Despite repeated pleas from Lincoln and Halleck, which continued over the next week, Meade did not pursue Lee's army aggressively enough to destroy it before it crossed back over the Potomac River to safety in the South.
Trods gentagne appeller fra Lincoln og Halleck i den følgende uge, forfulgte Meade ikke Lees hær tilstrækkeligt aggressivt til at kunne ødelægge den inden den krydsede tilbage over Potomacfloden og kom i sikkerhed i Syden.