Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1870-05-20
Why Gen. Hancock Did Not Gel
What He Wanted.

A Washington Associated Dis
patch says:
WASHINGTON, May % -Itappears
from published correspondence that
Gen. Hancock on the 10th of April
telegraphed Gen. Sherman tha .if
his rank would not entitle him to a
division, and changes in the De-
partments make it practicable, he
prefers the st. Louis station Sher-
man replied, the President fairly
considered Hancock's S claims to the
command Of the Pacific and the pre-.
ferance for the Department of the
Missouri, that the relations Han.
cock chose to assume towards him,
officially and privately absolve him
from regarding Hancock's personal
preferences, and than the changes
to be made will not touch the De
partment of Dakota or the Military
Division Of Missouri.
Hancock, 90 April 27th writes
LAS the President leads me to be
lieve that because I have not this
personal sympathy, my preferences
for command will not be regarded
Notwithstanding my rank, I shall
not again open the subject, but viii
add that think it an unfortunate
precedent to establish that military
rank III time Of peace shall rot have
the consideration hitherto conceded
to it,
The folio wing words recently at
tributed to General Sherman do moi
appear ia bis letter: Il am re
quested by the President to inform
you that there is nothing in YOU
personal relations to Gen. Grant, OF
in your official relations to his ad
ministration, that could justify YOU
promotion now or lead you to ex
pect it hereafter"
The reference in She. mans let
ter to the relations which Hancocl
chose to assume toward the Presi
dent officially and privately, an:
absolving the President from re
garding Hancock's personal prefer
ance, is thus explained:
At the time the reconstruction
acts were put in operation. Haneocl
was transferred from the Depart
of the Missouri to the District O
Louisiana. Grant as General in
Chief modified or revoked one @
Hancoek's orders, to which the lat
ter took strong personal exceptions
Shortly after, by order of the Presi
dent, Hancock was assigned to thu
command of the division of the At
lantic and came to Washington. II,
went to Gen. Grants headquarters
but iustead of calling upon him per
sonally simply registered his name
which was unusual and considered
discourteous. Grant having M
knowledge or apprehension tina
Hancock was offended, meeting hin
on the street shortly afterward &C
eosted him in friendly way
Good morning Hancock" {,
this Hancock made no verbal re
sponse, but merely touched his ha
and passed on Sometime snbse
quently at a wedding party Hancocl
had boasted Of his discourtesy tx
him on the street. When Hancoel
issued an order for the removal O
certain persons in New Orleans,
correspondence took place between
the two Generals, when HancocI
used language which was considere,
disrespectfu] and insubor,linate to
superior officer. Hancock is now
Major General in command ola de
partment.
When General Thomas died ther
were left four Major Generals-Hal
leck, who had been on the Pacif1
coast and had served out his terri
Of duty; Meade, who was offere
! the command and preferred remain
ing in Philadelphia. Thus til
choice lay between Hancock an
Schofeld. The matter was submit
ted to the President, who simply d
rected Schofeld be sent to the Ps
cific, leaving Hancock where h
was. in command of one of the mos
important military departments {
the country.