The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1880-07-22

formation of which General Meade was
then ignorant, that General Hancock was
desperately wounded. General Meade
sent back the following reply: "Say to
General Hancock that am sorry he is
wounded, and that ! thank him for the
country and for myself for the service he
has rendered to-day" For such services
no thanks and no reward could be ade-
quate. Congress, by joint resolution
three years later, thanked General Han
cock for his "gallant," meritorious and
conspicuous share in that great and deci-
sive victory.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. OF THE WILDERNESS.
During the winter, he went North to
recruit for the Twenty -second Corps and
was everywhere received with honors, in
Guiding q formal reception by both
Houses of the Legislature at Albany. In
March, 1864, with the ranks of the
Twenty-second Corps well recruited and
the Third Corps added, he began the
campaign of the Wilderness in command
of $4,000 men. At Spottsylvania, on
May II, by an assault at dnybreak, he
carried the enemy's position, taking
5000 prisoners, thirty stand of colors and
twenty pieces of artillery Among the
brigadiers taken was General George II.
Stewart, On acquaintance of General Han
cock, and former regular army officer.
This person was ushered into General
Hancocks presence. The latter, with
characteristic frankness, offered the pris-
oner his hand with the remark, "Stew-
art, I'm glad to see you" Stewart, who
was afflicted with overwhelming ideas of
his own importance, drawing himself up,
said: "Under the circumstances, sir |
cannot take your hand" With quiet com
posure, General Hancock replied !:
"Under any other circumstances, sir, [
would not have offered you my hand "
GENERAL ORDER, NO. 40"
In November 1867 he was ordered to
assume command Of the Fifth Military
District, with headquarters at New Or
leans He ut once issued his famous
General Order No. 40' to the people OF
Louisiana and Texas: Gen. Hancock
informed them that he took command in
accordance with the orders he had re-
ceived from the headquarters of the
army, but that he did not propose to
rule them by military orders ut all, He
congratulated the people Of the South
west that peace and quiet reigned among
them. To best preserve that state Of
things he proposed to let the civil author
tiles execute the civil laws. War he re-
garded as only necessary to destroy OPP
position to lawful authority, but when
peace was established and when the civil
authorities were ready and willing to
perform their duties the military power
should cease to lead and the civil admin
istration should resume its natural and
rightful conditions. He declared him
self solemnly impressed with the belief
that the great principles Of the Amer
can liberty were the lawful inheritance Of
the whole people, and should forever
continue to be. He declared that the
rights of trial by jury, ha6eas corpus
| liberty of the press, freedom of speech
the natural rights of person and OF prop.
erty should be preserved. He believed
that free institutions being essential tc
the prosperity and happiness of the peO-
pie were themselves the strongest in.
ducements to peace and order. He de-
clared that the civil authorities and
tribunals should have the consideration
of, and jurisdiction over, crimes and Of
lenses, and should be supported in the
exercise of that jurisdiction. But, while
thus recognizing the rights of the peo-
pie, he annouced that he should sup
press armed instruction and forcible
resistance to law by force of arms At
once.
General Hancock maintained the puri
ty and independence Of the elections, re-
fused to organize military commissions
to take the place of judicial trials, and
would permit no military interference
with civil administration. The Mayor
of New Orleans formally requested his
interference by military order in certain
proceedings against the corporation
General Hancock declined on the GROUND
that his interference would be unconsti
tutional, and could only be exercised il
an emergency which did not, in his opin
ion, then exist. He was requested by
the General commanding the District Of
Texas, to order a military commission
for the trial of certain offender. He
declined, stating MS his reasons, tha
while the act passed by Congress "fol
the more efficient government of the
rebel States" made it the duty of com
manders of military districts to punish
disturbers of the public peace and crimi
nails, that power, from the nature o
things, should only be exercised wheI
the local civil tribunals were unable an(
unwilling to enforce the laws, SUPPOSE
ton that did not exist, a State Govern
ment in subordination to the Unitet
States being then in full exercise of it,
powers in Texas. General Hancock
predecessor had snmmarily, by militar.
order, removed the clerk Of court ant
had appointed another in Misplace. Gen
Hancock revoved this order on the grount
that if. there were any charges agains
the clerk so removed the courts wer
competent to take action in the premises
His predecessor had rendered the ad
ministration of justice inefficient by In
stituting certain qualifications for person
to be eligible to do jury duty, such quail
fications being made by military order
General Hancock revoked the order, an
nouncing that he would not permit tn
civil authorities to be embarrassed b.
military interference. In December h
issued an order prohibiting military in
reference with the elections, unless whel
necessary to keep the peace at the polls
as being contrary to law, and he ordere
that no soldier be allowed to appear a
any polling place unless as citizens O
the State, registered voters, and for tn
purpose of voting; but he ordered fur
Their that the commander of post
act promptly in preserving tn
peace in cases where the civi
authorities failed to do SO. Men in
terested in civil controversies in grea
numbers applied at the Generals head
quarters for interference, assuming Oh
his part both the arbitrary power to in
terfere and the willingness to do SO