George Meade :: History

George Meade Do you know who was the general for the Second Battle of Bull Run? Everyone knows what the Second Battle of Bull Run is but who was the general? Some people even know that the North won that battle. Most people do not know that General George Meade defeated General Lee at that battle. General George Mead accomplished much during wartime. General George Meade had many accomplishments during wartime. First of all, he defeated General Lee at the Second Battle of Bull Run. Why would not General Meade crush General Lee at this battle and end the war there? Facts say that heavy fog and rain forced Meade to stop. Likewise, on June 1, !863 a surprise encounter forced his troops into the Battle of Gettysburg, the greatest battle on American soil. This battle came about when General Lee's army needed shoes. The two forces met here on accident and fought to a victory for the North. Lee acknowledged his defeat and retreated to Virginia. Not only did Meade serve in the Civil War, but also served in the Mexican War. He served in the battles of Palo Alto, Monterey, and Veracruz. During these he served under General Zachory Taylor. To sum up, General George Meade accomplished many things during his time at war. Each of General George Meade's accomplishments had one major effect on how life is today. To start, if Meade had not defeated Lee at the Second Battle of Bull Run the war would not have started off positively for the North. This was important because the soldiers gained their confidence when they won this battle. If the North would have lost the entire war the U.S. would be two different countries. Secondly, Meade's defeat of Lee at the accidental Gettysburg. This was a battle that turned the war around and gave the North the advantage. This was the North's first victory in a long time. Finally, if the U.S. had not have won the Mexican War, Where Meade served as a soldier, the U.S. would not have gained the southwest portion of the country. This ,as you remember, was where the gold rush took place that caused the country to spread out over the land. As has been shown, Meade's accomplishments had many effects on how life is lived today. There are many things that would be different if George Meade had never lived.