The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1880-07-07
OUR NEXT PRESIDENT,
WINFIELD SCOTT HANCOCK!
A REVIEW OF MS MILITARY AND CIVIL
CAREER.

REVIEW OF MS MILITARY AND CIVIL
CAREER.
General Hancock bears family name
which long before his birth bad been
made celebrated in revolutionary an
mails. 70 this family belonged John
Hancock of Massachusetts, the hrst
siener of the Declaration of lndepend-
cnce. In the great struggle for human
liberty and the dpIiYerance OF mau
from the old thrald0m of kings more
than one ancestor of our subject, ma
ternaI as we'll rs paterDal, TOOK part.
That Winfield 5. Hancock should b:
lover of his country is matter OF III
berjtauce. That he is man who, al
though soldier by profession, hoids
the law and the Constitution above the
sword, is an honorable and patriotic
feature of his character which is ms
own. His name shines therefore WIN
no reflected lustre from the past.
General Hancock was born IN Mont
oomery County, Pennsylvania. His
T,ther who was native Of the same
County. participated in the war Of 1872,
and afterwards became lawyer OF
prominence. The date of General Han
cocks birth was February 14th, 1874.
His early education WAS received at nd
academy In Norristown, where ne spent
the first years of his youth. tie pos
sessed, as a schOol-boy, those traits
which sometimes foretell future emf
hence. Studious and thoughtful, he
laid the foundations of great career.
Entering West Point at lG lie gradu-
ated with credit to himself OH the 3Oth
of June, 1874. The close of the Next
can WARM which he had distinguish
ed himself Mt Contreras, Cherubuseo,
Moline del Rey and at the capture OF
the City of Mexico-found him Second
lieutenant of Infantry. Prom 1913 to
1861 he served in various capacities in
the military service. In 1861, when the
war between the United States and the
Confederate States broke out, lie was
stationed at Los Angeles, California.
lie offered his services first to his ma
tive State of Pennsylvania and then to
the Federal Government. The latter
accepted them. General Scott ordered
him to Washington and President Lin
coin commissioned him as Brigadier-
General of Volunteers September 23d
General TIancock's command was
composed of four regiments-fron
PENNSYLVANIA, New York, Vermont and
Wisconsin respectively. With these
troops he repaired with the Army Of
the Potomac to the Peninsula towards
the end OF March, 1862, when Genera
Mcclellan began his Intellectual cam
paigu against Richmond from that Ill
rection. His brigade took part In
number of skirmishes and partial en-
gagements that preceded the battle o.
Williamsburg OH the 9Th OF May. l.
distinguished Itself on that day, Gene
raj Hancock assuming personal com
mand and leading a charge. This
sharing the danger of his men was one
of the features of his military career
he never was unwilling to lead on oc
casions when his presence was needed
to encourage his troops, and both al
Brigadier-Generai and Major-Genera
lie gave TO his soldiers the inspiritine
lesson of example and emulation. Eu
all General Hancock's courage and skill
could not alter the DEGREES of Fate. liz
retired with the rest of the Army of the
Potomac a from the long-continued
bloody and disastrous Seven Days
Fight, leaving Richmond in the hands
of her valiant defenders, but enjoying
for himself the enviable consciousness
of having deserved well of his country
The testimony to his devotion wa
shown when, after the battle of Nal
yern Hill, General Mcclellan recon
mended that he be promoted to thu
rank of Maior-Generat of Volunteers
and at the same time his services il
this most active of campaigns wer'
further rewarded by his obtaining thu
successive brevets OF Major, Lieutenant
Colonel and Colonel in the regula
army.
The months of August and September
1862, found General Hancock with TIT
brigade at Centrevile, serving unde
Pope. He fought at South Mountain
and again, on September 18th, at An
tietam. In this battle fell the General
Commanding the First Division of tn
Second Army Corps. During the prog
ress Of the battle General Hancock wa
appointed to the command Of the D
vision, and thus began his connectio
with the second corps, of which in th
course of time he became til
commander.
He was commissioned Major-Geners
of Volunteers in the month of Novem
Der, and at the head of his Division h
participated in the battle at Frederick.
burg on December 18th; here he wa
slightly wounded. He shared in tn
defeat of Hooker at Charlottesville |
1863, and his Division did effectual sci
vice in stopping the nl-fortunes of tn
day by protecting the rear of the n
treating Union troops. In the mont
of June of the same year he was al
signed to the command of the Secon
Army Corps.
Wenext hear of Hancock at the gre;
battle of Gettysburg which, by SON
Northern authorities, Is held to hay
been the pivotal conflict of the wa
The retreating Union forces were stage
at this point by his advice, and hel
was it that General Meade, who was
general command, determined to max
stand against General Lees pursuin
army. On the first day of the battl
July 1st, he was In immediate con
mand until the arrival of Meade. 0
the second day his corps did excel
tional service aud was engaged wit
General Longstreet's corps. He ha
command OF the left centre ofthe Unto
army and before the close of the da
he was severely wounded. In consid'
ration of his services in these battle
Congress voted him a resolution I
thanks.
1t was not until the opening of til
campaign of 1864 that his wounds a
lowed him again to see active SERVICE
Up to March of that year he was o
sick leave, and was engaged in recruit
ing the Second Army Corps. With til