From the Friends of Gettysburg Web Site.
A member saw a picture in the March 23, 1861 Harper's Weekly Magazine of the federal officers at Fort Sumter. The name of one being Meade sparked their interest.
Further research showed that Richard Kidder Meade was not a close relative of Gettysburg's General George Meade. R.K. Meade was a member of a prominent Virginia family who graduated the USMA and entered service as a Brevet 2nd. Lt. of Engineers in July, 1857. The Engineer Corps was reserved for the very top officers in the Army.
Lt. Meade was at Fort Sumter during the crisis. Even with his Southern leanings, he evidently performed his job at the fort, as another officer wrote, "Lieut. R,K. Meade, Engineers, placed on ordnance duty, found the supply of cartridges on hand to be too small, and took immediate measures to increase the supply by cutting up all the surplus blankets and extra clothing to make cartridge bags (for the artillery)."
Performing His Duty. --Old B-Runner
No comments:
Post a Comment