The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1880-09-03
GEN. HANCOCK's QUARTERS.
The Tiny Island Off The Battery Where
VisitOrss Find Him.
IFroln N. Y. Sun, 23rd,1

Gen. Hancock took a nap yesterday
afternoon. The heshadows of three broad
topped lindens lay ON the grass in front
Of the door. On the wide porch were
two high backed iron settees and three
wide-armed, woven-bottomed chairs,
that looked inviting in the shade. The
leaves of grape vine that climbs half
way up the south side of his yellow
brick cottage rustled in cool breeze
| there are two bay windows, and be-
tween them the wall is covered with
ivy. The further one, which COM
mands view of the East River from
the Battery to the Brooklyn Bridge,
forms the principal part of the cosey
library where he usually sits when he
is at home, and when he is not receiv-
ing visitors. The days for receiving
visitors are Mondays, Wednesdays,
and Fridays. The open windows of
the library revealed no sign of life. In
front of the house several acres of grass
stretched away to star-shaped Fort
Columbus in the middle of the island.
To the right and the left of the house
are the pretty cottages occupied by the
other officers of the post. Wherever
there is opportunity near these cottages
a flower bed appears. 1t is always of
some exact geometrical form. The
grass, which is intersected with walks
of black concrete, is shaded with
multitude of trees. The most of them
are sycamores, but there are also many
| elms and ailantus trees. The latter,
much to the Generals disappointment,
are fast dying out. Either the soil or
the sea air is not to their liking. Gen.
Hancock, in his character of farmer,
has taken special interest in the trees
on Governors Island. 1t is said that he
made a country place, near st. Louis,
belonging to Mrs. Russell, his wife's
mother, a paradise.
| A stroll across the park from the
Generals house to the left of the band
stand in the middle brings one to the
south battery, where eight 10-inch
Rodman guns frown on Buttermilk
Channel.
s:These are nothing" said a young
artilleryman, who was conducting two
friends along the precipitous rampant.
Governments got tsomething in Wash
ington that lays way over these. You
wait till the next war breaks out, and
you'll sec something that'll make your
eyes stick out. That's the way with
the United States. When England gets
hold of an invention she lets every
other country know all about it, but
Culteu otateS lays low tlll tne tlIne
comes.'
care these guns rifed ?" asked one
of his companions, as he tugged at a
: tompion that closed the mouth of one
them.
"Nah," said the artillcryman.
"But they'd do we'll enough to cover
Buttermilk Channel.''
"Oh, they'd do we'll enough for But
. termilk CHANNEL said the artillery.
: man, casting his eyes contcmptuouslS
at the row of storehouses that line the
South Brooklyn side of the estuary.
:. "What do you think Of Gen. Han
cock ?' he was asked.
"Gen. Hancock ?'' said the soldier
"1 think just this of Gen. Hancock
That there amt any better man o,
G Governors Island to-day, nor in tn
n United Statcs.'
e There was scarcely sound on tn
:. island to disturb the Generals slum
q bers. Along the eastern and southern
l. shore runs a sea wall, whose broad to-
II makes a pleasant walk. On littl
c. hillock overlooking the bay, but be