lincoln's bitter disappointment at Lee's miraculous escape,
and had it not been for his success on the field of battle, Meade
would undoubtedly have been removed from the chief command. As it was,
however, he retained his position and for months he lay comparatively
idle, watching his opponent who busied himself with filling the broken
ranks of his army for a renewal of the struggle.
Meanwhile, the Confederate newspapers began a bitter criticism of Lee,
charging that he had displayed bad judgment and worse generalship
in attempting to invade the North. A man of different caliber would,
doubtless, have answered these attacks by exposing some of the officers
whose conduct was largely responsible for the failure of the campaign.
Indeed, the facts would have justified him in dismissing more than one
of his subordinates from the army in disgrace, and had he chosen to
speak the word he might easily have ruined the reputation of at least
one distinguished general.
But no such selfish or vindictive thought ever crossed Lee's mind.
Keenly as he suffered from the abuse which was heaped upon him, he
endured it without a murmur and, when at last he felt obliged to notice
it, his reply took the form of a letter to the Confederate President
requesting his permission to resign.
"The general remedy for the want of success in a military commander is
his removal," he wrote a month after the battle of Gettysburg. "I do not
know how far the expressions of discontent in the public journals extend
in the army. My brother officers have been too kind to report it and, so
far, the troops have been too generous to exhibit it. I, therefore, beg
you to take measures to supply my place, because if I cannot accomplish
what I myself desire, how can I fulfill the expectations of others? I
must confess, too that my eyesight is not good and that I am so dull
that in making use of the eyes of others I am frequently misled.
Everything, therefore, points to the advantages to be derived from a
new commander. A younger and abler man can readily be obtained--one that
would accomplish more than I can perform and all that I have wished. I
have no complaints to make of anyone but myself. I have received nothing
but kindness from those above me and the most considerate attention from
my comrades and companions in arms."
This generous, dignified statement, modest to the point of
self-effacement, instantly hushed all discontent and, before it, even
the newspaper editors stood abashed.
"Where am I to find the new commander who is to possess that greater
ability which you believe to be required?" wrote Jefferson Davis in
reply. "If Providence should kindly offer such a person I would
not hesitate to avail myself of his services. But my sight is not
sufficiently penetrating to discover such hidden merit, if it exists. To
ask me to substitute you by someone more fit to command is to demand an
impossibility."
In the face of this graceful response Lee could no longer urge his
resignation, and after waiting for more than three months for Meade
to attack, he suddenly assumed the offensive and during the next five
months he and Meade maneuvered their armies as two chess experts handle
the pieces on the board. Again and again, Meade swung his powerful army
into a favorable position and, again and again, Lee responded with a
move which placed his opponent on the defensive.
But while this game of check and countercheck was being played, the
North was becoming more and more impatient and events were rapidly
bringing another player to the fore.