construction of the railroad at Pensaeola. Fla., till
April, 1887, then, under the appointment of the
war department, made a survey of the mouth of
Sabine river, and afterward assisted in the survey
of the delta of the Mississippi till February, 1889.
In 1840 he was employed in the astronomical
branch of the survey of the boundary-line between
the United States and Texas, and in August of
that year became civil assistant in the survey of
the northeastern boundary between the United
States and British North America. On 31 Dec,
1840, he married Margaretta, a daughter of John
Sergeant. On 19 May, 1843, he was appointed a
2d lieutenant in the corps of topographical engi-
neers, and continued on duty in the survey of the
northeastern boundary till November, 1843. In
1844-"5 he was engaged on surveys in Delaware
bay. In September, 1845, he joined the staff of
Gen. Zachary Taylor at Corpus Christi, Texas. He
took part in May, 1846, in the battles of Palo Alto
and Resaca de la Palma, and in the occupation of
Matamoras, and later, under Gen. William J.
Worth, led the assault on Independence hill at
Monterey, for which he was bre vetted 1st lieuten-
ant, and shared in the march to Tampico. In the
siege of Vera Cruz he served on the staff of Gen.
Robert Patterson. Then returning home, he was
engaged in 1847-"9 in constructing light-houses in
Delaware bay and in mapping surveys of Florida
reefs. He served in the field against the Semi-
noles in 1849-50, was on light-house duty in Dela-
ware bay in 1850-'l, was commissioned 1st lieuten-
ant of topographical engineers on 4 Aug., 1851,
and for the next five years was engaged in the
construction of light - houses at Carysfort Reef,
Sand Key, Cedar Key, and Coffins's Patches, in
the Florida reefs. He was promoted captain on
19 May, 1856, served on the geodetic survey of the northwestern lakes in that year, and in 1857-61 was in charge of all the northern lake surveys. Soon after the beginning of the civil war Capt. Meade was appointed brigadier-general of volunteers, dating from 31 Aug., 1861, and assigned to the command of the 2d brigade of Pennsylvania reserves, in the Army of the Potomac. On 18 June, 1862, he was promoted major of topographical engineers. In the peninsular campaign he commanded his brigade in the battles of Mechanicsville and Gaines's Mills, and at New Market Cross-Roads, otherwise called Glendale, where he was severely wounded. He was taken to Philadelphia, but, soon recovering, rejoined the army in time to render service against the enemy then advancing toward Washington, and took part in the second battle of Bull Run. In the invasion of Maryland he commanded the division of Pennsylvania reserves, in the absence of Gen. John F. Reynolds, at the battle of South Mountain and at Antietam, where he flanked the enemy from the right, and so signalized himself by his skill and intrepidity that he was placed, by Gen. McClellan, on the field of battle, in command of the 1st corps after the wounding of Gen. Joseph Hooker. In this engagement Gen. Meade's horse was shot under him. In October and November, 1862, he marched to Falmouth, Va., in command of his division, which at Fredericksburg was opposed to the troops of Stonewall Jackson. It alone, of all the army, drove everything before it, and broke through the enemy's lines, finding itself, as Gen. Meade expressed himself in testifying before a commission, " in the presence of the enemy's reserves." During the action two horses were shot under him. For want of timely support, the division was finally forced to fall back. Gen. Meade was now promoted major-general, his commission dating from 29 Nov., 1862, and on 25 Dec. was placed in command of the 5th corps. He commanded this corps at the battle of Chancellorsville, and on the first day was pressing forward on the left, meeting with some resistance, but successfully overcoming it, when he was recalled and ordered to retire to his former position before Chancellorsville.
Gen. Meade was placed in command of the Army of the Potomac on 23 June, 1868. The change of commanders was made while the corps were on the march in pursuit of an enemy who had pushed far into the invaded country. The general had yet to learn everything of the positions of the enemy and of his own separated corps, of personnel and materiel at his command, and to gain all the essential knowledge that a commander possesses who directs a movement from its inception. He was ordered to relieve Gen. Hooker, without warning, in the night of 27 June, 1863. His army lay encamped about Frederick, Md., while Lee's had marched up the Cumberland valley. Meade determined to follow the enemy in a parallel march on the opposite side of South mountain, dispose his troops so as to guard the passes of the mountain and prevent a descent on Baltimore and harass Lee, with a view of bringing on a general engagement. The troops began to move on the morning of 29 June, and by two forced marches gained positions that would enable them to deploy along the line between Westminster and Waynesborough. When Lee began to concentrate east of South mountain, Meade ordered his columns to occupy the slope along Pipe creek, and advanced his left wing to the neighboi'hood of Gettysburg, Pa., making his dispositions so as to face either north or west. The advanced forces at Emraettsburg and Gettysburg were only expected to delay the march of the Confederates until the concentration could be accomplished on the selected line, fifteen miles in the rear of those positions. On the morning of 1 July, National cavalry came into collision with the head of a Confederate column near Gettysburg. Gen. John F. Reynolds sent infantry to support his cavalry, and at first gained an advantage, but the Confederates soon came up in overwhelming force, and drove the National troops through the town to the hills. Gen. Winfield S. Hancock, who, after Reynolds had fallen, was sent by Meade to conduct operations at Gettysburg, found the Confederate army approaching by the roads that led to that village, and sent word to Gen. Meade to bring forward his forces to the heights near Gettysburg, on which he posted the remnants of the two corps that had been engaged. Meade, after hearing the report of Hancock, who returned to Taneytown in the evening, was convinced of the superiority of Gettysburg as a defensive position, and ordered a concentration there. During that night and the following morning his troops came up and took position on Cemetery ridge, while Lee posted his on Seminary ridge farther west, both commanders deferring an attack until their main force was on the ground. Gen. Meade arrived at the front soon after noon. The battle was opened at four o'clock in the afternoon by a vigorous attack on the 3d corps forming the left and left centre, and soon became general along the entire line. The 3d corps was routed, but the line was not broken, because the National troops, strongly re-enforced from the right, fell back to the ridge more directly connecting the wings of the army, while, after a desperate conflict, they gained possession of Little Round Top, a position of vital importance, which they had neglected to occupy
