Custer: The Savior of the United States of America
By Robert Bateman
Jul 3, 2013
Now here we are, and it is the third day of what would have been the worst battle in American history already, even if it had ended yesterday. Still, there is no decision. Both sides stand ready, in well-drawn lines, waiting.
Meade had a meeting last night. He was listening to his subordinates about what they thought should be done. In later years this meeting and solicitation would be portrayed as evidence of hesitation, and even cowardice, on his part. In the post-war years, partisans of one officer or another would latch onto the council Meade held that night, and claim that it showed he was weak-willed. Some would claim that only General X or General Y had actually saved the day by arguing that the United States Army should remain in place and fight it out where they were. Not a few historians have gone down this route as well.
I throw the BS flag on that one.
https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/news/a23347/gettysburg-day-three-custer-070313/
