The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1880-08-26
HOW HANCOCK swoRE.
Some Details Of the Last Radical YaWp-A Stu
alton Where Little Mild Profanity Did Good.
Letter in Cincinnati Commercial, Rep.l

Some Details Of the Last Radical YaWp-A Stu
alton Where Little Mild Profanity Did Good
Letter in Cincinnati Commercial, Rep,l
Columbus, August IA Considerable
comment has been INDUCED in by the
press on the alleged profanity and bru-
tality of Gen. W. S. Hancock toward his
soldiers. A man named Ward, a men,
Der Of the Fourth Ohio Volunteers, has
made long statement detailing the
Generals horrid conduct and brutal
treatment to his men while the Ohio
regiment was crossing stream in Virgil
MIA.
While going from the Delaware to the
Marysville Congressional Convention,
among the delegates l met upon the train
was one from Marion county named
Henry Cunningham. He was member
of Company X, of the Fourth Ohio
There is going the rounds Of tie Repub'
ican press a carefully prepared tabular
statement, which proves Conclusively
that there were few if any Democratic
soldiers in the war from Ohio, Out Of
3.4OO voters, the Democratic county of
Marion sent LOO men into the field,
During the war, while these man were
gone, the Republicans carried Marion
comfy. When the soldiers returned,
the county again gave Democratic ma.
iority, and is Democratic by 700. The
Fourth Ohio was raised" in this section
of the State chiefly, Company K of the
regiment was from Marion, and cast lite
solid vote while in the field for Clement
L. Ya.landiguam.
In talking with Mr.. Cunningham he
said: 1T was my company that was
crossing the stream in Virginia when
General Hancock did the swearing, 1t
was on the Sd day of June, the day be.
fore the opening of the battle of Gettys-
burg. We were making forced marches
to reach the field. can't give the name
of the stream, but we were beyond the
Potomac. Between it and Gainesboro
Hancock and his staff were with the
corps-the SeCond-all day urging the
men forward. He ewould ride TO the head
of the column and then ride back along
the line to encourage the men to keep
the column closed up. We finally came
to little stream not over six inches
deep. The farmers had gathered the
stones out of the roadway and thrown
them on either side, forming two foot
paths that the men could use and keep
their feet dry. When the Fourth Regi-
ment reached the stream we broke ranks
and began cooning it over on the stones.
This delayed the column behind us.
There were 10000 men in the corps, and
a delay of ten minutes at the head of
such a column will delay the rear thirty
minutes. My company, Company K was
Just crossing the stream, when Hancock,
who had discovered a halt in the col
umn, dashed up, and seeing the cause of
the delay, he yelled, 'D-n it, boys, get
down into the water. 1t won't hurt you
The boys, however, refused to pay any
attention to him, and continued passing
over in files on the stones. Every min.
ute was precious, for we were sorely
needed at Getty ysburg. Genera Hancock
again yelled-this time with more EN-.
phasis: Cd d-n it, get down into the
water and get over that streamp Still
no attention was paid to the order He
was sitting on his horse, which he had
halted at the edge of the stream. A big
fat fellow in our company was tip.toeing
on the stones Ia the middle of the stream,
when Hancock drew his sword, and dash
ing among the men he spanked the fel-
low over the rump, and as he did 80, he
said: You loafers, get down into that wa
ter 1t is needless to say that the boys
fell into line and got down into the wa.
ter. The men all laughed and thought it
a huge joke. When Hancock would pass
along the line some one would yell, Get
down into that waterP and the boye kept
up the cry ali along the march,"
You reached Gettysburg, / believed"
eyes, our brigade marched into town
Just as Howards corps had broken and
was flying through the streets. My regi'
ment was stationed to the left Of the road
and the batteries, and when the rebels
made that terrible charge on Cemetery
Hill, they had reached our artillery be-
fore we received the word to charge, We
took them in flank, and as they broke
and ran we gave them a parting fire at
close range that seemed to wipe them out
of existence" r....,
"Was Hancock brutal to his menP"
mo. The talk about his brutality is
all bosh, and these charges are made by
men like Bob McCarter of Delaware,
who fought in the Qusrtermasters De.
partmeDt. / was with Hancock all
through Virginia, and never had to wade
but one stream, and that was the Rapi'
dan. We went into this up to our arm
pitg,"