George Meade
United States Army general and civil engineer (1815–1872) / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
George Gordon Meade (1815-1872) was one of the few Union Army generals in the American Civil War who was born and began his career in a foreign country.[1] He was born in Cadiz, Spain on December 31, 1815.[2] He came to the United States after his family was financially ruined during the Napoleonic Wars.[1] Meade was made commander of the Union Army of the Potomac just before the Battle of Gettysburg.[3] After the Civil War he stayed in the army, serving in the South during the Reconstruction. Meade served as commissioner of Fairmount Park in Philadelphia until his death in 1872.
Quick Facts Birth name, Nickname ...
George Meade | |
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Birth name | George Gordon Meade |
Nickname | "Old Snapping Turtle" |
Born | (1815-12-31)December 31, 1815 Cadiz, Spain |
Died | November 6, 1872(1872-11-06) (aged 56) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
Buried at | Laurel Hill Cemetery, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
Allegiance | United States of America Union |
Service/branch | United States Army Union Army |
Years of service | 1835–1836; 1842–1872 |
Rank | Major general (USA) |
Commands held | V Corps Army of the Potomac Department of the East |
Battles/wars | Second Seminole War Mexican–American War American Civil War
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