The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1880-07-30
Hancock Under Fire.
A STORY OF his DASH THROUGH THE Will.
DERNIss HITHERTO UNRELATED.

A STORY OF his DASH THROUGH THE Will.
DERNEss HITHERTO UNRELATED.
WeIdon't remember to,have seen anything
In reference to General Hancock's dash
through the wilderness and on the line Of the
Po river, without it be mere reference to
the series of engagements had with the reb-
els during the first days of the Grant advance
on Richmond.
That General Hancock had been offered
the command of the entire army of the Poto-
m,c was generally credited ere the army had
moved out OF its winter quarters and started
on the road to Richmond under General
Grant and General Me, ,de. Bat the exp ri.
ences of Generals Mcclellan, Hooker, Pope
and Burnside with the Government had
caused a settled conviction in the army that
the success of any movement upon General
Lee depended in a large MEASURE upon the
support the Glvernment was disposed to
grant the general in command and
while the Government was censured by the
rank and file of the army ior..its "shortcom-
ings" in support of the several commanders,
no doubt exists that General Hancock seeing
the way in which his associate commander
had one by one dropped out of place under
the persuasive powers Of the Government,
felt no desire to take up the sceptre of com
Eand and run the gauntlet of a political
fire 10 the rear. He was content with tn,
simple command of the best corps in the
army. His decision was wise one as the
sequel shows. To be commander then was
but sinecure. To command a corps the
ay.was open TO do service to the country
alike of profit to the cause for which the a.
my was contending and the men whom he
had the honor of leading into the thickest OF
the fight.
1t was well understood in the commence
ment of the memorable campaign of "On to
Richmond" that General Grants reliance { f
Individual support and corporation, as well
as in advisory capacity, WAS in Genera
Hancock. The con6iercs Of Il army WA
in Hancock. He was equally as popular
with the army as was Mcclellan in his
palmiest days. Grant saw in Hancock the
makeup ofa thorough soldier and discip-
li1arian, whose banner had never trailtd in
the dust or been shadowed by defeat. He
was the man to lead. the one of all others in
whom the chief commander placed his rtli-
ance for the successful encounter which
must pave the way to final victory. Some
one must bear the brunt of the battle and
Hancock was chosen, so to speak, as the
right-hand man to Grant.
At the dawn of day, May l2, 1864. shell
tered by the dim twilight and dense mist,
fthe Hancock corps moved quietly and eau
tiously up from its position on the south
side of the Po to the north side and toward.
the enemy's lilies. Imagine bluff covert
from base TO top with rifle pits and breast,
works, with halfa dozen tiers of cannon
eighteen and thirty-two pounders-stetcbing
along over the rugged and woody space, and
you haye fair idea of the position of the
two rebel divisions when attacked by the
Hancock corps
The troops gallantly surmounted all the
difficulties in reaching the base of the hill
the excitement increasing, till it broke out
in splendidru rush at the rebel entrenchments
which the troops leaped with loud cheers,
dashing into the enemy's camp and compell-
ing their surrender en- masSe. Three thou
sand men, forty guns and two major-generals
with several stands of colors was the trophy
Of the first dash on the rifle pits. The charge
of the Second Corps was followed by heavy
cannonading all along the line, and under
the cover of which the whole line moved up
to the support of Hancock's corps, and i'm
mediately an incessant rattle and roar Of
battle arose along the whole line. Often ri
val bayonets interlocked and fierce and
death-like grapple over the intrenchments
lasted for several hours, the rebel flags now
surgng up side by side with those of the
Union, and anon torn and riddled disappear,
ing in the woods.
1t was here that Hancock exhibited the
true ideal of the general. Finding his mer
likely TO wayer they being considerably out.
mum bered, he rode up close to the lines snd
in loud voice called his men to "stand
firm p and as if necessary to encourage them
at this critical moment he drew his sword
and led the column forward until they had
scaled the pits Then the air was rent with
the cheers and huzzas from the victoriou,
band. The losses had been fearful, yet the
Second Cor ps held its position, though re.
peatedly attacked. They were there to stay
the grand old guard of the army. 1t completed
the first act in the campaign on Lees army
and closed the eighth day of almost contin.
no us fighting. The Union forces suffered
29,350 hors. decombat, and the rebel Loss
succeeded 10000 forty cannon, twenty-five c
stands of colors and 5000 men taken pris.
oners.
It is thus we speak of sigle engagement
and of the commander of the Second CORPS
who in all the battles of the campaign wa.
conspicuous among the many brave officer,
of the army, for daring, enthusiasm anc
steady valor.
Will he not make equally as steady an ex.
ecutive of the nation and govern, as he wa,
wont to do, the men who love and adore
him as the ruler in firmness, yet with sim
piicity, given to moderation and kind
ness.
One of the most urgent demands of oul
time is system of education which shall
train the young to apply their school learn