Lincoln, the unknown

LINCOLN THE UNKNOWN • 169Pickett's charge—brilliant, heroic—was nevertheless the beginningof the end. Lee had failed. He could not penetrate theNorth. And he knew it.The South was doomed.As the remnant of Pickett's bleeding men struggled backfrom their fatal charge, Lee, entirely alone, rode out to encouragethem, and greeted them with a self-condemnation thatwas little short of sublime."All this has been my fault," he confessed. "It is I who havelost this fight."During the night of July 4 Lee began to retreat. Heavy rainswere falling, and by the time he reached the Potomac thewater was so high that he couldn't cross.There Lee was, caught in a trap, an impassable river in frontof him, a victorious enemy behind him. Meade, it seemed, hadhim at his mercy. Lincoln was delighted; he was sure the Federaltroops would swoop down upon Lee's flank and rear now,rout and capture his men, and bring the war to an abrupt andtriumphant close. And if Grant had been there, that is probablywhat would have happened.But the vain and scholarly Meade was not the bulldog Grant.Every day for an entire week Lincoln repeatedly urged andcommanded Meade to attack, but he was too cautious, tootimid. He did not want to fight; he hesitated, he telegraphedexcuses, he called a council of war in direct violation of orders—and did nothing, while the waters receded and Lee escaped.Lincoln was furious."What does this mean?" he cried. "Great God! What doesthis mean? We had them within our grasp, and had only tostretch forth our hands and they were ours; yet nothing thatIcould say or do could make the army move. Under the circumstances,almost any general could have defeated Lee. IfI had gone up there, I could have whipped him, myself."In bitter disappointment, Lincoln sat down and wrote Meadea letter,in which he said:My dear General, I do not believe you appreciate themagnitude of the misfortune involved in Lee's escape. Hewas within our easy grasp, and to have closed upon himwould, in connection with our other late successes, haveended the war. As it is, the war will be prolonged indefi-