The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1880-07-29

the men for mules, and their officers
for drivers. He must be facetious
chap, that General, to wish to excite
such suspicious. | think he halls from
Pennsylvania, but nobody seems to
know much about him, except from
his statement that he has been ''sev-
enteen years in the service, and knows
all about it," Whoever he has been,
he has certainly acquired perfect in
tlmacy with the whole gamut Of pro-
family.
This was by no means solitary
outbreak. On January 2, 1862, the
men in hospital under the Surgeon,
twenty-seven in number, were reioic-
ing over their Christmas and New
Years boxes. Then followed this
scene:
This morning as | was prescribing
for them (all sitting up), some reading
the morning papers, and talking loud
ly over war news, some playing whist,
some checkers, some chess, some dom
mos, all laughing and merry, Gen. H.
walked in, and, looking for moment
along the line of sick, exclaimed,
What the h-ll have you got there?'
My hospital, General" "a brigade"
replied he in his roughest manner, ''of
id sight better men than you have
left me. Where are your sick, sir?"
"All here, sir" well, this beats any,
thing | have seen in the army, and if
you give your men such beds and such
comforts as this you will have every
man of your regiment in hospital be-
fore month"
A little later during the winter the
Surgeon went to see a detachment of
his regiment which had been appoint
ed to guard Hancock's headquarters.
He says:
Around the house occupied by the
General was large ditch some five
feet deep and some ten or twelve feet
wide, dug as the commencement Of
fort. In thi ditch, over which few
evergreen bough had been thrown as a
covering, stood well dressed Lieuten-
ant (from my own regiment) with
squad of soldiers guarding the Gener-
ais house-the Lieutenant trying to
infuse into the men little warmth of
patriotic feeling, while the winter tor
rents poured through the evergreen
branches, and their whole frames
shook with cold in this sentry house,
charitably built for them by orders of
the General, who at that moment was
being joyful over his wine, and with
| his friends!
But it was not cold hearted indif-
ference only that characterized Han
cocks conduct toward the men under
his command. He was mischievously
meddlesome. DIR. Castleman writes
under date of March 13:
The effects of Gen. H--'s vim
dictive meddling with the medical de-
partment are beginning to manifest
themselves. When he took from me
my we'll trained hospital attendants
and my experienced druggist, on the
5th inst, there were appointed in their
places men worthless in the ranks, and
without knowledge of the important
duties which they were to perform in
the hospital. The druggist knew not
one medicine from another, and to-day
three men are poisoned by mistake
in dispensing medicine. One of them
is already dead; the other two suffer-
ing severely, though have hopes that
they may yet be saved. Thank God
was absent at the time, and had moth
ing to do with either dispensing or ad-
ministering; and yet, should | write
that the Vindictiveness was not yet |
gratifed, would the world credit it?-
1t is even so. | have addressed to the
General a respectful letter, setting
forth the facts and urging the restor-
alton of my druggist, but he refuses
Would he decimate his brigade to
crafty his vindictivensss?
The sick were not the only persons
who suffered from Hancock's unfeel-
ing selfshness. On the 14th of May |
the Journal notices the arrival of his |
command at the Pamunkey River, and
continues:
One circumstance occurred ON our
arrival here this morning, showing the
difference between officers and men,
and so characteristic is it of the man
that | can not refrain from recording |
it in my journal as food for the
thoughts" hereafter. We found some
negroes drawing seine in the river
here. Some soldiers made a bargain
to make draw for them fixing price
and paying for it. The men had been
on short rations of hard bread and salt
meat for several days. Being compell-
ed to carry their provisions in their
haversacks, they can carry nothing but
this simple food, while the officers,
having transportation at command,
take with them all the comforts of
the country. Well, the net was cast,
and while the drawing was going on.
Gen. Hancock rode down to the beach |
and watched the operation with much
apparent interest. The draught was
nearly at shore; the hungry mouths
and watching eyes Of the soldiers were
being gratifed by the anticipation of
a joyous feast. for it was now beyond |
doubt that the net was cast at a !
propitious moment, and was coming
in loaded with herring, shad, aud eels.
But what right had common soldiers
to indulgences like these? The Gen
erals mouth watered, too. The in
slant the draught was brought to land
the bayonets of the Generals guard |
bristled all around, and the Generals
capacious bags received every fish. Off |
they were carried for himself and
friends, without even a nod in ac-
acknowledgement.
Two months later the journal de-
clares that Hancock was evidently
possessed of one very Napoleonic |
trait of character-that when an OBJ
iect is to be attained the lives of men
are not to be estimated" 1t adds:
THE men were exposed and hard
worked. The efforts of the surgeons