E 
 
 H2 m 
 
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 
 
 UNITED STATES OE AMERICA. 
 
LIFE AND PUBLIC SERVICES 
 
 ■ ,1}*' OF 
 
 WINFIELD SCOTT HANCOCK. 
 
 By FRANK H. NORTON, 
 
 EDITOR "the era," NE^^ YORK. ' C* 
 
 NEW YORK : 
 D. APPLETON & COMPANY, 
 
 1, 3, & 5 BOND STREET. 
 Copyright by D. APPLETON & CO., 1880. 
 


 LIFE OF HANCOCK. 
 
 PREFACE 
 
 While it is impossible, iu the brief space of a pamphlet sketch, to do justice to such a sub- 
 ject as the life of Major-General Hancock, it is hoped by the writer that the present effort 
 will at least place him favorably before those who peruse it. 
 
 Very slight examination of its pages -will show that, in each of the important stations 
 which he has filled, General Hancock has — as a distinguished brother general has expressed it 
 — improved upon his position. Meanwhile, he is in the prime of life and of his faculties, and 
 it may well be that he shall yet give even more valuable service to his country than during the 
 past of his most eventful career. 
 
 PART I . 
 
 THE BOY— THE CADET— THE SOLDIER. 
 
 War, the most destructive, is also the most be- 
 neficent of forces. It annihilates to recreate. It 
 opens the way for new men and endows them with 
 new powers. Besides soldiers, it brings poets, law- 
 givers, and statesmen to the surface. It gave to 
 America a Washington and a Lincoln ; and finall}', 
 to its solemn influence we owe two men, bearing 
 the same name, divided by a century of time, whose 
 meaning and purpose in our history are best signi- 
 fied by the two words — construction and reconstruc- 
 tion. 
 
 BIRTH AND ANCESTRY. 
 
 Winfield Scott Hancock, the hero of this story, 
 was born February 14 (St. Valentine's day), in the 
 year 1824, in a small village of Montgomery Coun- 
 ty, Pennsylvania, called Montgomery Square, twelve 
 miles east of Non-istown, and between that village 
 and Doylestown, the county seat of Bucks. Of the 
 early ancestry of Hancock we know little. At- 
 tempts are being made at present beyond the ocean 
 to trace this to the earliest times. Back as far as 
 the year 1400, the family is found, spelling its 
 name variously, and occupying the position of mer- 
 chant traders between Bristol, England, and vari- 
 ous parts of Ireland. 
 
 The connection between the Pennsylvania branch 
 of the family and John Hancock, of Massachusetts 
 Bay, is not defined. As the name is not, however, 
 a common one, it is not unreasonable to suppose 
 that some remote relationship united all branches 
 of the family. But it is with the Pennsylvania 
 branch that we have now to do, and before this nar- 
 rative shall be concluded, it will perhaps be shown 
 that our hero might well be esteemed the first of 
 
 his family, by reason of the many noble qualifica- 
 tions and estimable qualities he has displayed, and 
 for the rounded perfection of a nature seldom equaled 
 in excellence and majesty. Yet there was not want- 
 ing opportunity for the inheritance of the character- 
 istics which have gone to the making up of Gen- 
 eral Hancock's character. 
 
 His father, Benjamin F. Hancock, of Norris- 
 town, was a teacher in high repute, who always 
 interested himself in the progress of education ; 
 later, a lawyer of standing and position, recognized 
 as a man of much capacity and broad views; and 
 at all times a gentleman of perfect integrity and 
 high intelligence. 
 
 The grandfather of General Hancock was a 
 mariner who, when quite young, was with others 
 captured at sea by the British, and for some time 
 incarcerated in one of the English prisons. 
 
 General Hancock's mother, Elizabeth Hawks- 
 worth, was a prudent. Christian woman, whose fa- 
 ther was a Revolutionary soldier, whose uncle was 
 an officer in the War of 1812, and whose grandfather 
 was a soldier in the old French and Indian War, 
 and captain in the American patriotic army, who 
 died in camp in 1777. 
 
 Thus it will be seen that the stock was good, 
 and the blood true blue. 
 
 The section of country inhabited by the Han- 
 cocks and the Hawksworths for more than a cen- 
 tury, is not only one of the most beautiful parts of 
 Pennsylvania, but it is a region teeming with his- 
 toric memories. Here rolling hills and waving 
 plains, stately mountains and smiling vales, gray 
 cliffs and deep ravines, give a variety to the land- 
 
LIFE OF WINFIELD SCOTT HANCOCK. 
 
 scape — to which practical features are added in fer- 
 tile fields, exhibiting the industrial results accom- 
 plished by a laborious people. Thrifty inhabitants 
 here dwell in beautiful, healthful, and happy home- 
 steads, while the country around is not unf requently 
 visited by tourists from distant States and other 
 lands, drawn thither by the reputation of its natu- 
 ral beauties. When is recalled, also, the historical 
 interest existing on account of its memories of the 
 fields of Brandywine, Paoli, White Horse, German- 
 town, and Valley Forge, it will be seen that the 
 associations amid which young Hancock was born, 
 and where he spent his youthful days, were calcu- 
 lated to do all that such associations can do in 
 the way of forming a nature and supplying marked 
 habits and characteristics. 
 
 It may be observed here, that the early history 
 of the Hancock family shows that in politics it was 
 always attached to the anti-federal or Democratic 
 party. Winfield's father viewed the Constitution 
 of the United States under the strictest construc- 
 tion, and it was under such tuition, and constantly 
 impressed with confidence in the Democratic faith, 
 that young Hancock was trained, and his political 
 sentiments fostered. 
 
 SCHOOL DATS. 
 
 Winfield was one of twins, his twin brother be- 
 ing Hilary B. Hancock, at present a lawyer in Min- 
 neapolis, Minnesota. One other brother, John Han- 
 cock, completed the family. Winfield grew from 
 childhood to boyhood under home influences and 
 home education. He was first put to school in a 
 local academy, and later he entered the first public 
 high school which was erected in that vicinity. As 
 his father was a director of the school, it is prob- 
 able that his early education was 'carefully consid- 
 ered, but the boy was by no means a prodigy either 
 of studiousness or learning. He grew to be a rug- 
 ged, large-boned lad, fond of gymnastic exercises 
 and wild sports, and achieved a reputation among 
 his school fellows rather for whole-souled manliness 
 and incorruptible integrity than for the qualifica- 
 tions of a student. 
 
 Like most other boys, he became early addicted 
 to military exercises, and was captain of a company 
 of boys, whom he drilled, marched, and counter- 
 marched, and led in raids against orchards and 
 corn-fields with skill and with success ; yet the farm- 
 ers in that neighborhood made no complaint, or 
 ever alleged that Hancock led his little company 
 into any diversion that was wrong or improper. 
 
 Perhaps the most important event of this pe- 
 riod of his life was the choice of Winfield to read 
 the Declaration of Independence in public at a local 
 Fourth of July celebration. It showed that he 
 must hare gained some skill in education, and must 
 
 have been sufficiently intelligent to understand what 
 he read, which is no slight praise for a boy of a 
 dozen years or so. 
 
 His manly qualities endeared him to his com- 
 panions, and he appeared constantly as the protec- 
 tor of injured innocence — meaning the physical and 
 moral assistance which he gave to such small boys 
 as were bullied and browbeaten by their elders, if 
 not betters. But, after all, he was not a prodigy ; in 
 fact, as he said himself in other years, " I developed 
 late." He seems, however, at this time to have had 
 aspirations beyond his years. He and his brother 
 Hilary gave lectures to select audiences, on scien- 
 tific and literary subjects. They made collections 
 of mineral and geological specimens, probably also 
 of birds' nests and eggs. Winfield, too, was fond 
 of being with his elders, and of hearing arguments 
 on politics and the higher topics which usually in- 
 terest country farmers and townspeople alike. 
 
 By and by there was an election to take place, 
 in which two Democrats, being nominated in oppo- 
 sition to each other, and one having a newspaper 
 in his interest and the other not, a journal was 
 started by Mr. Hancock and others, that one can- 
 didate might not have undue advantage over another. 
 
 This newspaper office became Winfield's great 
 source of delightful occupation. All his leisure 
 time was passed in the study of type-setting, the 
 handling of forms, and the working of the press ; 
 and as printers were not as plenty in those days as 
 they are now, he soon became of real service in the 
 office, and thus learned also to appreciate the impor- 
 tance of the press in matters political. 
 
 But a broad change was to come over the spirit 
 of the boy. His wings were to be clipped, and he 
 was to be placed under that rigid rule and discipline 
 which up to this period had been something quite 
 unfamiliar to him. 
 
 A CADET AT WKST POINT. 
 
 In 1840, at the age of sixteen, through the in- 
 fluence of a prominent citizen of Montgomery Coun- 
 ty, a friend of his father's, the boy was appointed 
 to a cadetship at West Point. He left his home, to 
 return to it years after a battle-stained soldier — an 
 officer, who had already made his mark in the ser- 
 vice of his country. 
 
 He entered the Military Academy as a cadet, 
 July 1, 1840, passing the examination for admis- 
 sion with fair credit to himself and his previous 
 instructors. The system of education and direction 
 at West Point is an ordeal not to be lightly consid- 
 ered. There the discipline is, and always has been, 
 of the strictest ; and the slightest infraction of the 
 rules is visited with punishment whose severity 
 would ordinarily be considered extreme. For the 
 first two years, Winfield seems not to have fully ap- 
 
LIFE OF WINFIELD SCOTT HANCOCK. 
 
 predated all this, and as he found time to devote 
 himself considerably to general reading (including 
 " Kent's Commentaries " and " Blackstone," by the 
 way), it is probable that he did not work as hard 
 as he might on the regular studies of the Academy ; 
 indeed, he has since said himself that he entered 
 West Point too early in life, and should have wait- 
 ed until he was eighteen, to have received the full 
 benefit of the course. The last two years of his 
 cadetship, however, were devoted to hard study, 
 and were passed with due regard to the discipline 
 of the institution. He graduated on June 30, 1844, 
 being breveted second lieutenant of the Sixth Infan- 
 try, July 1, of that year. 
 
 The veteran General W.infield Scott, after whom 
 young Hancock was named, chanced to visit the 
 Academy at the time of the latter's graduation; 
 and as he already took an interest in his name- 
 sake, which was continued throughout his life, he 
 asked him to what regiment he preferred to be as- 
 signed. "The one that is stationed farthest West," 
 answered young Hancock. Doubtless sport with the 
 rifle and the rod, and free occupancy of the boundless 
 prairies, held forth visions of future delight. He 
 got his wish, being assigned to Fort Washita, in the 
 Indian country west of Arkansas. Here and in 
 Texas the young man found ample opportunity for 
 indulging in his sporting tastes. 
 
 SECOND LIEUTENANT. 
 
 On June 18, 1846, Winfield received his com- 
 mission as second lieutenant, and, as the next year 
 the war with Mexico broke out, the young officer 
 began to feel and express great anxiety to join his 
 regiment, which was already in the field ; but, for 
 one reason or another, permission to this effect was 
 delayed. 
 
 The battles of Palo Alto, Resaca de la Palma, 
 and Buena Vista had been fought, Monterey had 
 been captured, and Northern Mexico was held by 
 our army of occupation ; General Scott had landed 
 at Vera Cruz, had bombarded San Juan d'Ulloa, 
 and was already on the march to the Mexican capi- 
 tal, having fought and won the battle of Cerro Cor- 
 do — before our new-fledged lieutenant was permit- 
 ted to join our victorious army. Peremptory orders 
 to that effect having been at last received from 
 General Scott, Lieutenant Hancock was sent to the 
 field with a body of troops, which joined General 
 Pierce's command, and marched to reenforce Scott 
 at Puebla. 
 
 On this march there were frequent skirmishes 
 ■with the Mexican guerrillas, but the first heavy 
 fighting was at a point called the National Bridge, 
 which the Mexicans had barricaded, and from the 
 heights above which they attacked our force at an 
 advantage. 
 
 Hancock had been appointed adjutant of his 
 regiment. He marched on foot with his company, 
 and as the army only numbered 10,000 in all, and 
 was confronted and almost surrounded by enemies 
 the march through the valley to the city of Mexico 
 was certainly a rather exciting progress. 
 
 THE WAR WITH MEXICO. 
 
 At San Antonio there was a sharp conflict, and 
 this was followed by the fighting at Contreras and 
 Churubusco, which was a real battle. The enemy 
 were behind intrenchments, and these were carried 
 by a brilliant charge of our infantry, in which was 
 Lieutenant Hancock's company. It was at this 
 fight that Phil Kearney lost his arm. After Churu- 
 busco came Molino del Key, which is only three 
 miles from the city of Mexico, and which was car- 
 ried by assault on September 8, 1847, by Worth's 
 division. This was a brilliant engagement, the walls 
 of the city being scaled and broken through by our 
 soldiers with their bayonets, some lifting their com- 
 rades, who clambered to the top of the walls, while 
 others battered down the gates, and fought gallantly 
 until the place surrendered. 
 
 After Churubusco, Hancock was placed in com- 
 mand of a company, and was soon after breveted 
 first lieutenant. The most severe fighting, however, 
 was that before Chapultapec, the strongly fortified 
 castle on the heights, just outside the city of Mexi- 
 co, and which was stormed and captured in the most 
 brilliant style by the American column. When this 
 stronghold fell the fate of the city of Mexico was 
 sealed. Scott rode into the capital at the head of 
 his army, and for a little while the American flag 
 floated over the citadel. Santa Anna had fled in dis- 
 may ; there was no more Mexican army ; and after 
 a few months the treaty of peace, which was signed 
 at Guadalupe Hidalgo, concluded both the war and 
 our occupation of the city, and the army turned its 
 steps homeward. 
 
 A VISIT HOME. 
 
 The division in which was Hancock's regiment 
 proceeded to New Orleans, and thence to Jeffer- 
 son Barracks, where it remained until the fall, 
 when the troops were distributed, Hancock's regi- 
 ment being sent to Upper Mississippi, and the 
 young Lieutenant himself to Fort Crawford, Prairie 
 du Chien, where he remained, filling the position 
 of quartermaster until the spring of 1849. He 
 then received a five months' leave of absence and 
 proceeded to visit his home and relations in Penn- 
 sylvania, after five years' absence. 
 
 The welcome with which he was received by 
 his parents and the friends of his childhood may 
 well be imagined ; but it was not only by these, for 
 the Legislature of Pennsylvania marked its appre- 
 
4 
 
 LIFE OF WINFIELD SCOTT HANCOCK. 
 
 ciation of the conduct of young Hancock during his 
 brief war experience by naming him in a special 
 series of resolutions, complimenting the courage 
 and patriotic conduct of Pennsylvania's sons in the 
 American army of invasion in Mexico. 
 
 In the autumn of 1849 Hancock returned to his 
 regiment, and was appointed aide-de-camp to Briga- 
 dier-General N. S. Clark, commanding the military 
 department whose headquarters were at St. Louis. 
 Here the young officer began to receive instructions 
 in a line of duty differing widely from that to which 
 he had recently become accustomed. Office work at 
 the department headquarters is not very exciting 
 certainly, but Hancock took to it with a natural ap- 
 titude, and soon became proficient in the art of 
 drawing up reports, writing orders, and copying 
 official records, gaining, through this experience, a 
 degree of skill and accuracy in the expression of 
 ideas and the weighing of words which was after- 
 ward to prove of inestimable value to him. 
 
 MARRIAGE OF LIEUTENANT HANCOCK. 
 
 On the 24th of January, 1850, Lieutenant Han- 
 cock was married to Almira, daughter of Samuel 
 Eussell, a St. Louis merchant of standing. The 
 marriage has been a most happy one in every par- 
 ticular. Two children were born of it, and a more 
 united and affectionate family could hardly be 
 found. Russell, the elder child, was born in St. 
 Louis, and Ada Elizabeth, at Fort Myers, in Florida. 
 The latter died in New York, March 18, 1875, leav- 
 ing her parents and brother to lament a loss, which 
 was to them almost irreparable. 
 
 On November V, 1855, Lieutenant Hancock was 
 appointed quartermaster, with the rank of captain, 
 and ordered to Florida, where the Seminoles had 
 broken out into active warfare, requiring a force of 
 United States soldiers to protect the white inhabi- 
 tants. Here Captain Hancock, in his position as 
 quartermaster, was subjected to the most arduous 
 duties in provisioning and sheltering the American 
 troops ; and as he had at one time under his charge 
 150 boats of different sizes, the responsibility will 
 be seen to have been considerable. The troubles 
 in Florida did not, however, last long, but were not 
 fully over when a disturbance broke out in Kansas, 
 which caused the transfer of General Harney to 
 that department, Captain Hancock going with him 
 at his special request. After the Kansas difiBculty 
 came that in Utah. Brigadier-General Albert Sidney 
 Johnston was sent with a detachment of soldiers. 
 General Harney following him with a reenforcement. 
 There was no bloodshed dui-ing these troubles, but 
 the demands on the quartermaster's department, 
 as will be understood, were constant and exacting. 
 
 Captain Hancock was now ordered to join his 
 regiment — the Sixth Infantry — which was about to 
 
 repair to Oregon, and in July, 1858, commenced a 
 journey from Cottonwood Springs, which lasted 27 
 days, when the party reached Fort Bridger, Utah, 
 a distance of 709 miles. Here all the companies 
 of the Sixth Infantry were united, and Captain Han- 
 cock was at once appointed regimental quartermas- 
 ter, but the destination of the regiment was now 
 changed to Benicia, California, and Hancock was 
 called upon to supply transportation and subsistence 
 for an expedition, whose train included 128 wagons, 
 I traveling forge, 5 ambulances, and 1,000 mules. 
 This expedition started on August 21st, and made 
 the march of 2,100 miles, crossing the Sierra Nevada, 
 to Benicia, Captain Hancock doing the entire jour- 
 ney on horseback. 
 
 After awaiting orders in California for a while, 
 Hancock received a leave of absence, and returning 
 East, joined his family, remaining at home for a 
 short time only, however. He then received orders 
 to again repair to the Pacific coast, and this time 
 taking his family with him, he proceeded to the 
 old Spanish town of Los Angeles, in Southern Cali- 
 fornia. Here he had charge of the quartermaster's 
 depot, and supplied the troops in Southern Califor- 
 nia and Arizona with trains and subsistence as re- 
 quired. He made friends among the inhabitants, 
 and established a reputation which soon became of 
 unexpected use to him. 
 
 CALIFORNIA AND THE REBELLION. 
 
 It was by this time the year 1860. Already on 
 the Atlantic coast the first harsh notes had sounded 
 which presaged the period of war and devastation 
 upon which the country was now about to enter. 
 In those days it took a long time for news to cross 
 the continent, or go around by sea via Panama 
 or the Isthmus of Tehauntepec. Butterfield's Ex- 
 press was not running even, and information from 
 the East was two months in reaching Southern Cali- 
 fornia. At length, however, the news did come to 
 the mixed population of that section of country, 
 that the Southern States were breaking out of the 
 Union one after another, that business was at a stand- 
 still, and that the forty millions of Americans were 
 divided into almost equal parts on the terrible ques- 
 tion of the right of secession from the Union. South- 
 ern California had been populated since the discov- 
 ery of gold by persons from every State in the 
 Union and adventurers from beyond the sea. They 
 were a mixed and many-shaded class in character 
 and nature. Southerners there were, both in and 
 out of the army, who clung to their mother States, 
 and now hastened back to cast their lot with them, 
 regardless of ties of national patriotism, and per- 
 haps thoughtless or doubtful of the future. 
 
 The excitement in Southern California, and par- 
 ticularly in Los Angeles, soon became intense, and 
 
LIFE OF WINFIELD SCOTT HANCOCK. 
 
 it was even a mooted point if the elaehing impulses 
 and preferences would not presently bring the in- 
 habitants to blows. One party clung with tenacity to 
 the Southern cause, and would have dragged the 
 State into the Confederacy, and others even pro- 
 posed the expediency of hoisting the hear flag, and 
 declaring a Pacific republic. As we have suggested, 
 f some even of the army officers broke the ties which 
 bound them to the service of their country, and hast- 
 ened to offer their swords to the Confederate cause. 
 It may well be believed that to those who remained 
 staunch in their integrity, and particularly to Cap- 
 tain Hancock — on whom the responsibility and the 
 duty chiefly fell, not only of holding together his 
 little band, but of restraining the revolutionary spirit 
 of the country where he was — the situation was one 
 presenting enormous difficulties and dangers, and 
 requiring the shrewdest, besides the most deter- 
 mined, course of treatment. 
 
 Fortunately, Hancock's was a nature which never 
 failed to respond to whatever demand might be 
 made upon it. In this momdtt of risk he rose to 
 the occasion and above it. Judiciously he availed 
 himself of every argument with those with whom 
 argument would be convincing, while, with the nerve 
 and courage which were a part of his nature, he co- 
 erced those who were most flagrant in their inclina- 
 tion to disorder, guiding himself in each instance by 
 the nature of the case, but holding ever before him- 
 the vital necessity of success. 
 
 FOURTH OF JULY, 1861. 
 
 The Fourth of July, 1861, was a day long to be 
 remembered throughout the United States of Amer- 
 ica. On that day, for the first time in our history, 
 the celebration of our national independence was 
 observed as a sectional ceremony, in which the South- 
 ern sisterhood of States took no part. On that day, 
 in Washington, General Scott reviewed twenty thou- 
 sand Union soldiers, who marched down Pennsyl- 
 vania Avenue with drums beating and flags flying, 
 while half the population of the country seemed to 
 have centred there as spectators of this unwonted 
 scene. In the rotunda of the old Capitol, crowds 
 of visitors sang "The Star-spangled Banner" with 
 an animation and enthusiasm which the old patriotic 
 song had perhaps never before encountered. 
 
 Meanwhile, across the Continent, at Los Angeles, 
 in Southern California, the Fourth of July also oc- 
 curred, and of this day Captain Hancock took advan- 
 tage to awaken what patriotic sentiment existed, 
 and to arouse it where it did not exist, and thus save 
 from present infamy and future ruin this valuable 
 district, which was now trembling in the balance. 
 He had ordered from a distance of a hundred miles 
 a squadron of cavalry, in order that he might make 
 a special and impressive display ; and out of these 
 
 and with the troops of his command at Los Angeles 
 he constructed a procession and a ceremonial, which 
 exerted a powerful influence in convincing those 
 who were doubtful before and strengthened those 
 who had never swerved. It was on this occasion, 
 and as a part of this celebration, that Captain Han- 
 cock delivered his remarkable Fourth of July ad- 
 dress, which certainly accomplished much in turning 
 the thoughts of the hearers to a better understand- 
 ing of their duty, and in strengthening the patriot- 
 ism of all who were present. This address deserves 
 reproduction entire, but space admits of our quoting 
 but a portion of it : 
 
 " And what flag is that we look to as the ban- 
 ner that carried us through that great contest, and 
 was honored by the gallant deeds of its defenders ? 
 The star-spangled banner of America, then embrac- 
 ing thirteen pale stars, representing that number of 
 oppressed colonies ; now thirty-four bright planets, 
 representing that number of great States. To be 
 sure, clouds intervene between us and eleven of that 
 number; but we will trust that those clouds will 
 soon be dispelled, and that those great stars in the 
 Southern constellation may shine forth again with 
 even greater splendor than before. Let them return 
 to us ! We will welcome them as brothers who 
 have been estranged, and love them the more that 
 they were angered and then returned to us. 
 
 " To those who, regardless of these sacred mem- 
 ories, insist on sundering this Union of States, let 
 us, who only wish our birthrights preserved to us, 
 and whose desire it is to be still citizens of the 
 great country that gave us birth, and to live under 
 that flag which has gained for us all the glorious 
 histories we boast of, say this day : ' Your rights we 
 will respect ; your wrongs we will assist you to re- 
 dress ; but the Union is a precious heritage that we 
 intend to preserve and defend to the last extremity.'' 
 
 "Let us believe, at least let us trust, that our 
 brothers then do not wish to separate themselves 
 permanently from the common memories which have 
 so long bound us together, but that, when reason 
 returns and resumes her sway, they will prefer the 
 brighter page of history which our mutual deeds 
 have inscribed upon the tablets of time, to that of 
 the uncertain future of a new confederation, which, 
 alas ! to them may prove illusory and unsatisfac- 
 tory." 
 
 Hancock's way of rendering Independence Day 
 in a doubtful season settled the case of Southern 
 California. There was no more talk of secession, 
 or " going it alone," in that section. But neithei* 
 his ambition nor his patriotism would permit Cap- 
 tain Hancock to remain where his services could 
 not be employed to their fullest value, and he at 
 
LIFE OF WINFIELD SCOTT HANCOCK. 
 
 once made an urgent request to be transferred to 
 active service at the seat of war. Orders to this 
 effect soon arrived, and, accompanied by his family, 
 
 he started for the East, where he arrived on the 
 4th of September, 1861, and immediately reported 
 at Washington for active service. 
 
 PART II. 
 
 THE GENERAL 
 
 Captain Hancock was now thirty-eight years of 
 age — the prime of life ; his sixteen years of experi- 
 ence as a soldier had brought him appreciation, 
 rank, and position ; but it had brought him also 
 much that was of greater value and higher import 
 than even these good things — thorough knowledge 
 of his profession in the field, the office, on long 
 marches, the bivouac : there was hardly a depart- 
 ment of military life with which he was not familiar. 
 Meanwhile, in the matter of active service, he had 
 been pitted against all classes of men — Indians, out- 
 laws, guerrillas, the Mexican regular army. Such 
 an experience could not but have produced as its 
 result in such a nature as his the combination of 
 qualities and characteristics which must necessarily 
 prove invaluable to the service in which he was 
 now about to engage. His merits had preceded him 
 at Washington ; Worth, Harney, Clark, and others, 
 in whose commands he had been, had praised him 
 highly, as was his due, and though for a brief period 
 his services were retained in the quartermaster's 
 department, his name was almost immediately pro- 
 posed by General McCIellan for the appointment 
 of brigadier-general. The commission was issued 
 by order of President Lincoln, on the 23d of Sep- 
 tember, 1861, was accepted, and Brigadier-General 
 Hancock entered upon active duty. He was assigned 
 to the Army of the Potomac, under General Mc- 
 CIellan, and his brigade, the first of Smith's divis- 
 ion, became speedily recognized for its discipline 
 and general efficiency. It comprised the Fifth Wis- 
 consin, Sixth Maine, Forty-ninth Pennsylvania, and 
 Fourth New York — in all, four thousand men. 
 
 The brigade was at first camped in front of the 
 Chain Bridge road, near Lewinsville, where it re- 
 mained until the embarkation for the Peninsula in 
 the following spring. Shortly after landing at For- 
 tress Monroe, Smith's division was assigned to the 
 Fourth Army Corps, and General Hancock's first 
 serious conflict with the enemy took place in the 
 action at Lee's Mills, on Warwick Creek, April 16, 
 1862. Numerous severe skirmishes during the 
 operations in front of Yorktown followed ; but it 
 was on May 4, 1862, at Williamsburg, that General 
 Hancock, then in command of another brigade be- 
 sides his own, first gave earnest of the part he was 
 to take in the war of the Rebellion. Here, with 
 
 barely two thousand men, and by the shrewdest 
 and pluckiest handling of his small force, he suc- 
 ceeded in successfully resisting the attack of fully 
 five thousand men, who had been sent by the ene- 
 my to drive his command from Queen's Run. The 
 battle began early in the morning, and a portion 
 of Hancock's force, after receiving steadily a scath- 
 ing fire from the enemy, was ordered by the Gen- 
 eral to a crest which he had chosen for his line of 
 battle. The movement was under the direct fire of 
 the enemy, and was executed with the steadiness 
 and coolness of veterans, and when the Confed- 
 erates charged, delivering a heavy fire at fifty paces, 
 they were met with such spirit and seeming audacity 
 by Hancock and his brave little force that they 
 fled from the field, discomfited and broken. 
 
 Hancock's tictory. 
 
 On this battle-field was captured, by Hancock's 
 brigade, the first color taken by the Army of the 
 Potomac. 
 
 General McCIellan so highly appreciated the con- 
 duct of General Hancock and his small following, 
 that he personally thanked each regiment, and direct- 
 ed that they should be honored by having the name 
 "Williamsburg" emblazoned on their colors. 
 
 Up the Chickahominy now marched the Army 
 of the Potomac, driving the enemy before it ; and 
 at Garnett's Hill, on June 27, Hancock's command 
 again covered itself with glory, repelling the fierce 
 attack of the enemy in a battle of about two hours' 
 duration, in which the brigade lost heavily. Had it 
 not been for Hancock's brigade at this battle, our 
 army would have undoubtedly been divided by the 
 enemy, to its imminent danger. 
 
 In the latter part of June General McCIellan 
 undertook the celebrated " change of base " to the 
 James River; but on the 26th, the enemy, reen- 
 forced by Stonewall Jackson, attacked him in force, 
 beginning the terrible fight of the " Seven Days." 
 During this period, so exhausting to our army, Han- 
 cock commanded the advance of the rear guard of 
 the Sixth Corps, and during the entire movement 
 was exposed to the fire of the enemy day and night, 
 at a point where vigilance in the general and steady 
 courage in the soldier were most necessary. 
 
 After the arrival at Harrison's Landing, Han- 
 
LIFE OF WINFIELD SCOTT HANCOCK. 
 
 cock's brigade was ordered up the Potomac, and soon 
 occupied the intrenchments near Centreville, being 
 held in camp as a part of the defensive operations 
 in behalf of the capital, until the opening of the 
 Maryland campaign. Hancock's brigade was now a 
 part of the Sixth Corps. General Pope had been 
 defeated ; his army was broken up and demoralized ; 
 and the capital itself seemed almost at the mercy 
 of the enemy. Such were the unhappy results of 
 the political influences at Washington, which had 
 at length accomplished the removal of McClellan 
 from the command of the Army of the Potomac. 
 But this miserable situation was fortunately not irre- 
 trievable. McClellan, still loyal to the core, awaited 
 orders. And when, at Washington, better counsels 
 prevailed — the damaging results of political inter- 
 ference now fully appearing — that gallant young 
 commander was entreated by General Halleck to re- 
 turn to his command. McClellan accepted, despite 
 the ignominious treatment to which he had already 
 been subjected; and, as if by magic, the army re- 
 gained its old morale, and was again ready to op- 
 pose the enemy with a determined front. 
 
 GENERAL HANCOCK AT ANTIETAM. 
 
 The Sixth Corps, with Hancock's brigade, went 
 into action at the battle of South Mountain. Cramp- 
 ton's Gap and Turner's Gap were carried ; and, on 
 the morning of September 17th, with Hancock's 
 brigade in the advance, the Sixth Corps reached the 
 now celebrated battle-field of Antietam. Here Sum- 
 ner had been already beaten, but the gallant old 
 General, stubborn to the last, refused to acknowl- 
 edge his defeat. Hancock formed his line of bat- 
 tle, and, as the men moved under fire, he told his 
 brigade what he thought of them, and how he 
 knew he could depend upon their steadiness and 
 gallantry in the struggle which was before them. 
 The General's words were magnetic, and fired his 
 men vrith enthusiasm. The order was given to ad- 
 vance, and at once the brigade dashed forward in 
 quick time, and flung itself upon the enemy, just as 
 he was attacking some unsupported batteries in a 
 corn-field at the right. The men they were confront- 
 ing were Stonewall Jackson's, already become vet- 
 erans, whose name throughout the country was sig- 
 nificant of the hardest fighting our soldiers had to 
 encounter. Hurling themselves upon our unpro- 
 tected batteries, not an infantry regiment of our 
 army being within reach, they promised themselves 
 an instantaneous capture. It was at this moment 
 that Hancock's brigade came upon the field in ex- 
 act time to save the guns. Urged on by their gallant 
 leader, now carried to the extreme of his stern and 
 masterful control of a warlike situation, they fell 
 upon Stonewall Jackson's men, and drove them 
 back from the threatened guns — back into the woods 
 
 from which they had marched a few moments before 
 so eager for the fray, and into which they now sped, 
 hurried and discomfited. This closed the engagement 
 on that part of the field, and the battle of Antie- 
 tam was won. General Lee's march of invasion was 
 quelled and repressed then and there, and his de- 
 feated army fell back across the Potomac into Vir- 
 ginia, whither it might have been followed and ex- 
 terminated, but for politics and the October elec- 
 tions. 
 
 The fall of Antietam was to witness the last ap- 
 pearance of General Hancock with that magnificent 
 body of men which had by this time grown to be 
 known as Hancock's brigade. While still on the 
 field, he was assigned to the command of the First 
 Division of the Second Army Corps. 
 
 A GENERAL OF DIVISION. 
 
 After Antietam, the Second Army Corps was 
 marched at once to Harper's Ferry, where it remained 
 until the army moved to Fredericksburg, via War- 
 renton, in October and November. This delay was 
 occasioned mainly by want of blankets, shoes, and 
 other articles of clothing, horseshoes, etc., without 
 which it was impossible for the army to march. 
 
 On November 1st the movement commenced, 
 and on the 7th General McClellan was once more 
 removed from the command of the Army of the 
 Potomac, Major-General Burnside being ordered to 
 supersede him. Had McClellan not been removed 
 at this moment, it is certain that he would have 
 captured Richmond, and ended the war then and 
 there. The situation offered every opportunity for 
 this result. McClellan had 120,000 men, to whom 
 were opposed Longstreet with 42,000, and Stone- 
 wall Jackson with as many more, and a mountain 
 whose roads were in the hands of McClellan's cav- 
 alry was between them. It was the latter's design 
 to attack these two armies in turn, when he could 
 easily have destroyed both of them. On the ap- 
 pointment of General Burnside all of McClellan's 
 plans were abandoned, and the former moved the 
 army down the Rappahannock to a position opposite 
 the town of Fredericksburg. 
 
 Lee was wary, and speedily discerned the ulti- 
 mate intention of Burnside's movement, and accord- 
 ingly marched his forces in a line almost parallel 
 with his adversary, burning the bridges at Freder- 
 icksburg, and throwing up earthworks in all direc- 
 tions about the city, the heights back of which 
 afforded a secure and commanding position for 
 his batteries. The task which Burnside had under- 
 taken was evidently a desperate one. It was not 
 until the night of December 10th that the Union 
 army commenced to cross the river, over which they 
 had thrown pontoon bridges, and on the next day 
 a fierce battle began, the task of storming the 
 
LIFE OF WINFIELD SCOTT HANCOCK. 
 
 works on Marye's heights being assigned to the Sec- 
 ond Corps, to which Hancock's division belonged. 
 In the assault on these works Hancock led his di- 
 vision through such a fire as has been rarely en- 
 countered in warfare. At the foot of the heights 
 a stone wall impeded the progress of the men, and 
 from behind this the enemy could throw in a mur- 
 derous musketry fire, which was terribly destructive. 
 
 BATTLE OF FREDERICKSBURG. 
 
 The division included Meagher's Irish Brigade, 
 one of the bravest in the service, and as these men 
 climbed the fatal hill their ranks were plowed up by 
 artillery and decimated by a galling musketry fire, 
 The slaughter was terrible, and, as it would seem, 
 gratuitous. The Union army retired with a loss of 
 more than 12,000, one sixth of which was in Han- 
 cock's division. The General himself was under fire 
 during the entire assault, and had a narrow escape 
 from death, a musket ball having passed through his 
 clothes next to the skin. In this galling and de- 
 pressing attack, his personal efforts with his men 
 kept them proudly to their work. Three of his staff 
 were wounded, and four had horses shot under them. 
 
 The army remained on the north side of the 
 Rappahannock until the following month, when the 
 movement was begun which was afterward known 
 as the " Mud March," and which resulted in nothing 
 but fatigue and embarrassment. 
 
 This ended General Burnside's command, Gen- 
 eral Hooker being appointed by the President in his 
 place. The army now went into winter cantonments 
 and proceeded to reorganize, and when the spring 
 campaign opened was in splendid condition, com- 
 prising 120,000 foot of all arms, and 12,000 well- 
 appointed cavalry. 
 
 Lee's army was at this time at Chancellorville, 
 and stretching for some miles up the Rappahannock 
 north to the Rapidan. Hooker determined to make 
 a bold attempt at turning Lee's flank, and, accord- 
 ingly, on April 27, 1863, the Fifth, Second, Elev- 
 enth, and Twelfth Corps were put in motion, and a 
 few days after commenced the battle of Chancellor- 
 ville, which continued until May 6th. During this 
 fight Hancock's division was constantly and hotly 
 engaged, but to no purpose. The campaign was a 
 failure, our loss being nearly 18,000 men. The 
 
 Confederate loss was doubtless as much, and in one 
 respect greater, for here fell Stonewall Jackson. 
 
 CHANCELLORVILLE. 
 
 At Chancellorville the Confederates had attacked 
 a battery on our left with such a storm of shot and 
 shell that nearly all the gunners were killed, and the 
 guns in imminent danger of being captured. But 
 Hancock, who was everywhere at once, saw the situ- 
 ation, and riding up to the nearest infantry regi- 
 ment (the Twenty-seventh Connecticut Volunteers) 
 called for men to man that battery. The " Nutmeg 
 State" nobly responded, and men enough and to 
 spare volunteered. Hancock rode at their head un- 
 der a terrible fire, his giant form and powerful horse 
 the mark for a thousand bullets. Certainly both 
 could not escape, and presently the splendid animal 
 went down. The General paused one moment and 
 caressed the dying steed — a favorite and splendid 
 charger — then, on foot, he led the men forward, 
 shouting, " To the guns, boys ! " and remained at 
 their head until the battery was once more pouring 
 destruction into the enemy. 
 
 A CORP.S COMMANDER. 
 
 After Chancellorville the Second Corps returned 
 to its former camp in front of Fredericksburg, and 
 on June 10th General Hancock was appointed to its 
 command, his commission by the President of the 
 United States dating from June 25th. 
 
 But Lee by this time had become so elated with 
 the failures of the Union army that he determined 
 to " carry the war into Africa," and began his fa- 
 mous raid into Pennsylvania, which resulted in the 
 battle of Gettysburg. Ascending the southern bank 
 of the river, he disguised his intention by certain 
 movements, threw his army suddenly northward 
 across the Potomac, and through Western Maryland 
 invaded Pennsylvania. Hooker speedily informed 
 himself of Lee's intention, and hurried the Army of 
 the Potomac back via Warrenton, Cattell Station, 
 Fairfax Station, and Manassas, toward the capital. 
 In the mean time A. P. Hill, who had remained at 
 Fredericksburg, joined the main body of the army, 
 the entire force being hurried forward on its mam- 
 moth raid ; Jenkins, with his cavalry, meanwhile 
 ravaging the counties of Franklin and Cumberland, 
 seizing cattle and horses in large numbers. 
 
 PART III. 
 
 G E T T Y S B U R G 
 
 The entire North was now aroused to the danger 
 of the situation. For the first time invasion had 
 entered the Northern States, and the most painful 
 characteristics of warfare were now brought home 
 
 to us. In the mean time the movements of the Fed- 
 eral armies were being directed from Washington, 
 instead of by the generals in the field, and Hooker, 
 seeing what a responsibility was now facing him, 
 
LIFE OF WINFIELD SCOTT HANCOCK. 
 
 resigned his command, being relieved on the 28tQ 
 by Major-General George G. Meade. The latter was 
 a judicious and able general, and at once made such 
 disposition of the force at his command as to inter- 
 fere seriously with Lee's plans. But for this the 
 Confederate army would have undoubtedly crossed 
 the Susquehanna and struck Harrisburg, if they did 
 not even fall upon Philadelphia. 
 
 A great battle was now obviously inevitable. 
 Meade was inclined to fight it at Pipe Clay Creek, 
 a stream running a few miles southeast of Gettys- 
 burg. But it fell to General Hancock to arrange a 
 different locality for the engagement. 
 
 The Second Corps arrived at Taneytown on July 
 1st, and General Hancock was ordered immediately 
 to the front to assume charge of the Eleventh, First, 
 and Third Corps, in consequence of the death of 
 General Reynolds. At the same time he was direct- 
 ed by General Meade to examine the ground, and 
 advise the latter as to the best location on which 
 to fight. This General Hancock proceeded to do, 
 and after a careful examination, reached Cemetery 
 Hill, where he found our troops retiring in hot haste 
 through the town of Gettysburg, fiercely pursued by 
 the enemy. Up to this point the Confederates had 
 had the best of the battle. Our men were in full 
 retreat, hurrying to the rear in a confused mass in 
 which all organization was lost, while no ofiScer on 
 the field appeared to have sufficient personal force 
 to repress their excited flight ; but the appearance 
 of General Hancock acted like magic. By this time 
 the character and ability of the General were fully 
 understood throughout the Army of the Potomac; 
 the man who had sprung at a bound from the posi- 
 tion of captain to that of brigadier-general, and had 
 in less than three years risen to be a corps com- 
 mander, was recognized as a born leader of men. 
 He was almost worshiped by the men of his personal 
 command, and respected and admired by the soldiers 
 throughout the army. Perceiving at a glance the 
 dangerous nature of the situation, Hancock exerted 
 that marvelous magnetic force, which in emergen- 
 cies always developed itself in him at precisely the 
 right moment, and moving calmly and confidently 
 among the flying throng, in an incredibly short time 
 produced order out of chaos. The soldiers stopped 
 in their headlong career when they heard that Han- 
 cock was at the front. Regimental and brigade 
 organizations were speedily reformed, the Confed- 
 erate advance was repulsed, and our lines being 
 promptly reestablished. General Hancock dispatched 
 his senior aide-de-camp. Major W. G. Mitchell, with 
 a verbal order to General Meade that he " could hold 
 Cemetery Hill until nightfall, and that he considered 
 Gettysburg the place to fight the coming battle." 
 Reenforcements being sent up by General Meade, 
 the Union line of battle was soon fully sustained. 
 
 THE BATTLE OP GETTYSBURG. 
 
 The fighting was commenced about three o'clock 
 on the afternoon of the 2d, when General Sickles, 
 with the Third Corps, advanced on the enemy's right 
 toward the Emmettsburg road. The attack was 
 sharp, and brought on a general engagement, in 
 which General Sickles was disabled, and the com- 
 mander of the army ordered General Hancock to 
 take command of the Third Corps in addition to 
 his own. Our line at this point was now strength- 
 ened by Doubleday's division, and presently the ene- 
 my advanced along its entire front. An interval 
 between two of our corps attracted the attention of 
 a rebel regiment, which started to penetrate it, firing 
 as it advanced. Turning to one of our regiments 
 which was approaching in column of fours to pro- 
 tect that point, General Hancock pointed to the 
 rebel column, and said to the commander: "Do 
 you see those colors ? " " Yes." " Well, secure 
 them." "I will. General," said the commander, 
 smiling, and his regiment charged, as it was formed, 
 in the most gallant manner, dispersing the rebel 
 regiment and capturing its colors and a number of 
 prisoners. Months afterward General Hancock 
 sought out this regiment, that he might recommend 
 its commander for promotion, and learned that it 
 was one of his own corps, the heroic First Minnesota. 
 
 The battle of the 2d closed with a savage attack 
 on General Howard's front, where the fight waxed so 
 close and strong that the artillerymen of Batteries 
 B, Fourth U. S. Artillery, and F, First Pennsylvania 
 Artillery, were defending themselves with sponge- 
 staffs and rammers. The bugler of one of these 
 batteries had his brains knocked out by a trail hand- 
 spike in the hands of one of the enemy. Shortly 
 after dark a council of war was held at General 
 Meade's headquarters, which General Hancock at- 
 tended, as corhmander of the left center of the army. 
 At this council it was decided that Gettysburg was 
 the place to fight t'ne battle, in accordance with 
 General Hancock's judgment and advice. 
 
 MAGNIFICENT DARING. 
 
 The struggle did not recommence until one 
 o'clock on the following day, when a terrible can- 
 nonading was opened upon our lines from one hun- 
 dred and twenty guns from the enemy's batteries 
 at once. General Hancock was at the moment 
 engaged with General Meade and other officers in 
 the rear of the line of battle of the Second Corps. 
 He was dictating an order to one of his staff, when 
 the first shell fell in the group, killing one man and 
 wounding several others. Now they came hurtling 
 through the air, falling thick and fast, and devas- 
 tating wherever they fell. It was at this moment 
 that General Hancock, calling together his staif. 
 
10 
 
 LIFE OF WINFIELD SCOTT HANCOCK. 
 
 spurred his horse to the front of the line of battle. 
 Behind and around him were Major Mitchell, Cap- 
 tain Harry Bingham, Captain Isaac Parker, and 
 Captain E. P. Brownson, with Private James Wells, 
 of the Sixth New York Cavalry, carrying the corps 
 flag flying in his hands. Starting at the right of the 
 line where it joined the Taneytown road, the group 
 rode slowly along the crest, exposed to the terrible 
 fire of the enemy's artillery, than which it has been 
 said by an eye-witness nothing more sublime or ap- 
 palling has ever been known in war. Spurning all 
 thouglit of fear, the great General and his noble offi- 
 cers proceeded as calmly as if on parade, for a full 
 mile between the contending forces, while the men 
 of the Army of the Potomac almost made their 
 shouts of admiration and confidence ring beyond 
 the storm of shot and shell that was everywhere 
 bursting around them. The act was bold — hazard- 
 ous — magnificent — apparently foolhardy to the last 
 degree. It was, in fact, the result of positive inspi- 
 ration, and calculated to rouse the Union army to 
 what was to be the grandest effort — the turning- 
 point — of the war. On both sides the men pitted 
 against each other — of the same blood, traditions, 
 and race — were about equal in numbers and about 
 equally veterans. It was a moment when it re- 
 quired the all-seeing and all-compassing measures 
 of a demi-god. Hancock, with far-reaching pre- 
 science and unbounded nerve and determination, 
 saw the fateful instant and grasped its hidden in- 
 fluence. The act inspired confidence in our men, 
 as could no other course have done, and as that lit- 
 tle group of horsemen disappeared majestically in 
 the thick cloud of battle smoke, a thrill ran through 
 the lines, and every man was nerved to a power 
 against which it were vain to bring opposition. 
 
 SPLENDID CHARGE OF THE ENEMY. 
 
 The artillery fire now became hot and persistent 
 on both sides. Now two hundred guns belched forth 
 a continuous shower of deadly missiles. The roar 
 was deafening. This continued for nearly two hours, 
 a period of wreck and destruction such as was not 
 seen on any other battle-field during the war. Cais- 
 sons were exploded, men were blown to pieces at 
 their guns ; regiments, and even brigades, were cut 
 through like grass with a mower. At length the fire 
 slackened ; and then, preceded by a strong hne of 
 skirmishers, a column of the enemy's infantry, num- 
 bering eighteen thousand men, advanced from the 
 woods beyond the Emmettsburg road. This attack- 
 ing force was composed of Pickett's division, in 
 double line of battle, including the brigades of Kem- 
 per and Garnet in front, with Armistead's brigade 
 supporting. On the right was Wilcox's brigade, in 
 column of battalions, and on the left Heth's divis- 
 ion. Now a curious incident befell General Han- 
 
 cock, who was again riding in front of the lines, 
 cheering and inspiring confidence in his men, when, 
 as the enemy's column approached, the horse he was 
 riding, a favorite and well-trained steed, balked and 
 could not be induced to move. The General was 
 obliged to borrow a horse from one of his staff. 
 Captain Brownson, saying to him, " You can afford 
 to have a horse of this kind on such an occasion as 
 this, but I can not." The fight was now continuous 
 and severe all along the line. Our troops held their 
 fire until the enemy were close in front of them, 
 when the slaughter became terrific. At the center, 
 our line, hardly pressed, fell back a little, and we 
 were losing ground. At this moment a color ser- 
 geant of the Seventy-second Pennsylvania Volun- 
 teers advanced alone with his colors, straight in the 
 face of the enemy. This encouraged our men, and 
 aroused them to an invincible determination. The 
 whole line pressed forward, and with desperate 
 fighting, hand to hand, recovered the lost ground, 
 forcing the enemy to flight, while numbers of them 
 flung themselves on the ground in surrender. 
 
 GENERAL HANCOCK SHOT FROM HIS HORSE. 
 
 In the mean time General Hancock was in all 
 parts of the field, seeking out the weak points and 
 strengthening them, ordering up reenf orcements, and 
 exposed to a hot fire all the time. Reaching the 
 left, he rode along the front of General Stannard's 
 line, where the men were lying down in ranks, and 
 directed that General to send two of his regiments 
 to attack the enemy's right. As he turned again 
 toward the point where the enemy's attack was most 
 severe and direct. General Hancock was struck by 
 a Minie-ball and shot from his horse. The ball 
 passed through the pommel of his (McClellan) sad- 
 dle, carrying with it bits of the wood and a rusty 
 nail, tore through the thigh-bone, and lodged behind 
 the muscle, producing a fearful wound. It happened 
 that the General was at this moment unaccompa- 
 nied by any of his personal staff, though his tried 
 and faithful color-bearer, Private James Wells, was 
 with him, as was always the case. The General 
 was caught as he fell from his horse by two of 
 General Stannard's staff, and placed gently upon 
 the ground, while an order was sent for a stretcher 
 to bear him from the front of the field. At this 
 moment Major Mitchell came up, entirely unaware 
 of this occurrence, or of the General's presence at 
 this point, although he was engaged in looking for 
 him. Being here, and perceiving the necessity for 
 an order to Stannard's brigade, he gave it in Gen- 
 eral Hancock's name, and then, while riding on in 
 search of his chief, came upon the group around the 
 woijnded commander. The shock to the faithful 
 officer was a terrible one. Kneeling beside him, he 
 
LIFE OF WINFIELD SCOTT HANCOCK. 
 
 11 
 
 took the General's hand, and for a moment was 
 speechless. 
 
 At this time the turning-point of the battle had 
 been reached. Repulsed with great loss at the cen- 
 ter and both wings, the enemy were all retreating. 
 Desiring to cheer the General, Major Mitchell said 
 to him, " The battle is ours ; they are retreating at 
 all points." By turning himself partly on his side 
 and raising himself upon his elbow, the General 
 could see the field in front of him, and the retiring 
 foe turning sullenly to fire a last volley as they dis- 
 appeared in the distance. Perceiving at a glance 
 that his aide was correct in his report, General Han- 
 cock delayed the ambulance, in which he was now 
 placed for removal to the hospital of the Second 
 Corps, while he dictated the following message to 
 Major Mitchell to carry to General Meade : " Tell 
 General Meade that the troops under my command 
 have repulsed the enemy's assault, and that we 
 have gained a great victory. The enemy is now 
 flying in all directions in my front." On his deliver- 
 ing this message to the Commander of the Army, 
 and informing him that General Hancock was dan- 
 gerously wounded. General Meade dispatched by the 
 hands of Major Mitchell the following reply : " Say 
 to General Hancock that I regret exceedingly that 
 he is wounded, and that I thank him, for the coun- 
 try and for myself, for the services he has rendered 
 to-day." 
 
 A further dispatch was sent by General Han- 
 cock to General Meade, in which he said : " We have 
 won a victory, and nothing is wanted to make it de- 
 cisive but that you should carry out your intention. 
 I have been severely, but I trust not seriously, wound- 
 ed. I did not leave the field so long as there was a 
 rebel to be seen upright." 
 
 THE WOUNDED HERO AT HOME. 
 
 From the field-hospital General Hancock was 
 conveyed to the railway station, placed on a stretch- 
 er across two seats in the car, and thus carried, via 
 Philadelphia, to his father's house at Norristown. 
 
 The wound did not heal kindly, and gave very 
 serious trouble. Indeed, it was thought at first 
 that it had been caused by an explosive bullet. The 
 ball was not found until six weeks after, when it was 
 discovered imbedded in the thigh, and extracted. 
 I For months, and indeed, through a greater portion 
 of the war, the wound continued to be actively 
 troublesome, pieces of bone constantly coming from 
 it ; and General Hancock was accustomed to ride in 
 an ambulance durmg the marches, persisting, how- 
 ever, in mounting his horse on the field of battle, 
 regardless of the torture, and even danger, to which 
 he was subjected. This continued until, during the 
 following year's campaigning, be was obliged to re- 
 sign his command for about two weeks, and have 
 
 his wound carefully attended to, after which period 
 it did not disable him from active duty, although 
 it continued to trouble him more or less for 
 years. 
 
 The casualties in the Second Army Corps, during 
 the great battle of Gettysburg, were 4,413, nearly 
 44 per cent, of all engaged. The Artillery Brigade, 
 consisting of only five batteries, lost 150 men and 
 200 horses, besides three of the battery commanders 
 killed and one wounded. The prisoners captured 
 by the corps numbered 4,500, and 38 stands of 
 colors were taken. 
 
 THE FIELD OF GETTYSBDRG. 
 
 The battle of Gettysburg ranks among the grand- 
 est of modern times. Not only were the largest 
 armies known to modern warfare engaged in the 
 struggle during parts of the three different days, 
 but the generalship, the courage, the determination, 
 and the endurance, on both sides, were extraordinary 
 in the history of battles. What might have hap- 
 pened had this conflict been fought out on the line 
 originally designed by General Meade, it is, of course, 
 impracticable to say ; but that it was fought, and 
 resulted in a complete victory, on the plan conceived 
 by General Hancock, and mainly under his personal 
 direction, displays the highest order of generalship 
 in that officer. His persistent daring, forgetful of 
 his own safety, was shown at every stage of the three 
 days' fight, and at last to his dangerous injury and 
 almost loss of life. 
 
 No single incident in recent wars has equaled in 
 sublimity and impressiveness the assault of Pick- 
 ett's 18,000 men, in the tremendous charge on our 
 left center, held by the troops under Hancock's com- 
 mand, on the 3d of July. Under a murderous fire of 
 shell, grape, and musketry, these veterans swept 
 steadily on, commanding the admiration of their 
 enemies even, by their dauntless courage and deter- 
 mination. Through strange ignorance of the move- 
 ments of our army, the advance of this column, 
 had supposed that they were attacking a force of 
 new recruits, substitutes, or raw militia ; but a closer 
 view informed them, and, brave North Carolinians 
 though they were, raising the cry " the Army of 
 the Potomac ! " they broke and ran. Pickett's sea- 
 soned Virginians held on, however, and, mounting 
 the side of Cemetery Ridge, and flinging themselves 
 against Hancock's line, fought desperately for the 
 advantage. Here, says Swinton, " Hancock, who 
 had the day before turned the fortunes of the battle 
 in a similar emergency, again displayed those quali- 
 ties of cool appreciation and quick action that had 
 proved him one of the foremost commanders on the 
 actual field of battle, and instantly drew together 
 troops to make a bulwark against any farther ad- 
 vance of the now exultant enemy. This daring 
 
12 
 
 LIFE OF WINFIELD SCOTT HANCOCK. 
 
 charge was repulsed, with terrible loss to the Con- 
 federates." 
 
 In the entire three days' fight at Gettysburg the 
 Union army lost 23,210, while the Confederate loss 
 was estimated at 30,000, nearly 14,000 being taken 
 prisoners. 
 
 The 4th of July was passed in quiet, the two 
 lines lying inactive in front of each other, and on 
 the morning of the 5th the enemy had departed. 
 When this was discovered, the enthusiasm of the 
 Army of the Potomac knew no bounds. The sur- 
 rounding heights echoed back cheer after cheer. 
 " Cheers for the Philadelphia Brigade that stood a 
 living wall, against which the host beat in vain. 
 Cheers for Meade, the soldier ' without fear and 
 without reproach,' who here begun with a great vic- 
 tory his illustrious career as Commander of the Army 
 of the Potomac. Cheers for Hancock, who had 
 stemmed the tide of defeat on the first day, and 
 selected the ground on which this glorious victory 
 was achieved ; who, on the second day, had again 
 stopped the tide of rebel victory and restored our 
 shattered lines ; and, on the third day, who had met 
 and repulsed the final assault, on which Lee's all 
 was staked, and won the battle which was really 
 the death-blow of the Rebellion." 
 
 HONORS TO GENERAL HANCOCK. 
 
 General Hancock's retirement from the victori- 
 ous field of Gettysburg, and his painful journey 
 homeward, were marked by a perfect ovation on 
 the part of all who came within sight and hearing 
 of the wounded veteran. All along the route, as 
 the news of his coming, shattered and prostrated, 
 became known to the people, crowds met the train 
 at the stations, and displayed their admiration for 
 his soldierly qualities, and their regret at his misfor- 
 tune. 
 
 The period of his convalescence was marked by 
 
 his reception of frequent testimonials of regard 
 from his fellow citizens. A magnificent service of 
 gold and silver plate was presented to him by the 
 citizens of Norristown ; and in February, 1864, the 
 Select and Common Councils of Philadelphia passed 
 a series of most flattering resolutions in his honor, 
 tendering him the use of Independence Hall for a 
 reception to his friends, which was accordingly held 
 in that place on the afternoon of February 25 with 
 great eclat. The Union League of Philadelphia hon- 
 ored him with a handsome silver medal, struck to 
 commemorate his high public services. At a later 
 period Congress passed a joint resolution conveying 
 " the gratitude of the American people and of their 
 representatives in Congress, to Major-General Win- 
 field Scott Hancock, for his gallant, meritorious, and 
 conspicuous share in that great decisive victory" 
 (Gettysburg). 
 
 Those terrible days in July, 1863, were not alone 
 memorable on the field of Gettysburg, for at Vicks- 
 burg, Miss., General Grant had gained a tremen- 
 dous victory, capturing that stronghold after a con- 
 tinuous siege of six weeks. Commissioned for this 
 success Major-General in the United States Army, 
 General Grant received the rank of lieutenant-gen- 
 eral on March 2, 1864, and, on the 17th of the 
 same month, took command of the Union forces in 
 Virginia. 
 
 The army was now reorganized into three corps : 
 the Fifth, under Major-General Warren ; the Sixth, 
 under Sedgwick ; and the Second, Major-Genei'al 
 Winfield Scott Hancock commanding. Of the latter, 
 says Swinton: "Hancock maybe characterized as 
 the ideal of a soldier. Endowed with a magnetic 
 presence and with a superb personal gallantry, he 
 was one of those lordly leaders, who, upon the actual 
 field of battle, rule the hearts of troops with a po- 
 tent and irresistible mastery." General Meade com- 
 manded the Army of the Potomac. 
 
 PART TV. 
 
 A DISASTROUS CAMPAIGN. 
 
 On December 15, 1863, General Hancock report- 
 ed for duty, and immediately resumed command of 
 his corps ; but was, however, soon after dispatched 
 North to effect, by his personal presence and in- 
 fluence, a large accession of recruits for the Army 
 of the Potomac, in which he succeeded to the entire 
 satisfaction of the Government and himself. 
 
 In the spring of 1864, the Second Corps was 
 reviewed by General Grant, turning out more than 
 twenty-seven thousand men, the greater number of 
 whom were veterans. The Confederate army under 
 
 Lee was now stretched along the bluff ridges skirt- 
 ing the south bank of the Rapidan, and, as the 
 position was too strong for a direct attack. Grant 
 determined on an attempt to turn his right, and ac- 
 cordingly started on the campaign which resulted 
 in the battles of the " Wilderness." No more dif- 
 ficult or dangerous country in which to carry on a 
 campaign could be well imagined than this. Ex- 
 tending southward from the right bank of the Rapi- 
 dan, it is densely wooded with dwarf timlxr and 
 underbrush, and, except occasional clearings, and 
 
LIFE OF WINFIELD SCOTT HANCOCK. 
 
 13 
 
 the ravines which seam it in all directions, is al- 
 most impenetrable for this reason. In this unprom- 
 ising locality was destined to be fought a series of 
 engagements which, for stubborn and self-sacrificing 
 persistence, have probably never been equaled. 
 
 On the night of May 3d the Second Corps moved 
 out of camp, a magnificent organization of eighty- 
 four regiments of infantry and a brigade of artillery, 
 comprising nine batteries — altogether including near- 
 ly thirty thousand enlisted men and oflScers, fit for 
 duty. During this campaign, reenforcements to the 
 number of twenty-five regiments were added to this 
 corps, making the force engaged during its progress 
 one hundred and nine regiments. 
 
 The Army of the Potomac crossed the Rapidan 
 without molestation from the enemy, Lee's design 
 appearing to have been to permit its entanglement 
 in the wilds which it was now about to penetrate. 
 One hundred thousand men and four hundred wag- 
 ons crossed the river, and on the 5tb the Second 
 Corps took up its line of march on the left of the 
 army. But a short distance had been traversed, 
 however, when the enemy was discovered in force 
 on the Wilderness turnpike, and almost immediate- 
 ly sharp fighting took place about at the intersection 
 of the Brock and Orange plank roads. One piece 
 of high ground was discovered, and there was placed 
 the left of our line, at the only spot where artillery 
 could be of any service. General Hancock now or- 
 dered breastworks to be thrown up of earth and 
 logs along his entire line of battle ; but as this was 
 done on the narrow Brock road, with dense forests 
 on both sides, the difiiculties of the location will be 
 readily perceived. 
 
 BATTLE OF THE " WILDERNESS." 
 
 Shortly after four o'clock in the afternoon, the 
 advance of Hancock's column became engaged with 
 the enemy, the latter being in great force. General 
 Hancock at once ordered up reenforcements, but not 
 having sufficient time to form his line of battle, and 
 as, owing to the crowded nature of the situation, it 
 became difficult to push up reenforcements fast 
 enough, the battle had to be continued from our 
 side with but little regard to the circumstances, 
 and at a disadvantage as concerned the location. 
 The lines were close together, and as the fighting 
 continued until after dark it became impossible for 
 our side to know anything about the movements of 
 the enemy. The only advantage that was gained 
 by us in this first day was that the enemy's right 
 was driven in on his reserves, his left having suc- 
 cessfully resisted us. 
 
 It should be stated that the sharpest fighting and 
 the only success of the day rested with Hancock's 
 corps. During this fight a serious loss occurred to 
 
 the Union army in the death of General Alexander 
 Hays, a magnificent and valuable soldier. 
 
 The following morning General Hancock was in- 
 formed that Longstreet was coming up with a large 
 force by way of the Catharpen road to attack his 
 flank. Of course he immediately made preparations 
 to give the rebel General a warm reception. Bar- 
 low's division being placed in position, artillery was 
 posted to cover the road over which it was sup- 
 posed Longstreet would advance. Besides this, a 
 strong skirmish line was thrown out, and the oppor- 
 tunity for organization and formation of our lines 
 employed as far as possible. This day began with a 
 fierce musketry encounter, when the enemy's line 
 was driven through the forest for nearly two miles 
 with great loss. An order by General Hancock to 
 support this successful attack with a division was 
 not attended to, owing to fears of Longstreet. Had 
 this been done, the enemy would have been com- 
 pletely defeated. 
 
 AN UNFORTUNATE SITUATION. 
 
 The scare about Longstreet turned out to have 
 been unnecessary, as the attack on our left which 
 he undoubtedly intended was necessarily aban- 
 doned by him, while he went to the assistance of 
 A. P. Hill, who was being badly cut up. Orders 
 were now sent by General Meade to General Han- 
 cock for a portion of his force to support the Fifth 
 Corps, which had fallen back in disorder after a 
 sharp attack by the enemy. It was now that Long- 
 street seized his opportunity to make a fierce as- 
 sault to relieve Hill, and succeeded in turning 
 Meade's left. This success on the part of the Con- 
 federates rendered it impossible for Hancock to 
 longer hold his advanced position. Now appeared 
 the misfortune of the terrible character of the 
 ground over which they were fighting. Here it 
 was impossible for personal daring or magnetic 
 presence to effect anything with the men. Unlike 
 Antietam or Gettysburg, Hancock could neither see 
 his men nor be seen by them but for a distance of 
 a few rods. Add to all this that our troops had 
 been for many hours under heavy fire in the hot- 
 test of weather, constantly advancing in a fatiguing 
 march, and disappointed and disheartened at last 
 on account of not receiving assistance which would 
 have made their success a glorious victory, and it 
 will be admitted that they could hardly now be 
 expected to resist with the same enthusiasm the 
 new and fierce attack of Longstreet's force from an 
 entirely unexpected quarter. Accordingly our forces 
 retired, fighting, to the old position behind the 
 breastworks. Nothing further of importance oc- 
 curred until late in the afternoon, when the enemy 
 renewed the attack, and, with temporary success, 
 some of his men reaching our breastworks. Here, 
 
u 
 
 LIFE OF WINFIELD SCOTT HANCOCK. 
 
 unfortunately for us, a fire broke out, and the terri- 
 ble heat and smoke which resulted drove our men 
 from the line. 
 
 The night of the 6th and the morning of the 
 7th passed without any important movement on 
 either side, and, indeed, the whole of the latter day 
 saw little or no fighting. At daylight on the morn- 
 ing of the 8th, General Hancock was ordered to 
 withdraw his corps from the Brock road. He did 
 go, and covered the rear of the army, which now 
 moved toward Spottsylvania Court-house. 
 
 A DESPERATE BATTLE. 
 
 The battle of the Wilderness was a desperate 
 hand-to-hand duel, fought under the most forbid- 
 ding and exasperating circumstances. For two days 
 the contending hosts struggled against each other, 
 both buried in the thick entanglement of the chap- 
 arral without opportunity for conclusive fighting, 
 for manoeuvres, or for stragetic movements. Those 
 to whom it was most necessary that the current of 
 the battle should be visible, could judge of it only 
 by the cheers of the one side or the savage yells of 
 the other, by the sharp rattle of musketry, or the 
 roar of cannon. 
 
 The loss of the Second Corps during the two 
 days' engagement was 3,762 men. At one time dur- 
 ing the' second day's battle. General Hancock had 
 under his command not less than 60,000 men. The 
 General in his ofiicial report comments as follows on 
 the nature of the engagement : " The undergrowth 
 was so heavy that it was scarcely possible to see 
 more than a hundred paces in any direction. No 
 movements of the enemy could be observed, until 
 the lines were almost in collision, or the roar of the 
 musketry disclosed the position of the combatants 
 to those who were at any distance, and my knowl- 
 edge of the field, except in my immediate position, 
 was limited, and was necessarily derived from re- 
 ports of subordinate commanders." 
 
 No other such battle was ever fought ; and when 
 on the 7th there was a pause, both armies fell back, 
 bleeding and fatigued, while ten thousand dead and 
 wounded in those horrible thickets testified to the 
 magnitude and ferocity of the strife. This was a 
 drawn battle, although the Federal forces lost most 
 heavily. 
 
 But neither the nature nor the result of this 
 contest altered General Grant's purpose of turning 
 Lee's flank and getting between him and Richmond ; 
 and as soon as the Union army could be withdrawn 
 and again consolidated, it was moved rapidly in the 
 direction of Spottsylvania Court-house, some fifteen 
 miles from which occurred the battle known by 
 that name, Lee's army being immediately put in 
 motion on a parallel line with the Federal force. 
 
 ON THE MARCH AGAIN. 
 
 This section of the country, though a little more 
 open, and affording occasional clearings or level 
 places, possesses the same general characteristics 
 peculiar to the Wilderness. Our men had been 
 marching and fighting without food or rest, until 
 they were thoroughly exhausted, and being attacked 
 a short distance from tlie court-house, they fell back 
 and retired to the woods. The army, moving by the 
 left flank, was led by the Fifth Corps, following 
 which came the Second Corps and General Hancock. 
 Reaching a point known as Todd's tavern, where 
 two roads centred, the corps dug intrenchments, 
 and waited to receive the enemy. The morning of 
 the 9th brought a special disaster in the loss of 
 General Sedgwick, who was shot in the face while 
 rallying his men. It was not until the 10th that the 
 fight actually commenced, and it continued fiercely 
 during that and the following day. The struggle was 
 desperate, and so far as our forces were concerned, 
 ineffectual, our men being greatly outnumbered by 
 the enemy. The position which the Confederates 
 occupied, a considerable elevation densely covered 
 with woods and protected by earthworks, was a pe- 
 culiarly strong one, while it was rendered almost 
 impossible of approach by a thicket of low cedars, 
 whose sharply pointed branches opposed an impas- 
 sable barrier to the advance of our troops; yet, 
 despite both the artificial and the natural obstruc- 
 tions, the gallant soldiers did actually force their 
 way into the enemy's works, but were driven back 
 with heavy loss. Under all the circumstances. Gen- 
 eral Hancock withdrew his men. 
 
 At nightfall on the following day General Meade 
 ordered another assault, and the ground was accord- 
 ingly examined by General Hancock's staff with a 
 view to selecting the best point whereat to make it. 
 
 SPOTTSYLVANIA COCRT-HOUSE. 
 
 At 10 p. M. Hancock's column was in motion, and 
 about midnight formed at what was known as the 
 " brown house," about three quarters of a mile dis- 
 tant from the enemy's position in front of the " Len- 
 drum house." So much time was taken in the forma- 
 tion, that it was not until half past four that the word 
 was given, and Barlow's and Birney's divisions pushed 
 forward in quick time to the attack. The enemy was 
 completely surprised, and their pickets were abso- 
 lutely marched over, as they stood open-mouthed in 
 wonder at this unexpected onslaught from a quarter 
 where they had not the least idea that there was any 
 portion of our army. The Irish Brigade first reached 
 the enemy's intrenchments, and dashing forward at 
 the double quick, at a pace and with an enthusiasm 
 that nothing could check, the gallant fellows forced 
 their way, tearing away the abatis with their hands, 
 
LIFE OF WINFIELD SCOTT HANCOCK. 
 
 15 
 
 and, as they sprang over the breastworks, bayonet- 
 ing and clubbing to the earth the now aroused and 
 desperate foe. It was the quickest affair, altogetlier, 
 that occurred during the war. In a few moments 
 the corps was in possession of nearly a mile of line, 
 more than 4,000 prisoners (being the men of Ewell's 
 corps, Johnson's division), twenty pieces of artillery, 
 horses, caissons, and other material complete, sev- 
 eral stands of small arms, and more than thirty 
 battle flags. Among the prisoners were Major-Gen- 
 eral Edward Johnson and Brigadier-General George 
 Stuart. Here was captured, almost in its entirety, 
 the celebrated "Stonewall Brigade." Within the 
 intrenchments the dead were piled in masses, and 
 the larger number of them were killed by the bayo- 
 net. 
 
 A SPLENDID VICTORY. 
 
 After the capture, our men followed the enemy 
 through the woods toward Spottsylvania, until they 
 met his reenf orcements coming up, when they slowly 
 retired to the works, which General Hancock had in 
 the mean time occupied by his reserves. This was 
 barely done in time, for the Confederates speedily 
 came up in force ; and now there occurred, lasting for 
 hours, the most extraordinary scene. With a bravery 
 and stubborn determination which could not but be 
 admired, the enemy forced his line of battle straight 
 to the breastworks, planting his colors on the side 
 opposite ours, and there, with nothing but the parapet 
 between them, the two lines fired into each others' 
 faces. This fire was so terrific in its effects that the 
 underbrush in all directions was mown down like 
 grain, and trees a foot in diameter were cut in twain 
 by Minie-balls. The fight at last became so hot that 
 reenforcements were called for from General Han- 
 cock, and still the fierce struggle went on, until, 
 about midnight on the 12th, the Confederate troops 
 were withdrawn to their second line of intrench- 
 ments. The enemy were signally defeated in this 
 battle, losing more than 10,000 men. 
 
 The next two days passed without any heavy 
 fighting. On the 17th the Second Corps was re- 
 enforced by the Corcoran Legion and a division of 
 heavy artillery. On the 18th a general attack was 
 ordered by General Meade, but the enemy's works 
 were found to be too strong to be carried by assault, 
 and our troops withdrew. 
 
 On the 19th, according to instructions. General 
 Hancock marched his corps toward Bowling Green, 
 on the Richmond and Potomac Railroad. Crossing 
 the Mattapony, General Hancock proceeded to per- 
 form his part of the still continued " flank move- 
 ment," Lee's army, Mbwever, being in the advance, 
 and moved in a parallel line with the Union force, 
 as before, the object of both generals being to first 
 reach and cross the North Anna. Lee was success- 
 
 ful in this, and intrenched himself heavily on the 
 south bank of the river. 
 
 BATTLE OF COLD HARBOR. 
 
 Thus alternately fighting and marching, the move- 
 ment continued from the North Anna to the Pamun- 
 key, and thence to Toloptomy Creek, where General 
 Hancock received orders from General Meade to 
 proceed to Cold Harbor, with a design of interposing 
 there between the enemy's head and the Chickaho- 
 miny. From Spottsylvania to Cold Harbor occu- 
 pied the time until June 2d ; the march had been 
 one of constant and most trying exertion, and the 
 men were now completely exhausted. It was in this 
 condition that Hancock's corps was formed to at- 
 tack the enemy, who held a strong position at what 
 was known as the "sunken road." In the battle 
 which followed, our men were repulsed, and General 
 Hancock's corps lost very severely, particularly in 
 officers. General Hancock was in the front of the 
 fight with Barlow's division during the assault. 
 After it was over, General Grant came on the field 
 and was informed by General Hancock of the un- 
 fortunate conclusion, and though a second attempt 
 was at first considered, it soon became obvious that 
 this would be useless, and the idea was given up. 
 
 On the 7th a cessation of hostilities took place 
 for the purpose of burying the dead, and succoring 
 the wounded between the lines. It is painful to 
 remember and record the terrible situation which, 
 with one or two exceptions, menaced our brave army 
 continually from the period of its first entering the 
 gloomy and ominous " Wilderness." Though success- 
 ful on certain occasions, when brilliancy of cour- 
 age and daring marked the conduct of our men, the 
 general sequence of events was painfully harassing 
 and disastrous. Of course, a commander who felt 
 the value of his men and appreciated their worth 
 as did General Hancock, could not but be depressed 
 at the melancholy result of this campaign. 
 
 At Cold Harbor his headquarters were in the 
 most exposed location, and his anxiety caused him 
 to thrust himself into danger, apparently without 
 being aware of it. At night, when heavy firing 
 roused in his mind doubts as to the nature of what 
 might be occurring, he would mount his horse and 
 ride rapidly in the direction of the sound, thought- 
 less of the danger to which he might expose him- 
 self. Siege operations being undertaken at Cold 
 Harbor, the corps remained, taking part in these 
 until the night of June 12th, when it took up its 
 march for the James River, broken and almost 
 decimated by the terrible losses to which it bad 
 been subjected. 
 
 It was at about this time that General Hancock 
 replied to the question, " Where is the Second 
 
16 
 
 LIFE OF WINFIELD SCOTT HANCOCK. 
 
 Corps ? " " It lies buried between the Eapidan and 
 the James." 
 
 THE " CHANGE OF BASE." 
 
 General Grant's change of base to the James 
 Kiver, involving a march across the Peninsula of 
 fifty-five miles, was conducted with great skill, and 
 without interference on the part of Lee. The army 
 reached the James at a point below Harrison's Land- 
 ing, and shortly after General Hancock was ordered 
 to take his command to Petersburg. 
 
 Space will not permit of a detailed description 
 of the connection of General Hancock and the Sec- 
 ond Corps with siege operations at Petersburg, the 
 expeditions to Deep Bottom, and other contemporary 
 movements. 
 
 On the I'Zth of June the irritation of General 
 Hancock's wound became utterly insupportable, and 
 he was obliged to relinquish the command of his 
 corps temporarily to Major-General Birney. The 
 stern and unflinching pluck with which General 
 Hancock had borne the pain of this open wound 
 during all the terrible marches of the campaign, 
 exhibited, perhaps, the soldier side of his character 
 in a higher degree than even the courage with 
 which he so constantly faced danger on the field 
 of battle. 
 
 On the 27th of June General Hancock resumed 
 command. Then followed the expedition to destroy 
 the railroads north of Richmond with the fighting 
 at Deep Bottom, all of which occupied the next 
 month, and on the 25th of August occurred the 
 battle at Ream's Station, in which the Second Corps 
 was badly defeated with great loss. In this fight 
 Hancock exposed himself, almost, as it appeared, 
 with desperation, in his efforts to restore his men 
 to something of their old elasticity and enthusiasm ; 
 but the continuous hammering intervening between 
 the long and tiresome marches to whi6h they had 
 been subjected during the past three months ren- 
 dered all such attempts fruitless. 
 
 General Hancock's horse was shot under him, 
 another ball cut his bridle-rein in two, while six 
 balls struck his corps flag and staff — always in his 
 immediate company with its courageous bearer, Pri- 
 vate James Wells. 
 
 Hancock's last battle — botdton road. 
 
 After Ream's Station came the battle of Boyd- 
 ton road, General Hancock's last fight with the 
 Second Corps, and, in fact, his last engagement dur- 
 ing the war. On the night of September 24th the 
 Second Corps relieved the Tenth in the intrench- 
 ments extending from the right of Mott's division, 
 to the Appomattox. Here the corps remained until 
 October 21st, when as a part of a formidable move- 
 ment devised by General Grant for the purpose of 
 
 seizing the South Side Railroad, it moved to the 
 Vaughan road, across Hatcher's Run, and pushed on 
 to the Boydton plank road, where General Hancock 
 halted, according to orders. Presently Generals 
 Grant and Meade came on the field, examined the 
 situation, and informed him that Crawford's divis- 
 ion of the Fifth Corps was coming up Hatcher's 
 run, the design being that the Second Corps should 
 connect with it. General Grant then departed, in- 
 structing General Hancock to hold his position. 
 Hardly had Generals Grant and Meade left the field 
 when a sharp attack was made on Hancock's right, 
 which speedily brought on a general engagement. 
 At an angle between the plank road and the line of 
 march followed by the Second Corps there were 
 grouped together ambulances, led horses, artillery 
 and a mass of valuable material, and the attack in 
 question brought the enemy straight upon this loot, 
 which stood a good chance of being immediately 
 captured. Fortunately General De Trobriand's bri 
 gade chanced to be in a position where it could 
 open a brisk fire upon the enemy, and, as one bat- 
 tery managed to cut loose from the rest of the 
 material in question, all was saved. Just at this 
 moment a cunningly devised attack on the enemy's 
 rear under the direct orders of General Hancock 
 resulted in the complete confusion and defeat of 
 the Confederates, with the loss of two colors and 
 nearly two thousand prisoners. 
 
 It was immediately after this that Major Mit- 
 chell, General Hancock's senior aide-de-camp, led the 
 Thirty-sixth Wisconsin veterans against a portion of 
 the enemy's force, which was disposed on the Boyd- 
 ton plank road, and drove it from this position, cap- 
 turing one color and about two hundred prisoners. 
 
 But in the mean time no connection with Craw, 
 ford had been effected ; General Hancock received 
 information from General Meade that the enemy was 
 concentrating in force against him ; and, to crown 
 all, his ammunition fell short — that which he should 
 have had having been detained by orders, and being 
 now thirteen miles in his rear. Under all these cir- 
 cumstances, and having under his command a large 
 and valuable cavalry force, which his infantry, with- 
 out ammunition, could not support, General Hancock 
 concluded to withdraw. The movement was suc- 
 cessfully effected, and it was discovered at a later 
 period that, had he not proceeded as he did, he would 
 have been overwhelmed in the morning. 
 
 The action at the Boydton road was in the high- 
 est degree a testimonial to the masterly skill and 
 generalship of Hancock, who, but for the application 
 of these qualities, would have unquestionably been 
 unable to extricate his comimnd from this most 
 dangerous situation. Largely outnumbered by the 
 enemy, without ammunition, it seemed almost as if 
 his long and brilliant career with the Second Corps 
 
LIFE OF WINFIELD SCOTT HANCOCK. 
 
 17 
 
 was about to close in utter misfortune. But the 
 profound and unerring sagacity and foresight, whicli 
 have always sustained him in emergencies, protected 
 
 General Hancock on this occasion, and enabled him 
 to retire with eclat from what might have been defeat 
 and almost annihilation. 
 
 PART V. 
 
 AFTER THE WAR. 
 
 The Second Corps returned to the lines in front 
 of Petersburg, October 28, 1864, and on November 
 20th General Hancock relinquished its command, 
 being ordered to Washington and appointed to form 
 the First Veteran Corps, by enlistment. He arrived 
 in Washington on November 27th, and continued in 
 this service until the end of the following February, 
 when, at a special Cabinet meeting, at which General 
 Hancock was present, he was requested to take com- 
 mand of the Middle Military Division, headquarters 
 at Winchester, Virginia. This command occupied 
 General Hancock's attention until immediately after 
 the occurrence of that terrible catastrophe, the assas- 
 sination of President Lincoln, on the night of April 
 14, 1865, when he was directed to take charge of 
 the capital, under the following order from the War 
 Department : 
 
 " War Department, Washington City, April 25, 1865. 
 " General : Your headquarters having been es- 
 tablished in Washington, you will please consider 
 yourself specially charged with the security of the 
 capital, the public archives, and the public property 
 therein, and with the necessary protection to the 
 President, the officers of the Government, and the 
 loyal citizens. The following subjects are especially 
 recommended to your attention : 
 
 " 1. The condition of the forts and defensive 
 works. 
 
 " 2. The organization, proper discipline, and man- 
 agement of an adequate military force, to act as a 
 mounted military police at all times, day and night, 
 within the city, for the purpose of guarding against 
 assassination, and of arresting offenders.' 
 
 " 3. You are also directed to giye special at- 
 tention to the employment of your "force in the ar- 
 rest of the persons who were recently engaged in 
 the murder of President Lincoln, and the attempted 
 assassination of the Secretary of State, taking all 
 proper measures for their detection and to prevent 
 their escape. 
 
 " 4. All othe^ matters essential to the security 
 and peace of your con*iand. 
 
 " In the abllpce of Lieutenant-General Grant, 
 you will report to the Secretary of War daily, for 
 any instructions he may have to give. 
 
 " You will acknowledge the receipt of these in- 
 structions. 
 
 " Your obedient servant, 
 (Signed) " Edwin M. Stanton, 
 
 " Secretary of War. 
 
 " Major-Geneeal W. S. Hancock, Z>iwsiow Commander, 
 Headquarters, Middle Military Division, April 28, 
 1865." 
 
 THE SURRATT CASE. 
 
 It will be observed that, in the order removing 
 General Hancock's headquarters to Washington, 
 special directions were given, having relation to the 
 assassination of President Lincoln. It will thus be 
 seen at the outset that, with whatever proceedings 
 might take place subsequently under military law 
 in regard to this crime, General Hancock, as the 
 highest military officer in command in the District, 
 must necessarily have a very close and important 
 relation. All the forces within his division, includ- 
 ing those who guarded Mrs. Surratt, were under 
 General Hancock's command ; and when the order 
 for her execution was issued by the President, it 
 was addressed to General Hancock, in accordance 
 with military usage ; the order, however, being 
 transmitted by the latter to General Hartranft, then 
 the governor of the military prison, and custodian 
 of the prisoners incarcerated prior to execution for 
 the assassination. 
 
 The historical facts with regard to Mrs. Surratt's 
 trial and condemnation and execution are so well 
 known, and have been so often related, that it would 
 almost seem unnecessary at this late day to re- 
 call their nature for the purpose of relieving any 
 one of odium incurred by his part of the responsi- 
 bility. 
 
 Among reasoning men no such odium has ever 
 fallen upon General Hancock, but, as a portion of 
 the current campaign ammunition, the story has been 
 tortured into such a shape as might reflect upon 
 him, and as a simple explanation will satisfy any 
 one with regard to the nature of his connection with 
 this sad affair, it is proper that it should be given 
 in this place. Mrs. Surratt having been tried, con- 
 demned, and sentenced by a military court, with 
 whose proceedings General Hancock had nothing 
 
18 
 
 LIFE OF WINFIELD SCOTT HANCOCK. 
 
 ■whatever to do, was imprisoned in charge of General 
 Hartranft, governor of the prison, who had been 
 appointed a special provost-marshal-general to at- 
 tend the military commission and execute its sen- 
 tences. A writ of habeas corpus having been issued 
 by Judge Wylie, of the United States District 
 Court, in the case of Mrs. Surratt, and made return- 
 able at 10 A. M. on the day of the execution, this 
 writ was formally placed in the hands of General 
 Hancock as the officer in command of the divis- 
 ion. He promptly transmitted it by the hands of 
 the Secretary of War to the President of the United 
 States, Commander-in-Chief of the Army, for his 
 action. The writ being suspended, and this act of 
 suspension endorsed upon it by the President, it was 
 returned to General Hancock, as military command- 
 er, with orders to cause the execution to be pro- 
 ceeded with as originally ordered. Accompanied by 
 the Attorney-General of the United States, General 
 Hancock appeared before Judge Wylie, in the 
 United States District Court, and made return of 
 the writ to the Judge, who released him (General 
 Hancock) from further attendance on the court, and, 
 assigning his reasons, declined to take any further 
 action in the case. What had occurred having prac- 
 tically prohibited the civil authorities from further 
 interference, the military officers were obliged to 
 proceed under the orders of the President of the 
 United States, Commander-in-Chief of the Army. 
 
 Thus far it will be seen that everything was con- 
 ducted after the customary formalities. It is a fact, 
 however, that from the beginning General Hancock 
 did all in his power to forward the hopes of Mrs. Sur- 
 ratt and her friends, and to facilitate their efforts to 
 obtain a reprieve. As there was a bare possibility 
 that other writs might be issued, or even that a re- 
 prieve might come at the last moment, addressed to 
 him. General Hancock went to the arsenal, where the 
 prisoners were confined, and remained there until 
 after the execution. He not only did this, but he 
 stationed couriers at different points between the 
 White House and the arsenal, that any intelligence 
 of a reprieve or other favorable orders might be 
 conveyed to him with the greatest possible speed 
 and certainty. As is now a matter of history, no- 
 thing of this character was done, and the executions 
 proceeded under the immediate direction of General 
 Hartranft, governor of the prison. 
 
 THE EXECUTION. 
 
 On the morning of the execution of Mrs. Surratt, 
 her daughter visited General Hancock and implored 
 his advice and counsel in this moment of her extreme 
 misery and anguish. Receiving her in the kindest 
 manner, though, of course, exhibiting in his serious 
 mien how deeply he was impressed with the responsi- 
 bilities of the occasion, General Hancock counseled 
 
 the unhappy young lady to go at once to the Execu- 
 tive Mansion and throw herself upon the mercy of the 
 President. Her effort to this effect proved fruitless, 
 and when at length it became evident that there 
 could no longer be hope of the receipt of a pardon 
 or reprieve for her mother. General Hancock offici- 
 ally notified Miss Surratt of the fact. With this act 
 ended his connection with the case. The best evi- 
 dence of the perfect legitimacy and propriety, and 
 even kindness of General Hancock's actions through- 
 out this melancholy affair, is found in the fact that all 
 of Mrs. Surratt's friends, her counsel, and the lead- 
 ing dignitaries of the Roman Catholic Church have 
 always conceded the purely perfunctory nature of 
 General Hancock's relation to the execution. His 
 Grace, the Archbishop of Baltimore, then the high- 
 est Catholic official in the United States, expressed 
 his appreciation of the justice, delicacy, and kindness 
 exhibited by General Hancock during the progress 
 of the trial and execution, and completely exonerated 
 him from having had any other or less satisfactory 
 connection with it. 
 
 The next duty which fell to the charge of Gen- 
 eral Hancock led him to the city of Baltimore, 
 where, throughout the war, had existed a state of 
 feeling most inimical to the cause of the Union, and 
 where, at this time (July, 1865), it became desirable 
 to have as commander of the Middle Military De- 
 partment an officer who should be the most compe- 
 tent to reconcile existing differences, and restore a 
 pleasant state of public feeling. The selection 
 proved to be a most excellent one for precisely this 
 purpose ; as in all the circumstances of his varied 
 and eventful life. General Hancock at once estab- 
 lished a reputation for sense of justice, courtesy, 
 and dignity of manners, while his wise and mag- 
 nanimous method of administration succeeded in 
 establishing a state of good feeling and harmoni- 
 ousness which had not by any means before existed. 
 In fact. General Hancock's success in Maryland ac- 
 tuated his appointment to another department, where 
 a similar condition of things existed as he had found 
 there when he had first made his headquarters at 
 Baltimore. 
 
 DEPARTMENT OF MISSOURI. 
 
 In August, 1860, he was transferred to the De- 
 partment of Missouri, with headquarters at Fort 
 Leavenworth. Here the relations of the " Home 
 Guards " and the returning volunteers were of the 
 most unsatisfactory nature, and an exasperated situ- 
 ation existed, which required a firm, judicious, and 
 yet kindly handling to restore peace. It was a most 
 responsible and difficult position, and made demands 
 upon all of General Hancock's remarkable qualities 
 of self-control and personal influence over others 
 to quiet the tendency to actual outbreak. Keeping 
 
LIFE OF WINFIELD SCOTT HANCOCK. 
 
 19 
 
 the military power, however, as far as possible in 
 the background, and extending the weight of his 
 important influence to aid the civil authorities in 
 maintaining peaceful relations, he succeeded in bring- 
 ing about the desired result. 
 
 During the autumn and winter of 1866, the In- 
 dians in Kansas and the Indian Territory began to 
 be turbulent, and frequent disturbances occurred 
 between them and the settlers. Very few, except 
 those who were actual witnesses of the condition of 
 things at this time, could imagine the hideous cruel- 
 ties and the general savagery which characterized 
 the Indians in their treatment of unprotected set- 
 tlers. To murder these harmless and industrious 
 people, burn their houses and the bodies of their 
 victims on the ruins of the latter, furnished pastime 
 to these wretched savages. Robbing, burning, and 
 despoiling, with frightful mutilation added as a 
 special horror, were constant occurrences. 
 
 Besides this, the eastern division of the Kansas 
 Pacific Railroad was then under construction, and 
 the dangerous interruption of its building, with the 
 fact that stages were stopped and robbed, and pas- 
 sengers murdered, unless accompanied by a strong 
 guard of soldiers, altogether afforded, clearly, rea- 
 son enough for the interposition of a positive exhi- 
 bition of military force. 
 
 Early in the spring of 1867, Lieutenant-General 
 Sherman directed General Hancock to organize an 
 expeditionary force of troops to enter the country 
 occupied by the Cheyennes, Kiowas, Apaches of the 
 plains, and Arrapahoes — the warlike tribes — and, 
 with a strong demonstration, assure them that the 
 continuance of depredations such as had been going 
 on would be followed by immediate war. Accord- 
 ingly General Hancock started from Fort Riley, Kan- 
 sas, March 26, 1867, with about 1,400 men — cavalry, 
 infantry, and artillery. Near the mouth of the Paw- 
 nee Fork, on the 12th of April following. General Han- 
 cock held a council with some of the leading Cheyenne 
 chiefs, to whom he declared explicitly the intentions 
 of the Government regarding them, assuring them 
 that if they meant peace they could have it, but 
 that they could be no longer permitted to continue 
 the course they had been recently following. They 
 must abandon their attacks upon the settlers on the 
 
 frontier, and their interference with stages and the 
 construction of railroads. This council was to have 
 been followed two days later by another, and for 
 that purpose General Hancock moved his command 
 to the Cheyenne village, situated on the Pawnee 
 Fork, about twenty-five miles above Fort Larned. 
 Encamping within a short distance of the village 
 which was occupied by Cheyennes and a large band of 
 Sioux, the General gave strict orders that the Indians 
 should not be molested, nor their property touched. 
 A council had been arranged to occur on the follow- 
 ing day, the 15th of April, but during the night of 
 the 14th all the warriors abandoned their village 
 and struck out northward in the direction of the 
 Smoky Hill and Republican Rivers ; they attacked 
 the mail-stations on the Denver Road, and working- 
 parties on the Kansas Pacific Railway, ran off stock, 
 killed and wounded a number of men, and commit- 
 ted every possible depredation. Justly incensed 
 with the deception and renewed cruelties on the 
 part of the Indians, General Hancock sent General 
 Custer after them with a force of cavalry. Custer 
 failed to come up with them for some reason, and 
 on his returning and making a report to that effect, 
 General Hancock ordered the destruction of the 
 Indian village as a suitable punishment for the 
 treachery that had been shown by the Indians. He, 
 however, had the few old people and sick, who were 
 left behind by the warriors, removed from the vil- 
 lage and properly cared for. 
 
 The war which had thus been begun by the Indians 
 was now continued vigorously by General Hancock, 
 and after he left the department it was prosecuted 
 by General Sheridan with determination, until the 
 winter of 1868-'69. Many lives were lost on both 
 sides, much property was destroyed, and the settle- 
 ment of the country was retarded ; but a peace was 
 eventually conquered which could only have been 
 effected by vigorous prosecution of the war for the 
 purpose. 
 
 On September 12, 1867, General Hancock re- 
 ceived orders from the President of the United 
 States transferring him from the command of the 
 Department of Missouri to that of the Fifth Military 
 District, which comprised the States of Louisiana 
 and Texas. 
 
 PART YI. 
 
 THE FIFTH MILITARY DISTRICT. 
 
 The Reconstruction Acts passed by Congress ; dinarily unforgiving and obstructive character, pre- 
 during the years 1867-'68 were three in number, vented the very result which, in pretense, they were 
 Designedostensiblyfor the "Reconstruction" of the i designed to bring about. They divided the South- 
 Southern States, they absolutely, by their extraor- ' ern States, in fact, into a series of military satra- 
 
20 
 
 LIFE OF WINFIELD SCOTT HANCOCK. 
 
 pies, of which the States of Louisana and Texas 
 formed one. These were termed military districts, 
 and by virtue of the first Reconstruction Act were 
 placed under the command of an officer appointed 
 by the President of the United States, who should 
 not be under the rank of brigadier-general. These 
 commanders were given, subject to their own judg- 
 ment and desire, absolute control and command 
 over the States within their respective districts. 
 While they were permitted, if they chose so to do, 
 to submit cases in dispute to the civil courts or civil 
 authorities, they could also, if they so elected, take 
 control and jurisdiction of these themselves. They 
 were empowered to appoint and remove civil officers, 
 to override the decisions of the courts, to control 
 the selection of jurors, and, in fact, had absolute 
 and unbounded authority. The nature of the acts 
 under which these districts were organized was 
 known by its f ramers to be in direct opposition to 
 the intentions of President Lincoln, and to his the- 
 ory of reconstruction ; the latter being simply, that 
 by the conclusion of the war, the ancient status of 
 the republic had been restored ; that the seceded 
 States, having failed to achieve their purpose, had 
 actually never been outside the Union ; consequently, 
 that the laws previously in force in those States, 
 were still in force, and could be sufficiently relied 
 upon for the conduct of their government. Had 
 Lincoln lived, no such outrageous schemes for the 
 destruction of the legal existence of the States 
 within their constitutional rights would have been 
 permitted. The Radicals in Congress, who had re- 
 sisted the conclusion of the war to the last, that 
 their pockets and their ambition might be to the 
 fullest extent satisfied, now equally resisted the res- 
 toration of peace on a footing of equal justice to 
 all, for the same reason. 
 
 Of course, in the selection of commanders of the 
 Southern military districts, care was taken to choose 
 only those who, it was believed, could be depended 
 upon to carry out the designs of the radical politi- 
 cians in power at Washington. It is certain that 
 General Hancock was approached by emissaries of 
 these men, and efforts made to induce him to com- 
 mit himself to their policy before he assumed his 
 command. It might readily be supposed that no 
 such effort could effect the desired result in his case. 
 Immediately on receiving the order transferring him 
 fro"m the Department of Missouri, General Hancock 
 set out for New Orleans, and, on reaching St. Louis, 
 was met by a telegram ordering him to Washington. 
 After remaining there some time, he returned to St. 
 Louis ; but, as the yellow fever had become threat- 
 ening in New Orleans, he did not start for his new 
 command until the latter part of November, and 
 arrived in New Orleans and relieved General Mow- 
 er, then in command, on the 29th of that month. 
 
 While on the boat going down the Mississippi, Gen- 
 eral Hancock conceived and himself wrote out his 
 celebrated Order No. 40, which he handed to his 
 principal aide-de-camp. Colonel Mitchell, to be put in 
 form for publication after his arrival. This order 
 was so important, and was also so characteristic of 
 the General, in indicating his view of the relations 
 between the civil and military law, that it must find 
 a place here in full : 
 
 " ORDER NO. 40." 
 
 " Headqttaktbrs, Fifth Militaet District, 
 
 '• New Orleans, La., Noveinher 29, 1S6T. 
 " General Orders, No. 40. 
 
 " I. In accordance with General Orders, No. 81, 
 Headquarters of the Army, Adjutant-General's Of- 
 fice, Washington, D. C. August 27, 1867, Major- 
 General W. S. Hancock hereby assumes command 
 of the Fifth Military District, and of the Depart- 
 ment composed of the States of Louisiana and 
 Texas. 
 
 " II. The General Commanding is gratified to 
 learn that peace and quiet reign in this Department. 
 It will be his purpose to preserve this condition of 
 things. As a means to this great end, he regards 
 the maintenance of the civil authorities in the 
 faithful execution of the laws as the most efficient 
 under existing circumstances. 
 
 "In war it is indispensable to repel force by force, 
 and to overthrow and destroy opposition to lawful 
 authority ; but when insurrectionary force has been 
 overthrown and peace established, and the civil 
 authorities are ready and willing to perform their 
 duties, the military power should cease to lead, and 
 the civil administration resume its natural and rights 
 ful dominion. Solemnly impressed with these views, 
 the General announces that the great principles of 
 American liberty are still the lawful inheritance of 
 this people, and ever should be. The right of trial 
 by jury, the habeas corpus, the liberty of the press, 
 the freedom of speech, the natural rights of persons, 
 and the rights of property must be preserved. 
 
 " Free institutions, while they are essential to 
 the prosperity and happiness of the people, always 
 furnish the strongest inducements to peace and 
 order. Crimes and offenses committed in this Dis- 
 trict must be referred to the consideration and judg- 
 ment of the regular civil tribunals, and those tribu- 
 nals will be supported in their lawful jurisdiction. 
 
 " Should there be violations of existing laws 
 which are not inquired into by the civil magistrates, 
 or should failures in the administration of justice by 
 the courts be complained of, the cases will be re- 
 ported to these headquarters, when such orders will 
 be made as may be deemed necessary. 
 
 " While the General thus indicates his purpose 
 to respect the liberties of the people, he wishes all 
 
LIFE OP WINFIELD SCOTT HANCOCK. 
 
 21 
 
 to understand that armed insurrection or forcible 
 resistance to the law will be instantly suppressed by 
 arms." 
 
 The publication of this order not only quieted 
 the apprehensions of the inhabitants of Louisiana 
 and Texas, who, with those of the other States lately 
 in rebellion, had come to the conclusion that there 
 was no further hope for them within the Union, but 
 it aroused a feeling of respect and warm admiration 
 for General Hancock's personal character and his 
 elevated magnanimity, which has existed ever since. 
 In fact, brief reflection upon the condition of the 
 times will show to the reader the extraordinary moral 
 courage which it required to publicly announce such 
 a course of conduct as General Hancock had laid 
 out for himself in the administration of the affairs 
 of his new command. The radicals found no diffi- 
 culty in the conduct of those who represented their 
 so-called Reconstruction Acts in the other military dis- 
 tricts of the South. Without entering into the broad 
 question of the actual deserts of the Southern peo- 
 ple in the premises, it is certain that, except by im- 
 prisonment or extermination, no more harsh action 
 iu regard to them could have been carried out than 
 was, as a rule, by the commanders of military dis- 
 tricts, acting under the authority of Congress. But 
 while General Hancock recognized the authority of 
 Congress, he also saw, what others ignored, that 
 these acts permitted a latitude and a dependence 
 upon personal judgment in the application of them, 
 under which he could legitimately exercise his func- 
 tions with some regard to the demands of generous 
 impulses and a soldier's mode of contemplating a 
 fallen foe. And to show that this latitude of ad- 
 ministration grew to be more and more demanded 
 by the Northern people as the true nature of the 
 acts became known to them through the general 
 character of their administration, we may quote 
 Section XI of the third and last of these acts, passed 
 in 1868, after General Hancock's removal from the 
 Fifth Military District, which reads as follows : 
 
 " Section XI. And be it further enacted, That all 
 the provisions of this act, and all the acts of which 
 this is supplementary, shall be construed liberally, 
 to the end that all the intents thereof may be fully 
 and perfectly carried out." 
 
 It is, indeed, a curious fact in the history of the 
 period that the concluding section of the act of Con- 
 gress, passed subsequent to the removal of General 
 Hancock, should have practically endorsed the very 
 course of conduct for which he was so removed. 
 
 AFFAIRS IN LOUISIANA AND TEXAS. 
 
 Meanwhile, and during the few months of his 
 stay in Louisiana, General Hancock was beset by 
 numerous demands and requests, on the part of offi- 
 cials and private persons alike, many of which were 
 
 nefarious, grasping, and altogether outrageous in 
 their character, and concerning which it must have 
 required a degree of technical skill and an amount 
 of knowledge of the principles of common and 
 statute law such as no one would for a moment ex- 
 pect an officer of the army to possess. Hardly an 
 application was made to him as commander of the 
 Fifth Military District for the exercise of his powers 
 that had not a job, or a desire for vengeance or 
 personal animosity behind it. He was invited to 
 charter railroads, to remove obnoxious officials, to 
 interfere with the law of the State with regard to 
 the appointment of jurors, to override State law al- 
 together and supplement it by military law — actual- 
 ly, in the State of Louisiana, where, less than half a 
 century before, Edward Livingston had prepared a 
 code of law whose wisdom and philanthropy com- 
 bined were such that its existence influenced legis- 
 lation in many countries — in this State a general, 
 high in command in the army of the republic, was 
 expected and invited to override all State law, and 
 supply its place with the edicts of a satrap issued 
 from militaiy headquarters. 
 
 Against all such schemes and devices as we have 
 indicated, and every effort to turn the course of his 
 administration from what he deemed to be just and 
 right. General Hancock sternly set his face ; and so 
 shrewd and well devised were the methods with 
 which he confronted the plans of those who would 
 have enriched themselves, or satisfied their ambi- 
 tious desires at the expense of the people of Louis- 
 iana and Texas, that these latter were almost en- 
 tirely nullified, and no act of injustice or official 
 impropriety was permitted during his period of 
 command. This course naturally won to him the 
 regard and esteem of the people whom he governed 
 so justly and generously ; and, indeed, when the 
 nature of his administration came to be understood 
 throughout the country, his popularity became un- 
 bounded among the most intelligent and well mean- 
 ing of the population. North or South. 
 
 INTERFERENCE FROM WASHINGTON. 
 
 But this state of things did not in the least accord 
 with the intentions of the radicals in Washington. 
 As General Hancock's increasing populai'ity seemed 
 to threaten their ambitious schemes, and as there 
 even appeared to be a gradually awakening inten- 
 tion to make him a candidate for nomination to the 
 Presidency, it became obvious to his enemies that 
 he must be suppressed at all hazards, or placed 
 where his acts could not interfere with their pro- 
 jects. The first movement in this direction was 
 made by James A. Garfield, Chairman of the Com- 
 mittee on Military Aiiairs of the House of Represen- 
 tatives, who introduced a bill into Congress, to re- 
 duce the number of major-generals in the army. 
 
22 
 
 LIFE OF WINFIELD SCOTT HANCOCK. 
 
 As an evidence of the animus of General Gar- 
 field, and his manner of considering the patriotic 
 services of General Hancock, who, he concedes, 
 "bears honorable scars earned in battle for the 
 Union," we quote the following: 
 
 House of Representatives, January 17, 1868. — Con- 
 sideration of the Supplementary Reconstruction 
 Act. 
 
 " Mr. Speaker, I will not repeat the long cata- 
 logue of obstructions which he [the President] has 
 thrown in the way by virtue of the power conferred 
 upon him in the Reconstruction laws of 1867, but 
 I will allude to one example where he has found in 
 a major-general of the army a facile instrument with 
 which more effectually to obstruct the work of re- 
 construction. This case is all the more painful be- 
 cause an otherwise meritorious oflScer, who bears 
 honorable scars earned in battle for the Union, has 
 been made a party to the political madness which 
 lias so long marked the conduct of the President. 
 This general was sent into the district of Louisiana 
 and Texas with a law of Congress in his hand — a 
 law that commands him to see that justice is ad- 
 ministered among the people of that country, and 
 that no pretense of civil authority shall deter him 
 from performing his duty ; and yet we find that 
 officer giving lectures, in the form of proclamations 
 and orders, on what ought to be the relation be- 
 tween the civil and military departments of the 
 Government. We see him issuing a general order 
 in which he declares that the civil should not give 
 way before the military. We hear him declaring 
 that he finds nothing in the laws of Louisiana and 
 Texas to warrant his interference in the civil ad- 
 ministration of those States. It is not for him to 
 say which should be first, the civil or the military, 
 in that rebel community. It is not for him to search 
 the defunct laws of Louisiana and Texas for a 
 guide to his conduct. It is for him to obey the 
 laws which he was sent there to execute. . . . Does 
 anybody expect that we will permit an officer of our 
 army to fling back in our faces his contempt of our 
 laws, and tell us what ought to be and what ought 
 not to be ? " 
 
 This bill was avowedly offered with the purpose 
 of ousting General Hancock, and was only not pressed 
 to a passage because those who favored it became 
 satisfied that such a course would be dangerous, and 
 likely to excite public feeling in favor of the officer 
 thus persecuted, to the ultimate damage of his ene- 
 mies. Determined, however, to effect their purpose, 
 thus inimical to General Hancock's administration 
 of affairs in the Fifth Military District, his enemies 
 proceeded to inaugurate a series of petty and mali- 
 cious acts of interference with his government. 
 
 which tended to place him in a false position before 
 those under his rule, and to bring about conflicts of 
 jurisdiction which could not but prove detrimental 
 to his influence and his power. The result of a 
 continued course of this petty treatment was what 
 had doubtless been foreseen. General Hancock 
 found that his usefulness at New Orleans had be- 
 come so impaired that he concluded to resign. A 
 case occurring in connection with the removal from 
 office by General Hancock, in accordance with the 
 authority conferred upon him by the Reconstruction 
 Acts, of certain public officials, occasioned on his 
 part the following letter of resignation : 
 
 "Headquarters, Fifth Military Distriot, 
 
 " New Orleans, La., February 2T, 1867. 
 
 " To Brevet Major-General L. Thomas, 
 
 " Adjutant- Genei-al, U.S.A., Washington, D.C.: 
 " General : I have the honor to transmit here- 
 with copies of my correspondence with the General- 
 in-Chief in reference to my recent action concerning 
 the removal from office of certain aldermen in the 
 city of New Orleans, made by me ' for contempt of 
 the orders of the district commander.' I request 
 that the same may, in an appropriate manner — as 
 explanatory of my action, and for his information — 
 be laid before his Excellency, the President of the 
 United States ; with this my request to be relieved 
 from the command of this military district, where it 
 is no longer useful or agreeable for me to serve. 
 When relieved, should the exigencies of the service 
 permit, it would be most in accordance with my in- 
 clinations to be sent to St. Louis, Mo., there to 
 await further orders. I am, very respectfully, 
 " Your obedient servant, 
 
 "W. S. Hancock, 3fajoi-- General." 
 
 general HANCOCK RELIEVED. 
 
 In response to this request, General Hancock was 
 relieved of his command at New Orleans, on the 
 16th of March, 1868. Pending the arrival at New 
 Orleans of orders from Washington to this effect. 
 General Hancock took the opportunity to reply at 
 considerable length to a communicaiton which had 
 been addressed to him by E. M. Pease, Governor of 
 Texas, on January 17th, and which was part of a 
 correspondence resulting from an application pre- 
 viously made by Governor Pease in writing. This 
 application was for the appointment of military 
 commissions to try certain offenders against the 
 civil law in the State of Texas, and was denied by 
 General Hancock, in consistent agreement with his 
 entire course while in New Orleans. In his letter 
 of January 17th, Governor Pease took exception to 
 the views expressed by General Hancock, contra- 
 dicted his statements of fact, giving a grossly ex- 
 aggerated account of the state of public morals in 
 
LIFE OF WINFIELD SCOTT HANCOCK. 
 
 23 
 
 Texas, and harshly and impudently rated General 
 Hancock for disagreeing with his line of argument. 
 It was to this letter that General Hancock, having 
 some spare time on his hands, wrote his reply of 
 March 9th. It is impossible to present this letter 
 here in full, and although there is hardly any writer 
 in the land who offers such facilities for quotation 
 as General Hancock, it would be doing him an in- 
 justice to print much in the way of extract from 
 such a communication. We can not, however, re- 
 frain from culling from it a few gems ; for instance : 
 
 " My dear sir, I am not a lawyer, nor has it been 
 my business, as it may have been yours, to study 
 the philosophy of statecraft and politics. But I 
 may lay claim, after an experience of more than half 
 a lifetime, to some poor knowledge of men, and some 
 appreciation of what is necessary to social order and 
 happiness. And for the future of our common coun- 
 try, I could devoutly wish that no great number of 
 our people have yet fallen in with the views you 
 appear to entertain. Woe be to us whenever it 
 shall come to pass that the power of the magistrate 
 — civil or military — is permitted to deal with the 
 mere opinions or feelings of the people ! I have 
 been accustomed to believe that sentiments of re- 
 spect or disrespect, and feelings of affection, love, 
 or hatred, so long as not developed into acts in 
 violation of the law, were matters wholly beyond 
 the punitory power of human tribunals. I will 
 maintain that the entire freedom of thought and 
 speech, however acrimoniously indulged in, is con- 
 sistent with the noblest aspirations of man, and the 
 happiest condition of the race. . . . 
 
 " Power may destroy the forms, but not the prin- 
 ciples of justice ; these will live in spite even of the 
 sword. History tells us that the Roman Pandects 
 were lost for a long period among the rubbish that 
 war and revolution had heaped upon them, but at 
 length were dug out of the ruins — again to be re- 
 garded as a precious treasure." 
 
 Before closing the record of General Hancock's 
 government of the Fifth Military District, it is proper 
 to say that the President of the United States fully 
 recognized the wisdom and integrity of his adminis- 
 tration, and to recall the fact that in a special mes- 
 sage to both Houses of Congress, dated December 
 18, 1867, he suggested that " some public recogni- 
 tion of General Hancock's patriotic conduct was 
 due, if not to him, to the friends of law and justice 
 throughout the country." One quotation from this 
 message will indicate the nature of this high com- 
 pliment : 
 
 THE president's MESSAGE. 
 
 " When a great soldier, with unrestricted power in 
 his hands to oppress his fellow-men, voluntarily fore- 
 goes the chance of gratifying his selfish ambition, 
 
 and devotes himself to the duty of building up the 
 liberties and strengthening the laws of his country, 
 he presents an example of the highest public virtue 
 that human nature is capable of practicing. The 
 strongest claim of Washington to be ' fii'st in war, 
 first in peace, and first in the hearts of his country- 
 men,' is founded on the great fact that in all his 
 illustrious career he scrupulously abstained from 
 violating the legal and constitutional rights of his 
 fellow-citizens. When he surrendered his commis- 
 sion to Congress, the president of that body spoke 
 his highest praise in saying that he had ' always re- 
 garded the rights of the civil authorities through all 
 dangers and disasters.' Whenever power above the 
 law courted his acceptance, he calmly put the temp- 
 tation aside. By such magnanimous acts of for- 
 bearance he won the universal admiration of man- 
 kind, and left a name which has no rival in the 
 history of the world." 
 
 We have quoted thus much from this flattering 
 message, because it supplies an index to the nature 
 and methods of General Hancock's acts while in 
 command of the Fifth Military District. No part of 
 his public life has had a more direct bearing than 
 this on those questions which should chiefly be con- 
 sidered in the choice of men for high executive 
 oflSce. Courage and generalship are requisite and 
 eflBcient in times of war alone ; but the power, wis- 
 dom, and goodness which combine in perfect civil 
 government are qualities upon which those who 
 govern must rely at all times and in all seasons. 
 In proving by his past conduct the possession of 
 these qualities, in the case of General Hancock, we 
 best display his admirable adaptation to the prime 
 wants of the American people. 
 
 On March 31, 1868, General Hancock assumed 
 command of the Division of the Atlantic, covering 
 an enormous territory east of the Mississippi. Dem- 
 ocratic politics this year began to feel the impress 
 of General Hancock's growing influence in the coun- 
 try, and at the Democratic Convention, held in New 
 York, July 4th, to nominate a candidate for Presi- 
 dent, he received votes rising from 33i to 144|, 
 when certain political influences intervened, and 
 Horatio Seymour was nominated. During the years 
 1868-69 nothing of importance in a military way 
 occurred in General Hancock's command, and on the 
 20th of March of the latter year he was ordered to 
 the Department of Dakota, making his headquarters 
 at St. Paul, Minnesota. He remained in this com- 
 mand until November 25, 1872, when he was re- 
 stored to the Division of the Atlantic. 
 
 This year occurred another Presidential election, 
 and General Hancock's name was freely canvassed 
 for the nomination by the Democratic party. It 
 was concluded, however, to offer a compromise can- 
 didate, and Horace Greeley was nominated by the 
 
24 
 
 LIFE OF WIXFIELD SCOTT HANCOCK. 
 
 Liberal Republicans and Democrats at their conven- 
 tions in Cincinnati and Baltimore. The compro- 
 mise proved a disastrous failure, and Mr. Greeley, 
 who was defeated, died soon after the election, a 
 victim to chagrin and a keen sense of injustice ex- 
 perienced at the hands of the party which he had so 
 long and faithfully served. Had General Hancock 
 desired to run at this election, he could have been 
 easily nominated. Pennsylvania was solid for him, 
 and his popularity throughout the country had con- 
 tinued to increase during the previous few years. 
 
 In December, 1875, occurred the scandal of the 
 St. Louis whisky ring, in connection with which 
 General Babcock, private secretary to President 
 Grant, had the misfortune to fall under suspicion. 
 At his request, a military court of inquiry was con- 
 vened at Chicago, which included as members, Gen- 
 erals Sheridan, Hancock, and Terry, General Sheri- 
 dan being president. The court assembled on De- 
 cember 9th, and, on the following day, learning that 
 the case of General Babcock was being tried by the 
 civil authorities at St. Louis, General Hancock ad- 
 dressed the court in an eloquent and eminently ju- 
 dicial speech, recommending an adjournment, pend- 
 ing the result of the St. Louis investigation. The 
 court accordingly adjourned. General Babcock was 
 indicted by the Grand Jury in St. Louis, tried, and 
 acquitted. In General Hancock's address to the 
 Chicago Court of Inquiry, he once again furnished 
 strong testimony to the character of his opinions in 
 regard to the relations of civil and military law — so 
 strong, in fact, that his views were at once adopted, 
 as is shown by the adjournment of the Court. 
 
 1876 THE ELECTORAL VOTE. 
 
 This brings us to the important year 1876, when 
 occurred the disputed Presidential election, accom- 
 panied by intense excitement throughout the coun- 
 try, and which has now become part of history. 
 
 After the election, and while the question of the 
 electoral vote was still pending, and no satisfactory 
 conclusion had yet been reached by the different 
 party leaders as to the legal or proper method of 
 counting the votes, a correspondence occurred be- 
 tween General Sherman and General Hancock, in the 
 course of which the latter wrote his celebrated " Ca- 
 rondelet letter," of December 28th. The importance 
 of this letter in its relation to the events of the pres- 
 ent year — 1880 — can hardly be overestimated. Some 
 intimation of its having been wi'itten became noised 
 about among the radical politicians during this year, 
 the result being that an entire misapprehension of 
 its nature was ignorantly or intentionally circulated 
 to the detriment of General Hancock. It was al- 
 leged by the Republican journals that the letter con- 
 tained treasonable utterances ; that it asserted the 
 conviction of the writer of the election of Samuel J. 
 Tilden to the Presidency, and his intention to obey 
 him as Commander-in-Chief of the army, providing 
 Mr. Tilden should see fit to issue any orders in 
 that capacity. The general circulation which these 
 charges gained through the medium of the Republi- 
 can press at length made it imperative that the 
 friends of General Hancock should insist on the 
 publication of the letter, and at once set at rest these 
 slanders and frivolous misstatements. The editor 
 of the New York "World" took the matter in 
 hand with great energy and enterprise, and dis- 
 patched a special messenger to search for General 
 Sherman, to obtain his permission. After much 
 time and labor, the General of the Army was found 
 attending to his military duties in the distant Terri- 
 tory of Dakota. Appreciating the propriety of the 
 request, he at once gave full permission for the 
 publication of the letter, and it accordingly ap- 
 peared in the columns of the " World," and, by the 
 courtesy of that paper, in the other metropolitan 
 journals. The following is the letter : 
 
 PART YII. 
 
 THE ''SHERMAN''' LETTER. 
 
 " Cakondelet p. O., St. Louis, Mo., 
 
 Decemher 28, 1876. 
 
 " My Dear General : Your favor of the 4th in- 
 stant reached me in New York on the 5th, the day 
 before I left for the West. I intended to reply to 
 it before leaving, but cares incident to departure 
 interfered. Then again, since my arrival here I 
 have been so occupied with personal affairs of a 
 business nature that I have deferred writing from 
 day to day until this moment, and now I find myself 
 
 in debt to you another letter in acknowledgment of 
 your favor of the 17th, received a few days since. 
 
 "I have concluded to leave here on the 29th 
 (to-morrow) p. m., so that I may be expected in New 
 York on the 31st inst. It has been cold and dreary 
 since my arrival here. I have worked ' like a Turk ' 
 (I presume that means bard work) in the country, 
 in making fences, cutting down trees, repairing 
 buildings ; and am at least able to say that St. Louis 
 is the coldest place in the winter, as it is the hot- 
 test in summer, of any that I have encountered in a 
 
LIFE OF WINFIELD SCOTT HANCOCK. 
 
 25 
 
 temperate zone. I have known St. Louis in Decem- 
 ber to have genial weather throughout the month ; 
 this December has been frigid, and the river has 
 been frozen more solid than I have ever known 
 it. 
 
 " When I heard the rumor that I was ordered to 
 the Pacific coast I thought it probably true, consid- 
 ering the past discussion on that subject. The pos- 
 sibilUies seemed to me to point that way. Had it 
 been true I should, of course, have presented no 
 complaint nor made resistance of any kind. I would 
 have gone quietly, if not prepared to go promptly. 
 I certainly would have been relieved from the re- 
 sponsibility and anxieties concerning Presidential 
 matters which may fall to those ' near the throne ' or 
 in authority within the nest four months, as well as 
 from other incidents or matters which I could not 
 control, and the action concerning which I might not 
 approve. I was not exactly prepared to go to the 
 Pacific, however, and I therefore felt relieved when 
 I received your note informing me that there was 
 no truth in the rumors. 
 
 " Then, I did not wish to appear to be escaping 
 from responsibilities and possible dangers which 
 may cluster around military commanders in the 
 East, especially in the critical period fast approach- 
 ing. ' All's well that end's well.' The whole matter 
 of the Presidency seems to me to be simple, and to 
 admit of a peaceful solution. The machinery for 
 such a contingency as threatens to present itself 
 has been all carefully prepared. It only requires 
 lubrication, owing to disuse. The army should have 
 nothing to do with the selection or inauguration of 
 Presidents. The people elect the President. The 
 Congress declares in a joint session who he is. We 
 of the army have only to obey his mandates, and are 
 protected in so doing only so far as they may be 
 lawful. Our commissions express that. I like Jef- 
 ferson's way of inauguration; it suits our system. 
 He rode alone on horseback to the Capitol (I fear it 
 was the ' Old Capitol '), tied his horse to a rail-fence, 
 entered and was duly sworn, then rode to the Exec- 
 utive Mansion and took possession. He inaugurated 
 himself, simply by taking the oath of office. There 
 is no other legal inauguration in our system. The 
 people or politicians may institute parades in honor 
 of the event, and public officials may add to the 
 pageant by assembling troops and banners ; but all 
 that only comes properly after the inauguration — 
 not before it ; and it is not a part of it. Our sys- 
 tem does not provide that one President should in- 
 augurate another. There might be danger in that, 
 and it was studiously left out of the charter. But 
 you are placed in an exceptionally important posi- 
 tion in connection with coming events. The capital 
 is in my jurisdiction also ; but I am a subordinate, 
 and not on the spot ; and if I were, so also would 
 
 be my superior in authority, for there is the station 
 of the General-in-Chief. 
 
 " On the principle that a regularly elected Pres- 
 ident's term of office expires with the 3d of March 
 (of which I have not the slightest doubt), and which 
 the laws bearing on the subject uniformly recognize, 
 and in consideration of the possibility that the law- 
 fully elected President may not appear until the 5tli 
 of Marcb, a great deal of responsibility may neces- 
 sarily fall upon you. You hold over! You will 
 have power and prestige to support you. The Sec- 
 retary of War, too, probably holds over ; but if no 
 President appears, he may not be able to exercise 
 functions in the name of a President, for his proper 
 acts are those of a known superior — a lawful Pres- 
 ident. You act on your own responsibility and by 
 virtue of a commission, only restricted by the law. 
 The Secretary of War is the mouthpiece of a Pres- 
 ident. You are not. If neither candidate has a 
 constitutional majority of the Electoral College, or 
 the Senate and House on the occasion of the count 
 do not unite in declaring some person legally elected 
 by the people, there is a lawful machinery already 
 provided to meet that contingency and decide the 
 question peacefully. It has not been recently used, 
 no occasion presenting itself, but our forefathers 
 provided it. It has been exercised, and has been 
 recognized and submitted to as lawful on every 
 hand. That machinery would probably elect Mr. 
 Tilden President, and Mr. Wheeler Vice-President. 
 That would be right enough, for the law provides 
 that, in a failure to elect duly by the people, the 
 House shall immediately elect the President, and the 
 Senate the Vice-President. Some tribunal must 
 decide whether the people have duly elected a Pres- 
 ident. I presume, of course, that it is in the joint 
 affirmative action of the Senate and House, or why 
 are they present to witness the count, if not to see 
 that it is fair and just ? If a failure to agree arises 
 between the two bodies, there can be no lawful 
 affirmative decision that the people have elected a 
 President, and the House must then proceed to act, 
 not the Senate. The Senate elects Vice-Presidents, 
 not Presidents. Doubtless, in case of a failure by the 
 House to elect a President by the 4th of March, the 
 President of the Senate (if there be one) would be 
 the legitimate person to exercise Presidential author- 
 ity for the time being, or until the appearance of a 
 lawful President, or for the time laid down in the 
 Constitution. Such courses would be peaceful, and, 
 I have a firm belief, lawful. 
 
 " I have no doubt Governor Hayes would make 
 an excellent President. I have met him and know 
 of him. For a brief period he served under my 
 command, but as the matter stands I can't see any 
 likelihood of his being duly declared elected by the 
 people unless the Senate and House come to be in 
 
26 
 
 LIFE OF WENFIELD SCOTT HANCOCK. 
 
 accord as to that fact, and the Fouse would of 
 course not otherwise elect him. What the people 
 want is a peaceful determination of this matter, as 
 fair a determination as possible, and a lawful one. 
 No other determination could stand the test. The 
 country, if not plunged into revolution, would be- 
 come poorer day by day, business would languish, 
 and our bonds would come home to find a depre- 
 ciated market. 
 
 " I was not in favor of the military action in 
 South Carolina recently, and if General Ruger had 
 telegraphed to me or asked for advice, I would have 
 advised him not, under any circumstances, to allow 
 himself or his troops to determine who were the 
 lawful members of a State Legislature. I could 
 have given him no better advice than to refer him 
 to the special message of the President in the case 
 of Louisiana, some time before. 
 
 " But in South Carolina he had the question 
 settled by a decision of the Supreme Court of the 
 State — the highest tribunal which had acted on the 
 question — so that his line of duty seemed even to be 
 clearer than the action in the Louisiana case. If 
 the Federal court had interfered and overruled the 
 decision of the State court, there might have been a 
 doubt certainly, but the Federal court only inter- 
 fered to complicate — not to decide or overrule. 
 
 " Anyhow, it is no business of the army to enter 
 upon such questions, and even if it might be so in 
 any event, if the civil authority is supreme, as the 
 Constitution declares it to be, the South Carolina 
 case was one in which the army had a plain duty. 
 
 "Had General Ruger asked me for advice, and if 
 I had given it, I should of course have notified you 
 of my action immediately, so that it could have been 
 promptly overruled if it should have been deemed 
 advisable by you or other superior in authority. 
 General Ruger did not ask for my advice, and I in- 
 ferred from that and other facts that he did not 
 desire it, or that, being in direct communication 
 with my military superiors at the seat of Govern- 
 ment, who were nearer to him in time and distance 
 than I was, he deemed it unnecessary. As General 
 Ruger had the ultimate responsibility of action, and 
 had really the greater danger to confront in the 
 final action in the matter, I did not venture to em- 
 barrass him by suggestions. He was a department 
 commander and the lawful head of the military ad- 
 ministration within the limits of the department ; 
 but, besides, I knew that he had been called to Wash- 
 ington for consultation before taking command, and 
 was probably aware of the views of the Administra- 
 tion as to civil affairs in his command. I knew that 
 he was in direct communication with my superiors 
 in authority in reference to the delicate subjects 
 presented for his consideration, or had ideas of his 
 own which he believed to be sufficiently in accord 
 
 with the views of our common superiors to enable 
 him to act intelligently according to his judgment, 
 and without suggestions from those not on the spot 
 and not as fully acquainted with the facts as him- 
 self. He desired, too, to be free to act, as he had 
 the eventual greater responsibility, and so the mat- 
 ter was governed as between him and myself. 
 
 " As I have been writing thus freely to you, I 
 may still further unbosom myself by stating that 1 
 have not thought it lawful or wise to use Federal 
 troops in such matters as have transpired east of 
 the Mississippi within the last few months, save as 
 far as they may be brought into action under the 
 Constitution, which contemplates meeting armed re- 
 sistance or invasion of a State more powerful than 
 the State authorities can subdue by the ordinary 
 processes, and then only when requested by the 
 Legislature, or, if it could not be convened in season, 
 by the Governor ; and when the President of the 
 United States intervenes in that manner, it is a state 
 of war, not peace. 
 
 " The army is laboring under disadvantages, and 
 has been used unlawfully at times in the judgment 
 of the people (in mine, certainly), and we have lost 
 a great deal of the kindly feeling which the com- 
 munity at large once felt for us. It is time to 
 stop and unload. 
 
 " Officers in command of troops often find it dif- 
 ficult to act wisely and safely when superiors in au- 
 thority have different views of the law from theirs, 
 and when legislation has sanctioned action seemingly 
 in conflict with the fundamental law, and they gen- 
 erally defer to the known judgment of their superi- 
 ors. Yet the superior ofiicers of the army are so 
 regarded in such great crises, and are held to such 
 responsibility, especially those at or near the head 
 of it, that it is necessary on such momentous occa- 
 sions to dare to determine for themselves what is 
 lawful and what is not lawful under our system, if 
 the military authorities should be invoked, as might 
 possibly be the case in such exceptional times when 
 there existed such divergent views as to the correct 
 result. The army will suffer from its past action, if 
 it has acted wrongfully. Our regular army has lit- 
 tle hold upon the affections of the people of to-day, 
 and its superior officers should certainly, as far as 
 lies in their power, legally and with righteous intent, 
 aim to defend the right, which to us is the law, 
 and the institution which they represent. It is a 
 well-meaning institution, and it would be well if it 
 should have an opportunity to be recognized as a 
 bulwark in support of the rights of the people and 
 
 of THE LAW. 
 
 " I am truly yours, 
 
 " WiNFELD S. Hancock. 
 " To General W. T. Sherman, commanding Army 
 of the United States, Washington, D. C." 
 
LIFE OF WINFIELD SCOTT HANCOCK. 
 
 n 
 
 PART VIII. 
 
 THB SITUATION IN 1880. 
 
 The question of the Presidential election being 
 finally concluded by the appointment of the Elec- 
 toral Commission, and its decision in favor of 
 Rutherford B. Hayes, the country settled down to 
 quietude, and the Republican press and leaders, tri- 
 umphant over the success of their machinations, 
 were loud in their predictions of a highly prosperous 
 future. Such a condition of things was, indeed, ne- 
 cessary, for, under Republican administration, since 
 the financial panic of 1873 there had been a con- 
 stantly increasing depression. Tens of thousands 
 of well-to-do merchants had been utterly ruined ; 
 the great factories and blast furnaces of the country 
 were idle, to the extent of about two thirds of their 
 whole number ; strikes were common events ; and 
 it was generally believed that from three to four 
 million workingmen were actually out of employ- 
 ment. The whole country was overrun by tramps, 
 who were robbing and burning wherever they could 
 find opportunity ; these, however, being the off- 
 scourings of large cities, always too lazy to work, 
 and who took advantage of the situation to claim 
 the reputation of honest workingmen. The loss by 
 failures had trebled in four years ; prices were at 
 their lowest notch ; hundreds of millions of prop- 
 erty had been swept away by the depreciation of 
 value, mainly in real estate ; Government bonds 
 were coming home to us from Europe to the amount 
 of many millions ; and the task which the election 
 and inauguration of Rutherford B. Hayes, was ex- 
 pected to accomplish might justly be esteemed Her- 
 culean. 
 
 THE RAILROAD RIOTS. 
 
 But the Republican predictions, being based upon 
 nothing, came to nothing ; and the prevailing mis- 
 ery and destitution soon began to exercise a de- 
 structive influence, which culminated in July, 1877, 
 in the terrible " Railroad Riots " which swept over 
 the country like a plague. Nothing in the history 
 of any civilized people ever exhibited anything of 
 the nature of this outbreak. In seventy-two hours' 
 time the transportation facilities of the greater por- 
 tion of the country had become impeded, and busi- 
 ness was at a standstill. One hundred thousand 
 . railroad employees and forty thousand miners were 
 on strike, the movement first occurring on July 14th, 
 on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, and other trunk 
 lines following. Trains were stopped, railroad iron 
 was torn up, and as soon as opposition to this revo- 
 lutionary state of things occurred, the work of de- 
 struction commenced ; an army of lazy, besotted 
 
 tramps gathered together from all points of the 
 compass, and congregated at the great railroad cen- 
 ters. Pittsburgh was specially selected for the op- 
 erations of this mob, and there incendiarism, rob- 
 bery, and general spoliation were rife during this 
 terrible period. Two thousand freight cars with 
 their contents, and more than one hundred locomo- 
 tives, were willfully destroyed. The direct loss of 
 railroad property reached between eight and ten 
 million dollars. But after the first paralysis, occa- 
 sioned by the suddenness of the awakening of this 
 destructive force, the authorities were not idle. Im- 
 mediately the State militia was armed, equipped, 
 and put in the field — only, however, to be fiercely 
 combated with that extreme contempt which riot- 
 ers invariably feel and express for volunteer sol- 
 diery. The militia, however, did excellent service 
 in many instances. It was not their fault that the 
 feeling of respect for regular soldiers, always expe- 
 rienced by mobs, should have been effectual in this 
 case. 
 
 In his capacity of Commander of the Military Divis- 
 ion of the Atlantic, General Hancock, of course, had 
 the entire direction of the Federal forces employed 
 in the suppression of the riot. Making his headquar- 
 ters at Philadelphia — after a brief visit to Balti- 
 more, during which he arranged the service for the 
 proper protection of that city — he gathered together 
 from all parts of the country whatever military force 
 he could command, and, as rapidly as transportation 
 could be secured, placed the soldiers at threatened 
 points, or at localities where outbreaks were already 
 occurring and property in imminent danger. It 
 happened that a large portion of the army was at 
 this time scattered through the far West, and the 
 war with the Nez Perces Indians was at that time 
 going on ; the latter being commanded by Chief 
 Joseph, and the Federal force in conflict with him 
 under General Howard and Colonel Miles. It was, 
 therefore, a matter of no little difficulty to obtain 
 men in sufficient force to make even a demonstration 
 of importance against the rioters, who were engaged 
 at so many different points at once, including Chi- 
 cago, Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Albany, Philadelphia, Bal- 
 timore, and other cities ; the strike of the miners, 
 too, in the Pennsylvania coal regions, had assumed 
 alarming proportions, and the whole question was 
 one requiring, at the hands of the chief official en- 
 gaged in its solution, the exhibition of rare and im- 
 portant qualities. 
 
 Of course, the readers of this book and those 
 who have otherwise followed the life of General 
 
28 
 
 LIFE OF WINFIELD SCOTT HANCOCK. 
 
 Hancock will have learned that to the hands of no 
 other man in the country could have been more 
 safely confided this precise emergency. The coolness 
 and comprehensive judgment with which he effected 
 the proper carrying out of exactly the orders 
 needed for the occasion, could but result in the con- 
 clusion so imminently necessary for the peace of the 
 country and the renewal of action throughout the 
 vast and complicated machinery of progress and 
 advancement. It has been a most gratifying mem- 
 ory to General Hancock, that the important purpose 
 effected by the army under his command in 1877 
 was accomplished without the loss of a man, and 
 without the killing of a rioter. In fact, the moral 
 influence of the mere presence of the United States 
 soldiery accomplished the desired object in all in- 
 stances without bloodshed; trains were run under 
 
 guard of the Federal soldiers, unmolested ; at the 
 sight of them the riotious demonstrations in large 
 cities ceased, those engaged in them being appalled 
 at the possibility of having to encounter the armed 
 representatives of the majesty of the United States 
 Government. 
 
 Within two weeks the riotous outbreaks had 
 been quelled in all directions, and peace and order 
 reigned once more. 
 
 From this time up to 1880 nothing of impor- 
 tance occurred involving General Hancock, and his 
 course of military duty went on at Governor's Island 
 according to the customary routine, varied only by 
 such official visits to other localities within his com- 
 mand as became necessary, and by his attendance 
 on courts of inquiry when appointed by the Presi- 
 dent for that duty. 
 
 PART IX. 
 
 POLITICAL— NOMINATION OF GENERAL HANCOCK. 
 
 With the year 1880 opened what may be termed 
 the period of the consummation of General Hancock's 
 signally important career. We have traced his life 
 briefly from its beginning, through the successive 
 steps of his boyhood's education, his warlike experi- 
 ence, and his enormous and vital responsibilities as 
 the commander of a great military district ; we have 
 seen him rapidly rising in popularity and achieving 
 an enviable reputation as a soldier, a jurist, and a 
 statesman ; we may now view him as the recipient 
 of the highest honor, save one, possible to be paid to 
 a citizen of this country — his nomination by one of 
 the two great political parties as its candidate for 
 the Presidency of the United States. 
 
 The National Republican Convention, which met 
 at Chicago June 2d, held an exciting and protracted 
 session, which resulted in the nomination of James 
 A. Garfield, of Ohio, for President, and Chester A. 
 Arthur, of New York, for Vice-President. This choice 
 of candidates by the Republicans was brought about 
 by a scandalous bargain on the part of the enemies 
 of General Grant in and out of the Convention. Its 
 effect has been to induce a wide-spread dissatisfac- 
 tion in the ranks of the Republican party, and to 
 exasperate the intelligent voters of whatever politi- 
 cal bias. It was felt and generally asserted, that 
 neither the Republican party as a whole nor the 
 American people were prepared to accept as that of 
 a possible President of the United States the name 
 of a second-rate professional politician ; a man dam. 
 aged untterably by well-grounded suspicions of hav- 
 ing prostituted a high representative position for 
 personal gain and emolument ; and neither could the 
 
 better class of Republican voters calmly reconcile 
 themselves to the nomination, for the dignified office 
 of Vice-President of the United States and Presi- 
 dent of its Senate, of a man who had been igno- 
 miniously dismissed from high official position by 
 the Republican administration then in power. Ac- 
 cordingly, on the announcement of the nominations 
 made by the Chicago Convention, tens of thousands 
 of voters declared their intention of waiting before 
 deciding upon their future political course, until the 
 action of the forthcoming Democratic Convention 
 should have been concluded. 
 
 DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION. 
 
 The National Democratic Convention met at 
 Cincinnati on June 2 2d, under the temporary 
 chairmanship of Judge Hoadley, of Cincinnati, who 
 was succeeded as permanent chairman by the Hon. 
 J. W. Stevenson, of Kentucky. Unlike the vicious 
 and conflicting sentiments which pervaded the Re- 
 publican Convention, that at Cincinnati, after the 
 adjustment of a few slight local differences, was 
 harmonious and united. Thorough appreciation of 
 the condition of the country and the necessities of 
 the party pervaded this intelligent assemblage; it 
 was felt, moreover, that the Republicans, in the fos- 
 tering and triumph of their bitter and malignant 
 enmities, had committed an irretrievable blunder. 
 Finally, it was seen that it required on the part of 
 the Democracy only to rise above the lower stratum 
 of professional politics, in which the dominant party 
 were wallowing, to achieve a victory whose value . 
 and importance as a force in the reconstruction of 
 
LIFE OF WINFIELD SCOTT HANCOCK. 
 
 29 
 
 the divided and antagonistic sections of this unhappy 
 country could not be overestimated. Toward this 
 end all concerned lent their best and strongest 
 endeavors; and when, on the first ballot, General 
 Hancock led the list of candidates, it was felt that 
 the hand of Fate pointed out in the person of the 
 noble and pure-minded soldier, whose spotless recti- 
 tude had never been impeached, the standard-bearer 
 under whose leadership the Democracy could over- 
 throw, as by a revolution, the party which had for 
 so many years battened on corruption and the pro- 
 ceeds of a debauched public integrity. The unani- 
 mous nomination of Winfield Scott Hancock, on the 
 second ballot, offered a fitting commentary on the 
 prolonged and tiresome struggle at Chicago. The 
 Convention nominated the Hon. W. H. English, 
 of Indiana, for Vice-President, and having adopted 
 the following platform, adjourned : 
 
 The Democrats of the United States, in Conven- 
 tion assembled, declare : 
 
 1. We pledge ourselves anew to the constitu- 
 tional doctrines and traditions of the Democratic 
 party, as illustrated by the teachings and example of 
 a long line of Democratic statesmen and patriots, 
 and embodied in the platform of the last National 
 Convention of the party. 
 
 2. Opposition to centralization and to that dan- 
 gerous spirit of encroachment which tends to con- 
 solidate the powers of all the departments in one, 
 and thus to create, whatever be the form of govern- 
 ment, a real despotism. No sumptuary laws ; sepa- 
 ration of Church and State for the good of each ; 
 common schools fostered and protected. 
 
 3. Home rule ; honest money, consisting of gold 
 and silver, and paper convertible into coin on de- 
 mand; the strict maintenance of the public faith. 
 State and National ; and a tariff for revenue only. 
 
 4. The subordination of the military to the civil 
 power ; and a genuine and thorough reform of the 
 Civil Service. 
 
 5. The right to a free ballot is a right preserva- 
 tive of all rights, and must and shall be maintained 
 in every part of the United States. 
 
 6. The existing Administration is the represen- 
 tative of conspiracy only, and its claim of right to 
 surround the ballot-boxes with troops and deputy 
 marshals, to intimidate and obstruct the election, 
 and the unprecedented use of the veto to maintain 
 its corrupt and despotic powers, insult the people 
 and imperil their institutions. 
 
 7. We execrate the course of this Administra- 
 tion in making places in the Civil Service a reward 
 for political crime, and demand a reform by statute 
 which shall make it for ever impossible for a de- 
 
 feated candidate to bribe his way to the seat of a 
 usurper by billeting villains upon the people. 
 
 8. The great fraud of ISlQ-'ll, by which, upon 
 a false count of the electoral votes of two States, 
 the candidate defeated at the polls was declared to 
 be President, and, for the first time in American 
 history, the will of the people was set aside under a 
 threat of military violence, struck a deadly blow at 
 our system of representative government. The Dem- 
 ocratic party, to preserve the country from the hor- 
 rors of a civil war, submitted for the time, in firm 
 and patriotic faith that the people would punish 
 this crime in 1880. This issue precedes and dwarfs 
 every other. It imposes a more sacred duty upon 
 the people of the Union than ever addressed the 
 consciences of a nation of freemen. 
 
 9. The resolution of Samuel J. Tilden not again 
 to be a candidate for the exalted place to which he 
 was elected by a majority of his countrymen, and 
 from which he was excluded by the leaders of the 
 Republican party, is received by the Democrats of 
 the United States with deep sensibility, and they 
 declare their confidence in his wisdom, patriotism, 
 and integrity unshaken by the assaults of the com- 
 mon enemy ; and they further assure him that he is 
 followed into the retirement he has chosen for him- 
 self by the sympathy and respect of his fellow-citi- 
 zens, who regard him as one who, by elevating the 
 standard of public morality, and adorning and puri- 
 fying the public service, merits the lasting gratitude 
 of his country and his party. 
 
 10. Free ships and a living chance for American 
 commerce on the seas, and on the land no discrimina- 
 tion in favor of transportation lines, corporations, 
 or monopolies. 
 
 11. Amendment of the Burlingame treaty; no 
 more Chinese immigration, except for travel, educa- 
 tion, and foreign commerce, and that even carefully 
 guarded. 
 
 12. Public money and public credit for public 
 purposes solely, and public land for actual settlers. 
 
 13. The Democratic party is the friend of labor 
 and the laboring man, and pledges itself to protect 
 him alike against the cormorants and the Commune. 
 
 14. We congratulate the country upon the hon- 
 esty and thrift of a Democratic Congress which has 
 reduced the public expenditures $40,000,000 a year ; 
 upon the continuation of prosperity at home and 
 the national honor abroad, and, above all, upon the 
 promise of such a change in the administration of 
 the Government as shall msure us genuine and lasting 
 reform in every department of the public service. 
 
 This brief sketch of the proceedings of the Cin- 
 cinnati Convention would be more incomplete even 
 than the conditions of our space require it to be, 
 were we not to include the following eloquent and 
 
30 
 
 LIFE OF WINFIELD SCOTT HANCOCK. 
 
 enthusiastic speech whicli was delivered by that dis- 
 tinguished orator, Hon. Daniel Dougheity, of Penn- 
 sylvania, on the occasion of his naming General 
 Hancock before the Convention : 
 
 SPEECH OF HON. DANIEL DOUGHERTr. 
 
 " Mr. Chairman : I propose to present to tbe 
 thoughtful consideration of the Convention the name 
 of one, who, on the field of battle was styled ' The 
 Superb,' yet won a still nobler renown as a military 
 governor ; whose first act, when in command of Lou- 
 isiana and Texas, was to salute the Constitution by 
 proclaiming that ' the military rule shall ever be 
 subservient to the civil power.' The plighted word 
 of a soldier was proved by the acts of a statesman. 
 
 " I nominate one whose name will suppress all 
 faction ; which will be alike acceptable to the North 
 and to the South ; a name that will thriil^ythe Re- 
 public ; a name, if nominated, of a man who will 
 crush the last embers of sectional strife, and whose 
 nomination will be the dawning of that day so long 
 looked for, the day of perpetual brotherhood among 
 the people of America. 
 
 " With him as our champion, we can fling away 
 our shields and wage an aggressive war. With 
 him, we can appeal to the supreme majesty of the 
 American people against the corruptions of the 
 Republican party, and their untold violations of con- 
 stitutional liberty. With him as our standard-bearer, 
 the bloody banner of Republicanism will fall palsied 
 to the ground. my countrymen ! in this supreme 
 hour, when the destinies of the Republic, when the 
 imperiled liberties of the people are in your hands, 
 pause, reflect, take heed, make no mistake ! I say 
 I nominate one whose nomination would carry every 
 State of the South. I nominate one who will carry 
 Pennsylvania, carry Indiana, carry Connecticut, car- 
 ry New Jersey, carry New York. I propose the 
 name — [A Voice, " Carry Ohio "] — Ay, carry Ohio — 
 I propose the name of the soldier-statesman whose 
 record is as stainless as his sword — Winfield Scott 
 Hancock ! 
 
 " One word more : if elected, he ivill take his 
 seat ! " 
 
 On July 13th, General Hancock's formal notifica- 
 tion of his nomination at the hands of the Demo- 
 cratic Convention occurred at Governor's Island. 
 Under date of July 29th, General Hancock signified 
 his acceptance of the nomination in the following 
 communication : 
 
 LETTER OF ACCEPTANCE. 
 
 "Goveenor'8 Island. 
 " New York Citt, July 29, 18S0. 
 
 " Gentlemen : I have the honor to acknowledge 
 the receipt of your letter of July 13, 1880, appris- 
 
 ing me formally of my nomination to the office 
 of President of the United States by the National 
 Democratic Convention, lately assembled in Cincin- 
 nati. I accept the nomination with grateful appre- 
 ciation of the confidence reposed in me. 
 
 " The principles enunciated by the Convention 
 are those I have cherished in the past and shall en- 
 deavor to maintain in the future. 
 
 "The Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Ffteenth 
 Amendments to the Constitution of the United 
 States, embodying the results of the War for the 
 Union, are inviolable. If called to the Presidency, 
 I should deem it my duty to resist with all my power 
 any attempt to impair or evade the full force and 
 effect of the Constitution, which, in every article, 
 section, and amendment, is the supreme law of the 
 land. The Constitution forms the basis of the Gov- 
 ernment of the United States. The powers granted 
 by it to the legislative, executive, and judicial de- 
 partments define and limit the authority of the 
 General Government. Powers not delegated to the 
 United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by 
 it to the States, belong to the States respectively, or 
 to the people. The General and State Governments, 
 each acting in its own sphere without trenching upon 
 the lawful jurisdiction of the other, constitute the 
 Union. This Union, comprising a General Govei'n- 
 ment with general powers, and State governments 
 with State powers for purposes local to the States, 
 is a policy the foundations of which were laid in 
 the profoundest wisdom. 
 
 " This is the Union our fathers made, and which 
 has been so respected abroad and so beneficent at 
 home. Tried by blood and fire, it stands to-day a 
 model form of free popular government — a political 
 system which, rightly administered, has been and 
 will continue to be the admiration of the world. 
 May we not say, nearly in the words of Washington : 
 The ' unity of government which constitutes us one 
 people is justly dear to us ; it is the main pillar in 
 the edifice of our real independence, the support of 
 our peace, safety, and prosperity, and of that liberty 
 we so highly prize and intend at every hazard to 
 preserve ? ' 
 
 " But no form of government, however carefully 
 devised, no principles, however sound, will protect 
 the rights of the people unless its administration is 
 faithful and efficient. It is a vital principle in our 
 system that neither fraud nor force must be allowed 
 to subvert the rights of the people. When fraud, 
 violence, or incompetence controls, the noblest con- 
 stitutions and wisest laws are useless. The bayonet 
 is not a fit instrument for collecting the votes of 
 freemen. It is only by a full vote, free ballot, and 
 fair count that the people can rule in fact, as re- 
 quired by the theory of our government. Take this 
 foundation away, and the whole structure falls. 
 
LIFE OF WINFIELD SCOTT HANCOCK. 
 
 31 
 
 " Public office is a trust, not a bounty bestowed 
 upon the holder ; no incompetent or dishonest per- 
 sons should ever be intrusted with it, or, if appointed, 
 they should be promptly ejected. The basis of a 
 substantial, practical civil-service reform must first 
 be established by the people in filling the elective 
 offices ; if they fix a high standard of qualifications 
 for office, and sternly reject the corrupt and incom- 
 petent, the result will be decisive in governing the 
 action of the servants whom they intrust with ap- 
 pointing power. 
 
 " The war for the Union was successfully closed 
 more than fifteen years ago. All classes of our 
 people must share alike in the blessings of the 
 Union,. and are equally concerned in its perpetuity 
 and in the proper administration of public affairs. 
 We are in a state of profound peace. Henceforth 
 let it be our purpose to cultivate sentiments of 
 friendship and not of animosity among our fellow- 
 citizens. 
 
 " Our material interests, varied and progressive, 
 demand our constant and united efforts. A sedu- 
 lous and scrupulous care of the public credit, to- 
 gether with a wise and economical management of 
 our governmental expenditures, should be maintained 
 in order that labor may be lightly burdened, and 
 that all persons may be protected in their rights to 
 the fruits of their own industry. The time has come 
 to enjoy the substantial benefits of reconciliation. 
 As one people, we have common interests. Let us 
 encourage the harmony and generous rivalry among 
 our own industries which will revive our languish- 
 ing merchant marine, extend our commerce with for- 
 eign nations, assist our merchants, manufacturers, 
 and producers to develop our vast natural resources, 
 and increase the prosperity and happiness of our 
 people. 
 
 " If elected, I shall, with the Divine favor, labor 
 with what ability I possess to discharge my duties 
 with fidelity, according to my convictions, and shall 
 take care to protect and defend the Union, and to 
 see that the laws be faithfully and equally executed 
 in all parts of the country alike. I will assume the 
 responsibility, fully sensible of the fact that to ad- 
 minister rightly the functions of government is to 
 discharge the most sacred duty that can devolve 
 upon an American citizen. 
 
 " I am, very respectfully, yours, 
 
 "WiNFiELD S. Hancock. 
 " To the Eon. John W. Stevenson, President of the Con- 
 vention ; Hon. John P. Stockton, Chairman, and 
 others of the Committee of the National Democratic 
 Convention.'''' 
 
 The nomination of General Hancock and his ac- 
 ceptance supply precisely the occasion for the ex- 
 isting and impending " change of heart " of those 
 voters in the Republican party who can not con- 
 sistently support the ticket presented to them for 
 their acceptance by the Convention at Chicago. The 
 multitude who waited for Cincinnati before decid- 
 ing, have long ere this concluded to sustain that 
 ticket against which no subversive criticism can be 
 flung; and, regardless of a prostituted party alle- 
 giance, have determined to add their voices to those 
 of the Democracy, for the sustenance of law, order, 
 and the integrity of the Union. To those whose 
 judgment is yet undecided, and whose intentions 
 waver in the balance, this little book is offered, 
 with the hope that its feeble attempt to present 
 justly before the American people the character and 
 career of its hero may aid some little in effecting 
 the complete restoration of our country, through the 
 election to the Presidential chair, of Winfield Scott 
 Hancock. 
 
In preparing this work tlie autiiors iiave liad full access to the papers, 
 records, reports, etc., of General Hancock ; and it is published 
 with his consent and approval as an authentic and reliable history 
 of his personal, political, and nfiilitary career. 
 
 THE LIFE 
 
 OF 
 
 LD SCOTT HANCOCK, 
 
 Major- General United States Army. 
 
 By Rev. D. X. JUNKIN, D. D., 
 
 Late Chaplain United Slates Navy ; 
 
 AND 
 
 FRANK H. NORTON, 
 
 Formerly Assistant Librarian Astor Library. 
 
 *♦♦ 
 
 This memoir of Winfield Scott Hancock is founded on an extended biography, compiled 
 by the late Rev. D. X. Junkin, D. D,, an eminent Presbyterian minister. Dr. Junkin was 
 engaged during many years in the preparation of — what was to him a labor of love — the life 
 of his hero, and his standard of excellence; the life of a man who, to his mind, represented 
 all that is noble, wise, and generous in human nature. Esteeming General Hancock above all 
 other men, he confidently believed, up to the day of his death, that the American people 
 would eventually pay just tribute to the statesmanlike qualities, the stanch integrity, the 
 magnanimity, and the patriotism of his hero by elevating him to the highest executive posi- 
 tion within their gift. Dr. Junkin died in April, 1880, respected and lamented. 
 
 In undertaking the revision, condensation, and completion of Dr. Junkin's voluminous and 
 comprehensive material, the undersigned has been aided by having free access to all the ne- 
 cessary documents, including the official reports of General Hancock. He desires to recognize 
 in this place the value of the information afforded him and the aid rendered by Colonel and 
 Brevet Brigadier-General W. G. Mitchell, of General Hancock's staff, for eighteen years the 
 General's principal aide-de-camp, and at present his close and valued friend. 
 
 It has been the conscientious intention and scrupulous effort of the undersigned, in per- 
 forming his responsible duty in connection with this work, to present to its readers such an 
 account of its distinguished subject as should best convey the means for a just estimate of 
 General Hancock's profound and varied nature, and of the vivid and important attitude which 
 he sustains as a prominent figure in American history. 
 
 General Hancock's single-minded patriotism, his deep sense of the duty of man to his 
 brother man, his contempt for the employment of narrow, vicious, and degraded methods to 
 sustain selfishness and illegitimate ambition, his remarkably acute and just perception of the 
 relations of things, his comprehensive aceuraulation of knowledge, and the natural wisdom 
 which has rendered his ability and his knowledge valuable to his fellow countrymen — these 
 are some of the qualities and characteristics which have been made prominent in the acts and 
 life of General Hancock, and which this biography has sought to render evident. 
 
 Feank H. Noeton. 
 
 The book makes a handsome 12rao of 412 pages, illustrated, with a fine portrait on steel 
 from a photograph by Sarony, and nine spirited battle-scenes by A. R. '^aud, the celebrated 
 artist, who was with General Hancock in his most important battles, and also with diagrams 
 of battle-grounds. Price, $1.50. 
 
 The public are cautioned against the clap-trap, so-called "Lives of General Hancock," 
 mostly made up from newspaper cuttings, and not at all reliable. The intelligent agent can 
 judge very quickly, on examination, which is the best, and all friends of General Hancock will 
 
 '■C3-ET THE BEST." 
 
 I). APPLET ON & CO., Publishers, 1,3, & 5 Bond Street, N'eio York. 
 *»* Agents wanted in evert town to sell the above book. 
 

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