Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1880-07-06

At Charlottesville, in May, 1868, HI
commanded his division and covered
the roads leading towards trederlcks-
burg, where, amid surrounding disaster
although constantly attacked, his troops
maintained their position to the last
and formed the rear guard Of the army
in moving off the field. The Genera
had his horse shot under him in the bat
tie. Early in June he relieved Genera
Couch in command of the Second corps
and later in the same month was as
signed by Mr.. Lincoln to be its perma-
nent commander.
1t was at Gettysburg Hancock again
loOmed up before the country as hero
He was commanding the rear guard OF
the army in its advance on Gettysburg
and had reached Tarrytown. the place
where his grandfather, one hundred
years before. had started to escort one
thousand Hessian prisoners of Bur
goyne's army to Valley Forge, when
General Meade sent him an order to
hasten to the front and assume COM
mand of all the troops there. The re.
port had reached Meade of the fall OF
General Reynolds and the check and re
pulse of the advance, and his mind at
man above all others best qualified to
replace Reynolds and restore order to
the head of the army. Hancock was
not the ranking general, but in the crit
ical state of affairs Meade, knowing him
to be the best man, did not hesitate to
assign him. 80.
On his way from Tarrytown to the
battle field General Hancock met the
al II q foin nj Y,o 10 hndU nj
General Reynolds. When he arrived
on the field he found the army in con-
fusion and retreat had already begun.
Planting some infantry and batteries on
Cemetery Hill he threw his whole ener
gy into the battle and checked the ene-
my. Schwerin and SAKE were said to
be worth each a reinforcement of 10, 900
men to an army Torstensin was rated
as equal to $1,000, and the Duke of
Wellington said the arrival of Napoleon
on battlefield was better reinforcement
to the French army than the accession
of AZ, 600 fresh troops. What, then, shall
we say of the value of General Han
cocks arrival at the critical moment on
the battlefield of Gettysburg. battle
that by common consent is now admit
ted to have decided the fate of the
Union and fixed the final result of the
war?
OF General Hancock's individual Rc-
ton at Gettysburg it would require a
volume to tell, He was really the ac-
ton of the army, and Round Top,
Culp's Hill, and Cemetery Heights
were his creations. He sent word to
General Meade that was the place to
fight, and seiZIngthe favorable posi-
tions with the eye of consummate gen.
eral, hung on to them with the advance
until Meade brought up the whole army
and delivered his battle.
Hancock was grand and magnificent
in the battle of Gettysburg and seemed
the very incarnation OF war. On the
second day he was at Cemetery Heights
during the frightful cannonade when
the Rebels concentrated the fire of 15G
guns Oh our lines. The air was full of
missiles; streams of shot and shell
screamed and Missed everywhere; its
seemed as though nothing could live
under that terrible fire-men and horse
were torn limb from limb caissons ex-
pfoded one after another in rapid sue
cessiOn, blowing the gunners to pieces
The infantry hugged the ground close
ly, and sought every slight shelter that
the light earthworks afforded. It was
literally storm Of, shot and shell, like
the fall of rain drops OR the beat of hail
stones. Those who had taken part in
every battle of the war never mad seen
anything like that cannonade, and the
oldest soldiers began to be uneasy for
the result. Hundreds and thousands
were stricken down, the shrieks of ami
mails and ecreams of wounded men
were appalling; still the, awful rushing
sound of flying missiles went on, and
apparently never would cease. 1t was
then, when the firmest hearts had begun
to quail, the army witnessed one of the
grandest sights ever beheld by any army
on earth. Suddenly a band began to
play 1.-THE Star Spangled Banner" and
General Hancock, with bis staff-Major
Mitchell, Captain Bingham, Captain
Parker. Captain Branson-with corps
flag flying in the hands of Private
Wells, appeared on the right of his line
| his men to the left The soldiers held
their breath, expecting every moment
to see him fall from his horse pierced
by dozen bullets, but still he rode on
while the shot roared and crashed
around him, every moment tearing
great gaps in the ranks by his side.
Every soldier felt his heart thrill as he
witnessed the magnificent courage of his
general, and he resolved to do some
thing that day WHICH would equal it in
daring. Just as Hancock reached the
lett of his line the Rebel batteries ceas
ed to play, and their infantry, IS, ,OO(
strong, were seen emerging from the
woods and advancing up the hill. Han
cock knew that the artillery fire haG
been intended to demoraliZe his mer
and cover the advance of their infant
ry, which was to make the real attack
Turning his horse he rode slowly up the
line from right to left, holding his hat
in his hand, bowling and smiling to the
troops as they lay fiat on the ground
Hardly had he reached the right of the
line when the men, who, inspired by
the courage Of their general, could now
hardly restrain themselves, received Or
ders to attack the advancing Rebels
Eighty guns which Hancock had con
centrated opened their brazen mouths
and streams of blue bullets flew from the
muzzles of our rifles to the breasts of the
| Confederates. 1t was an awful day, anC
Longstreet,s sold Guard of the South.
| melted away like wax under that terri
BILE fire. Of the 49, 900 WHO came to the
attack, 5000 fell or were captured on the
hillside. Thirty stands of cOlors and al
immense number Of small arms were
taken. Hancock was everywhere, rid
ing the storm of battle as if he bore a
charmed life. At last, just in the mo
ment of victory, he was seen to reel il
his saddle, and would have fallen to tht
ground had he not been helped from hi:
horse. A ball had pierced his thigh
and for time it was thought the wounC
was mortal.
''Tell General Meade" said Hancock
addressing his aide, Colonel Mitchell
that the troops under my command
have repulsed the enemy and gained,
great victory. The enemy are now ny
ing in all directions in my front"
When the aide delivered this messag'
to General Meade and added his Genera
was dangerously wounded, Meade SAID
Say to General Hancock that am sor
ry lie is wounded, and that | thank MN
for myself and for the country for TN
services he has rendered to day
General Meade afterwards, IN com
menting on the battle OF Gettysourg
said to General r c. Drum: NO com
handing general ever had better lieu
tenant than Hancock. He was alway
faithful and reliable"
Hancock did not recover from ~
| ,,ntil nnno,,b NOR 1SfS when. al