Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1880-09-09
The Truth of Charles Langridge's
Statements on Hancock-What
Others Say.

Others Say.
The charges made by Mr.. Chas.
Langridge against Gen. Hancock
have had very wide circulation. They
have been copied in whole or in part
in most of the leading Republican
papers of the Union. They have
also been corroborated by number
Of his comrades and other soldiers
that were under Hancock in the war
of the rebellion. Mr.. Langridge's
charges are mainly, those he has
given to the public at least, the same
as those printed in DR.. Castleman's
book in 1868, but some of them are
more deliberately stated. The charge
of having cruelty denied the soldiers
drink Of cool water on hot days
march and Furnishing them for call.
ing for it has met with one denial
The party denying it is Col. T. S.
West, of Waukesha. He was for
about year Adjutant of the 5th
Wisconsin Volunteers, of which DIR.
Castleman was surgeon and Mr.. Lam
gridge was company officer. A
correspondent ofthe Chicago Tribune
two weeks ago interviewed parties
at Waukesha and at Milwaukee who
were with the Regiment at the time
referred to and who know all about
Col. West. Maj. NJ. S. Butterfeld,
gentleman of spotless reputation, res.
ident for twenty-five years at Wau.
kesha,w was one of the gentlemen seen.
He was with the 5th Wisconsin at
the time indicated and says of the
water affair and OF I. S. West as
follows:
"In regard to that portion of the
article which refers to the drilling of
the regiment on August 10, 1862, at
Yorktown, because some of the men
called for water, they
had not had since early morning, and
this was in the middle of the after
noon, every word of it is true, and
there are numbers of the boys living
to day who were also present, and
who can testify to the truth of the
statement. Lieut. Col. Emery was in
command of the Fifth Regiment at
the time. and Hancock ordered him
to drill the regiment on the double
quick TO punish the men who asked
for water. The Colonel was not as
severe with US as Hancock desired,
SO Hancock took command himself,
with an oath, and put us through for
some time on the fastest double
quick gait he could put us to. And
when he had satisfied his anger on
the boys he turned the command of
the regiment over to Col Emery
again, remarking with tho most IN.
soldierly and brutal insolence =
There, God damn you, the men who
hallooed for water have the satisfac-
ton Of knowing that they have had
the whole regiment punished on their
account
HANCoCK's TEMPER.
"Was Hancock generally harsh
and unfeeling commander, Mr.. But
terfield ?"
Gle was feartnlly quick tempered.
When he was mad he was awful mad,
and then he spared no one. The boya
had no love or respect for him what
ever, and after that exhibition of
temper and brutality they thoroughly
despised, although they were afraid
OF him. Men who have three full,
nutritious meals per day; plenty of
cool, pure water physician and
nurse in case of sickness, and shelter
at night, never can understand how
the boys felt at that time.
"They were nearly exhausted by
heat, marching, and lack of water,
and from that day they never men,
toned lIancock's name except in
contempt and hatred, or to curse it
os heartily as he had cursed them.
"The brutality of that one day will
poll bigger majority against Han
cock in Wisconsin than was returned
against Tilden in 1876"
"Maj. Butterfeld, do you know
Col T. S. West 2"
"Of course l know him. He form
erly lived in this county. And l know
that he has denied, in the Milwaukee
Nel0S, DIR. Csstleman's modest state
ment of the conduct of Gen. Han.
cock toward his soldiers. But, mark
you, he is the only man who has de-
MED these charges, and he was no.
where near US at the time. He is,
IN PLAIN WORDS, A LIAR.
His letter is the very essence of false
hood. West left the regiment while
we were IN camp at Harrisons Land.
ing, | think, and was not with us on
August 10th at Yorktown, nor at
any other time during the camp ign,
as hundreds now living can testify.
he left the regiment quite abruptly,
and was soon after found to be in
Wisconsin recruiting, and was after,
wards made Lieutenant Colonel of
the Twenty-Fourth Wisconsin Vol
unteer Regiment, which was organ
lied at Milwaukee early in August
and mustered into the United States
service with him in command on the
18th of August of that year,-.four
days before the punishment in Vir-
ginia which he claims to have seen
while in Wisconsin Was there ever
a more bold,faced falsehood ? Let
me repeat again that the only soldier
who has denied the truth cf these