Unpublished Signed Albumen of General George Meade the Hero of Gettysburg

Unpublished Signed Albumen of General George Meade the Hero of Gettysburg.
Inscription,
“photograph of General Meade presented to my grandmother Mrs. N.F. Barstow by him for Brig. General. Simon Forrester Barstow for years on General Meades staff.”
14 1/2 by 15 1/2 inches 
George Gordon Meade (1815–1872) was a Union general during the American Civil War, best known for his victory at the Battle of Gettysburg. Born in Cádiz, Spain, to American parents, Meade graduated from West Point in 1835 and served as an engineer in the Mexican-American War, earning praise for his work.
When the Civil War began in 1861, Meade joined the Union Army, rising through the ranks in the Army of the Potomac. He commanded a brigade at Antietam and a division at Fredericksburg, showing steady leadership. In June 1863, he was appointed commander of the Army of the Potomac, just days before the pivotal Battle of Gettysburg (July 1–3, 1863). His defensive tactics repelled Robert E. Lee’s invasion, a turning point in the war, though he faced criticism for not aggressively pursuing Lee’s retreating army.
Meade continued to lead the Army of the Potomac through the Overland Campaign and Appomattox, but under Ulysses S. Grant’s overall command, his role was somewhat overshadowed. Known for his competence and temper, Meade was respected but not celebrated like Grant or Sherman. He died in 1872 from pneumonia, leaving a legacy as a dependable, if underappreciated, Union leader.