MEADE, George Gordon, American sol dier: b. Cadiz, Spain, 31 Dec. 1813; d. Phila delphia, 6 Nov. 1872. In 1835 he was gradu ated from the United States Military Academy and assigned to the 3d Artillery in 1835-36 served in the Seminole War in Florida, on 26 Oct. 1836 resigned from the army, and in 1836 37 was assistant engineer in the construction of the Alabama, Florida and Georgia Railway. He was later employed in various works of engineering, including surveys of the mouths of the Mississippi and of the northeast boundary between the United States and British North America. On 19 May 1842 re-entered the army as second lieutenant of topographical engineers. He joined Scott's staff at Corpus Christi, Tex., 14 Sept. 1845, and during the Mexican War participated in the battles of Palo Alto, Mon terey, Resaca de la Palma and the siege of Vera Cruz. After the war he was occupied in light house construction and in the geodetic survey of the Great Lakes (1857-61). He became captain in the corps of engineers in 1856. On 31 Aug. 1861 he was commissioner brigadier general of volunteers and assigned to the com mand of the 2d brigade of the Pennsylvania reserve corps of the Army of the Potomac, stationed on the right of the lines before Wash ington. He served in the Virginia peninsula campaign and took part in the actions at Me chanicsville (26 June), Gaines' Mill (27 June) and Frayser's Farm (30 June). On 18 June
he was promoted major of engineers. At Manassas (second Bull Run) he commanded the 1st brigade of Reynold's division, and later he took a distinguished part at South Moun tain (14 September) and Antietam (17 Septem ber). In the latter battle, when Hooker was wounded, he was placed in command of the First Corps. For his services he was promoted major-general of volunteers 29 Nov. 1862; and at Fredericksburg (13 December) commanded the 3d division of the First Corps, with which he broke through Lee's right and pene trated to the position occupied by the Con federate reserves, but for want of support was compelled to fall back 4t Chancellorsville (2-4 May 1863) he commanded the Fifth Corps. On 28 June 1863 he was appointed commander of the Army of the Potomac, to succeed Hooker. His command was then scat tered, and on the march through Pennsylvania in pursuit of the Confederate invaders, Meade had everything yet to learn of both his own force and the enemy. At Gettysburg on 1-3 July he won the great and decisive battle with which his name is generally associated. (See