Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-07-08

reel In his saddle and would have fall
en- to the ground had he not been
helped from his horse. A ball had
pierced his thigh, and for a time it
was thought the wound was mortal.
Tell General Meade" said Han
cock, addressing his aide, Col. Mitch
ell, "that the troops under my com
mand have repulsed the enemy and
gained n great victory. The enemy
are now flying in all directions in my
front"
When the aide delivered this mes
sage to General Meade and added that
his general was dangerously wounded,
Meade said: "Say to General Han
cock that / am sorry he is wounded
and that | thank him for myself and
for the country for the services he has
rendered to-day"
General Meade afterwards, in COM
menting on the battle of Gettysburg,
said to General II. G. Drum: No
commanding general ever had bet
ter lieutenant than Hancock He
was always faithful and reliable"
UNDER GRANT.
Hancock did not recover from his
wound until December, 1868, when,
although still quite lame, he reported
for duty, and was sent north to re-
cruit his corps. He was rendered
reception at independence Hall by
the citizens of Philadelphia, and re-
ceived the hospitalities of the cities of
Boston, Albany and New York. In
March, 1864, he rejoined his corps
and participated in the battles of the
Wilderness with Grant. He COM
manded the Second and parts of the
Fifth and Sixth corps, amounting in
all to 10000 men. He fought at
Alesops House and Spottsylvania
Court House, capturing Stonewall" "
Jackson's old brigade, 1900 prisoners
and thirty colors. He was at North
Anna, and did most of the fighting
there. lie commanded at the bloody
assaults on Cold Harbor, and did his
best to execute Grants orders. The
fighting was desperate, and Hancock's
loss could not have fallen far short of
10000. He was on the South side of
the James river, and made the assaults
on Petersburg. He was with Sheridan
and attacked the enemy at Deep Bot.
tom, taking four pieces of artillery,
six hundred prisoners and four stands
of colors. lie was at Petersburg and
witnessed the explosion of the mine on
the morning Of July 80. The adj
vance up the James river, August II,
1864. was under his command, and he
handled the Second and Tenth corps
Of the army Of the james and GreCg's
division of cavalry with such consum-
mate skill rs to elicit expressions of
admiration from even General Grant.
He fought the battle of Ream's Sta.
ton August -, and had his horse shot
under him. He fought the battle of
Boydton road, capturing !, 900 prison
ers and two stands of colors.
With the battle of Boydton General
Hancock's active fighting in the war
ceased. President Lincoln, who had
learned to place a high estimate on
Hancock's abilities, ordered him TO
Washington, and directed him at once
to proceed with and organize an army
of 10000 veterans from discharged vol
unteers who had served an enlistment
The use of this army was alone pre-
vented by the surrender of Lee and
the ending of the war. At the close
of the war Hancock commanded the
army of the Shenandoah, relieving
General Sheridan. This army con-
sisted Of $4,000 men of all arms, and
was destined to move South with
lIancock's 10000 veterans and Join
General Sherman, but Joe johnson
threw up the sponge and rendered the
movement unnecessary.
SINCE THE WAR.
General Hancock's career since the
war Is so well known it needs but
little mention here. For his services
during the war he was appointed q
brigadier and afterwards n major
general in the regular army and
assigned to command of the middle
department. In 1866 he took com
mand of the department of Missouri
and conducted two campaigns against
hostile Indians, taking the field in
person at the head of 800 men of
all arms.
In 1867 he was sent by the Presi-
dent to New Orleans to command the
States of Texas and Louisiana. Ii
was in this field of labor that he dis
tinguished himself by setting the ex-
ample of an officer of the army with
extraordinary powers strenuously in
sisting upon the entire subordination
of military to civil authority in time of
peace. Among the military command
ers during the reconstruction period
he was conspicuous in this regard, and
tha Y.no,t.cna .ko.. lu.l H.. 4