On the evening of July 12, 1863, Gen. George G. Meade gathered his generals near his “Antietam Bridge” headquarters to decide whether to assault Confederate defenses near Williamsport that protected Gen. Robert E. Lee’s escape routes to the Potomac River. President Abraham Lincoln pressed for the literal or substantial destruction of Lee’s army, believing the rebellion would be over if Meade completed his work. Meade wrote that he expected another battle before Lee could cross the river and would rather fight at once in Maryland than follow into Virginia. General-in-Chief Henry W. Halleck, however, warned against a rash attack and urged Meade to postpone a general battle until all forces, reserves, and reenforcements were concentrated and to beware of partial combats. When Meade asked his lieutenants for advice two days later, five of his six corps commanders unqualifiedly opposed assaulting Lee’s entrenched position. Halleck then told Meade that councils of war never fight and urged him to act on his own judgment and have his generals execute his orders. Meade decided to attack on July 14, but Lee had escaped across the river the previous night.
