Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1880-08-05
HANCOCK AS A GENERAL.
His Domineering Spirit and Cru
ell Treatment of Volunteers.
A Regiment Made TO Double-Quick
An Hour for Calling fer
Water,
Afler an Eighteen Mile March Under yir.
ginis gun in August,

A LANCASTER SOLDIERS TESTIMONY.
Many have already read chapters
from Dr. Alfred L. Castleman's diary
portraying Gen. Hancock's haughti-
ness, profanity and his brutal treat
ment of volunteer soldiers under him.
DR.. Castleman was surgeon of the
9Th Wisconsin Volunteers, of which
regiment Amasa Cobb, known to ey-
cry citizen of this Third Congress
sional District who reads a newspa-
per, was Colonel. He-the Doctor
admits tina. General Hancock was
an officer OF fire appearance and says
he was so ornamental In dress and
manner that the soldiers nicknsmed
him General Strut.
Three weeks after General Han
cook took command chapter in the
diary says he came zone morning to
brigade drill perfectly sober" He
wished to appear excited at soma lit
tie mistake in maneuyer, and the vol
ley OF oaths he Numbered down the
line startled his men. They thought
he mistook the men for mules and
their officers for drovers.
Another chapter relates Hancock's
visit to the hospital where he said
the men in hospital were ga brigade
of id sight better mon" than were
left with him for duty. That such
beds and such comforts would invite
every man in the regiment into hos
pital before a month
Another chapter notes the fact
that on Hancock's order an expert
enced druggist was taken from the
hospital and a man who did not know
one medicine from another put in
his place. One man was in conse-
quence poisoned to death, and two
others nearly SO.
Another chapter tells how the hun.
cry man hired and paid for the priv.
ilege Of one draw of a seine in the
Pamunky river. The General rode
down and complacently looked OF
until the good haul was brought to
shore, when by his order every fish
was carried away for himself and
friends, whose tables were always
laden with wines and the best yiands
Another relates how that after 6
long and tiresome march without
water the men were not permitted to
get water when it was convenient
and regiment was punished severe
ly because some of the men called fol
water.
There lives in Lancaster a gentle.
man, Charles Langridge by name
who belonged to the 9Th Wisconsin
at the same time with DR.. Castleman.
He has been frequently Intercepted
as to the truth of the accounts copied
from the Doctors published army
journal and several citizans how
urged him to publish his answers t.
their questions. To get at the fact;
we invited Mr.Langridgs into the of
fee the other day and asked him
what truth there was in DIR. Castle,
mans diary.
$50 far as l have SEEM" said he
"everything related is substantially
true. AS we were not always at the
same places at the same times he anC
| might differ little in particulars
but our accounts would be as neal
alike as Johns Gospel il to Mat
thew's. General Hancock rarely ad
dressed o volunteer soldier without
profanity. He treated them with ex.
IRENE brutality. lie appeared to have
not as much feeling fer them as mar
ought to have for beast, and the
men universally, as far as | knew
came to the conclusion that he hac
only beastly instinots'
"Do youremomber all the incidents
related by DR.. Castleman ?"
"Some of them did not come under
my own observation, bus even those
l had not personal knowledge d
were SO much talked that | have nc
doubt of their truth
"Do you recall incidents he has
not related derogatory to the ohsrac
ter of General Hancock ?"
81 could recall many of them by
reference to my diary. too kept q
daily Journal of what trsnspired that
| thought worth noting. AS expec.
ted you to ask such questions, have
brought it along"
"Well, give an item from notes Of
your own indicating the Generals
character.
"On referring to March 10, 1862, ]
find that We made a six mile march
through . dronohing rsia to the vicin.
ity of the Chickahominy. Tbs roads
were deep mud. Our brigade made
a halt near very fine farm belon g
ing to the distinguished Lee family.
Some members of she regiment not
on duty went to fence, took off TOP
rails aud leaned than with one end
against the fence and ths other on
the ground, Over these they spread
and fastened their rubber blankets 81
means of protection from the rain
They then went to straw stack and
carried from il aymfuls OF straw aud
placed under the blankets to rest on
as protection from the nud. Han
cock happansd along jus: then. He