Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-06-28
HANCOCK AND GARFIELD

An Ex-sOldier Pre- tests Against the Effort
Offhe Radicals TO Place the Two on The
Same Military Pane Gen. Hancock at
Gettysburg
| To the Editor of the Giote:
ST.. PAUL, June 26.-The Republican
press with great unanlmity nave
adopted the programme of dec
larine that so far as their military records
are concerned Gen. Hancock and Gen. Gar
field stand on the Same plane, while III
knowledge and experience OF civil affairs
Gen. Garfield is far superior to Gen. Han.
cock. With the latter portion of this pro
position do not propose to say anything ct
this time, bat as TN ex soldier, who gave
nearly four years and half OF continuous
service in tho late war, much OF
tbe time in the same army with
Gen. Hancock, l most emphaticaliy
protest, as will fully nine tenths OF my
comrades, [ caro- not what their politics,
AGAINST the fraudulent and insulting claim or
equality of military service by the two nom
inees-the gallant, chivalric, and inVincibie
military chieftain, the Murst of the Ameri-
can army, Hancock, and the ordinary, com
monplace Garfield, whose military ardof and
desire for fame on the battle field In main
tenance of the life of the nation, was ex-
hausted before the war was fairly begun,
and who sought the first opportunity offered
to retire from a post or danger, Tor the
more safe. less honorable and patriotic, bat
more agreeable and money max
ing position of q seat in Congress. Of
Gen. Garfeid's brief military career L
have no desire to make any invidiou5 criti-
cisms, but when it comes to comparing his
Services, his ability, or his exhibition Of true
patriotism-a patriotism that counted ones
life as nothing that the country might live
with that Of Hancock's, the hero Of tie 18th
day of May at Charlottesville, the incarna-
tion of war at Gettysburg, and the gallant,
sagacious commander of scores of other bat
ties, it is time for every ex-soldIer IN the
land to enter his protest, and the press and
the speakers who lend themselves TO mai ing
this, to Gen. Hancock, unjus', fraudulent ana
insulting comparison of the military record or
the two men, will find that the ex-soldiers will
so protest, if not through the press as | am
doing, at the ballot box. in November.
In conclusion, Mr.. Editor, have to re.
quest The republication of the appended
extract from the description of Gen.
Hancock at Gettysburg, written for
the Philadelphia Times by j. S.
Brisbln. There are thousands Of ex-
soldiers scattered throughout the northwest,
who participated in that battle, the bloodiest.
most desperately contested and important in
its results of any battle Of the war, who saw
Hancock on that occasion, upon whom this
though fairly drawn picture of
his daring and personal galantry will act ss
did the bugle call to battle in the try ing years
of 1861, go, '63. AID ga; and as memory,
uuickeneth thereto by this reminiscence,
brings up the whole picture of that
terrible struggle, with Hancock always
in the foreground, always brave,
always safe, always aggressive, ana
in times of great emergency developing un-
der the inspiration of the moment into the
fullest possible embodiment of real hero,
born into the Wo;ld as if for such an occa-
sion, they will as then gallantly rush to enroll
themselves under his banner, aod aid in car
rying it forward to victory in November.
This is the extract:
Hancock was grand and magnificent in
the battle of Gettysburg, and seemed the
yery incarnation of war. On the second
day he was Ell Cemetery heights during the
frieht tful cannonade when the rebels con-
,entrated the fire of one hundred and fifty
guns on our lines. The air was full of mis-
,iles, streams of shot and shell screamed and
missed everywhere, it seemed as though
nothing could live under that terrible FIRE,
men and horses were torn limb from limb,
,sissons exploded one atsr an
,ther in rapid succession, blowing the gun.
lers to pieces The infantry Rugged the
ground closely and sought every slight shel-
II that the light earthwork afforded. 1t
vas literally storm Of shot and shell, like
he ialI Of rain drops or the beat of hail
tones. Those who had taken part i'll everg
,attle of the war never had seen anything
ike that cannonade, and the Oldest soldiers
,egan te be uneasy for the result. Hundreds
md thousands we're stricken down; the
brieks of animals and screams of wounded
nen were appalling; still the awful rushing
ound of flying missiles went Oh, and appar-
ntly never would case. 1t was then, when
he frmest hearts began to quail, the army
one of the grandest sights ever
,eheld by any army OIL earth. Suddenly
,and began to play the Star Spangled Ban
ler," and Gen. Hancock, with his staff
Major Mitchell, Capt. Bingham, Capt. Parker,
Japt Bronson, with corps flag flying in the
lands of Private Wells, appeared on the
light of his line uncovered, and rode down
he front of his men to the left The soldiers
leld their breathe. expecting every moment
O see him fall from his horse pierced by
!ozen bullets; bat still he rode en-, while the
hot roared and crashed around him, every
moment tearing great gaps in the ranks by
lls side.
Stormed at by shot and she'll,
Boldly he rode, and we'll.
Every soldier felt his heart thrill as he
the magnificent courage Of his
Yeneral, aud he resolved to do something
hat day which would equal it in daring. Just
.s Hancock reached the left of his line, the
ebel batteries ceased to play, and their in
antry, eighteen thousand strong, were seen
,n,erping from the woods and advancing up
he hill. Hancock knew the artillery fire
lad been intended to demo ralize his men
md cover the advance of their infantry, which
vas to make the real attack. Turning his
lorse he rode slowly up his line,
rom left to right, holding his
lat in his hand, bowipg and
Inliling to the troops as they lay fiat on tho
ground. Hardly had he reached the right OF
he line when the men, who, inspired by the
courage Of their general, could now hardly
estrain themselves, received orders to at
ack the advancing rebels Eighty guns
which Hancock had concentrated opened
heir brszen mouths, and streams of blue
,ullets flew from the muzzles of our rifles to
he breasts of the confederates. 1t was an
4wful day. and Longstreet's "Old Guard of
he South" melted away like wax under that
errible fire. OF the $4,000 who came TO the
stack, 5000 fell or were captured on the
hillside. Thirty stand of colors and an inn
nense number of small arms were taken.
hancock was everywhere, riding the storm
# battle az if he bore a charmed life. At
ast, Just in the moment of victory, he was
cen to reel in bis saddle, and would have
allen to the ground had he not been helped
A kaM kol zaIn.ood