strong one, had been greatly strengthened by labor.
The wisdom of not making any assault, in the light of all the facts,
was, I think, generally recognized. The season was unfavorable;
Meade was a long distance from his base; success could only have
been temporary and could not have been followed up, and defeat
under the circumstances would have been a fatal catastrophe. Even
Grant, in 1864, was "all summer" in trying to gather fruits of what
were called successes.

The 1st of December was spent by both armies in watching each other,
and behaving as if they dared each other to attack.

"One was afraid and the other dare not"--but which?

The campaign had been delayed beyond all expectation; all hope of
gaining an advantage by a surprise or otherwise was passed, food
was becoming scarce, and hence Meade decided to retire his army to
its base of supplies. At dusk of the 1st, therefore, the Union
Army moved by different roads to various fords of the Rapidan, the
Third Corps to Culpeper Mine Ford, the farthest down the river of
any used, and by 8 A.M. of the coming morning all had recrossed,
and on the 3d they were in their former camps at Brandy Station.
The Army of the Potomac lost in this campaign, killed and wounded,
1272.( 7)

Thus ended the Mine Run campaign; not bloodless, yet disappointing,
as were many others. In it Meade demonstrated his willingness to
fight, and that his army was loyal to him. Another opportunity to
fight a great battle in independent command on the field never came
to him. His chief glory for all time must rest on Gettysburg.

Lee, the night of December 1st, feeling certain Meade would not
assault him in his strong position, and knowing the latter was far
from his base, in an unfamiliar country, encumbered with trains,
determined to assume the offensive by throwing two of his divisions
against Meade's left on the following morning. But Meade was safely
away when morning came, and pursuit impossible.

Lee, it is said, was greatly chagrined over his lost opportunity,
and exclaimed to his generals:

"I am too old to command this army; we should never have permitted
these people to get away."( 8)

Before starting on this campaign Meade expressed a purpose to take
position in front of Fredericksburg, but Halleck disapproved the
plan.( 9)

The Army of the Potomac, having ended its historic work of the
memorable year 1863, went into winter quarters around Culpeper
Court-House, with