Frederick, Maryland – Meade Takes Command

On June 28, 1863 Major General George G. Meade was awakened in his tent just outside of Frederick, Maryland by a courier from President Lincoln ordering him to take command of the Federal Army of the Potomac. With Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia deep into an invasion of Pennsylvania and Federal forces scattered in pursuit, it was a surprising and stressful scenario for Meade, who had proven himself as a dependable division and corps commander throughout the war. Nevertheless Meade led the Army of the Potomac into his native Pennsylvania and engaged Lee three days later in a decisive victory at Gettysburg.

A monument (below) and two wayside markers interpret what happened here in 1863:

Meade Takes Command wayside marker
Gettysburg Campaign wayside marker

Monument to Major General George Gordon Meade

Monument outside Frederick, Maryland where Major General George Meade took command of the Federal army of the Potomac on June 28, 1863, just before the Battle of Gettysburg

Monument to Major General George Gordon Meade in Frederick, Maryland

From the tablet on the front of the monument:

Major General

George Gordon Meade

took command of the
Army of the Potomac
under orders from
President Lincoln
seven hundred feet
north of this marker
June 28, 1863.
He pursued the Confederates
into Pennsylvania
and at Gettysburg July 1, 2, 3
fought the decisive battle
of the Civil War

Marked by the Pennsylvania Historical Commission
1930

Closeup of the tablet from the monument outside Frederick, Maryland where Major General George Meade took command of the Federal army of the Potomac on June 28, 1863, just before the Battle of Gettysburg

Closeup of the tablet from the front of the monument

Monument outside Frederick, Maryland where Major General George Meade took command of the Federal army of the Potomac on June 28, 1863, just before the Battle of Gettysburg

Front and side view of the Meade monument

From the tablet on the right side of the monument:

This bolder
was taken from a point
near Devil’s Den
on the battlefield
of Gettysburg

Closeup of the tablet from the monument outside Frederick, Maryland where Major General George Meade took command of the Federal army of the Potomac on June 28, 1863, just before the Battle of Gettysburg

Tablet on the right side of the monument

From the tablet on the left side of the monument:

In tribute to

Major General George Gordon Meade

on  June 28, 1963
the 100th anniversary of the change of command of the 
Army of the Potomac from General hooker to General Meade

This monument was re-dedicated
under auspices of the
Frederick County Civil War Centennial, Inc.

C. Lease Bussard, President
John W. Morgan, Vice-President  Charles F. Bowers, Vice-President
Guy W. Nusz, Treasurer  Richard D. Hammond, Secretary
Edward S. Delaplaine, Program Chairman

Closeup of the tablet from the monument outside Frederick, Maryland where Major General George Meade took command of the Federal army of the Potomac on June 28, 1863, just before the Battle of Gettysburg

Location of the monument and markers

The monument and markers are on the southwest side of Frederick on the north side of Himes Avenue at the intersection with Mansion Drive. Although next to where all the major freeways come together they can be tricky to get to. The best access from the freeways seems to be taking exit 11 of southbound US 15, whose exit ramp turns into Himes Avenue.