Gen Meade U.S.A.

Portrait of George Meade at 20 years of age from the book, ‘Meade of Gettysburg’ by Freeman Cleaves. The wide, rather prominent forehead has been noted in many descriptions of Meade. One such description, from the book, ‘Union Portraits’, by Gamaliel Bradford says, “The high intelligence is under the high forehead. The stern brows and eagle nose marks the unquailing courage.”

From a Frederick Perry Stanton family album, cdv with period inscription ‘Gen Meade U.S.A.’ beneath in album. From my collection. The Kimballs, Concord, N.H., were a large family of photographers. Some moved to Philadelphia for a time before moving to Kansas. (See detail of inscription below)

Gen. George G. Meade as Captain in the US Topographical Engineers, c.1860 by Wenderoth and Taylor, Philadelphia

A pre-war look at Gen. Meade around 40 years of age. This cdv photo was likely taken in the east (Kimballs, Daquerreans) copied, and sold in KS. The inscription was made after he had become widely known as Gen. Meade.

Harvard College Library

by Wenderoth & Taylor, Philadelphia. We see him here in his prime, more robust than noted during his time in Florida when he contracted yellow fever during the Seminole Wars. He served with Gen. Lee during the Mexican War and when they met after the Civil War, Lee didn’t even recognize Meade. He had to reintroduce himself! Lee remarked at all the additional gray in Meade’s beard. Meade replied that he had Lee to thank for most of it! See blog for more….

By Henszey, Philadelphia, from my collection 

By Henszey & Co., Philadelphia, from my collection

By Hamilton, Cleveland OH, from my collection 

From my collection

A unique view of Gen. Meade during the Civil War. From my collection.

From my collection

By Brady, New York,-(Liljenquist Collection) -Library of Congress

Meade with staff of Army of the Potomac, Culpepper, VA, September 1863. From Milholien and Mugridge. Civil war Photographs, 1861-1865, Library of Congress

Detail of a cdv by J Cremer & Co. , Philadelphia, PA.. From an album attributed to the ‘Meade Family’ with ink inscription on the album’s last page. One of two images of Meade in the album-other one in uniform. They were next to eachother in album. He appears more gaunt than later photos in this Cremer image. See his coat which appears to be too big for him. I attribute this to being from a time perhaps when he was ill or recovering from early war wounds. From my collection.

See full image also in gallery.

From my collection 

Philadelphia, from my collection

By J. E. McClees, Philadelphia PA, from my collection. Found in an album attributed to the ‘Meade Family’.

Cdv, from my collection

BY JE McClees , from my collection 

By Henszey & Co., Philadelphia. From my collection 

Here we see Meade looking very thin in a coat that appears too large. In comparison to the c.1860 pre-war TOPOGS image (gallery) we can see a definite weight loss. He sustained significant war wounds in 1962 and spent time recovering at home in Philadelphia and then back to the field. Perhaps this was taken during that time. See blog page for more on this J. Cremer image.

Harvard College Library

By F. Gutekunst, Philadelphia, tax stamp Oct. 1, 1864 on reverse.

From my collection

by McAllister & Brothers, Philadelphia, from my collection

By Alexander Gardner, ‘photographer to the Army of the Potomac’, Washington, D.C., from my collection.

By Wenderoth, Taylor, & Brown, Philadelphia