, 1880-10-03
THE SUPERB, HANCOCK.

mace GoIAs wet Regiment Return
Straw to n Rebels Stack, While He
! Slept Warm and Dry in the Rebels
Red-Related By Soldier Who E1-
perienced Years Of His Cruelty.
| Correspondence ctereaend Leader:
LODI, O., Sept. a7.-1t Is positively assured
that not one Of the Hancock soldiers who live
hcreabou&s will vote for him, and one Of them,
Democrat will even so far renounce his party
affiliations as to exercise his franchise in favor
Of Garfield.
Col. s. ". Dewitt, who lives half-mile west
OF Lodi, O., and who enjoys the highest reputa-
hon for responsibility and truth among all
classes Of citizens hereabouts, lately gave bis
testimony 70 party OF listeners, Democrats
and Republicans, Of the style in which the Sec
ond Corps cenmander lorded it over his men.
Coi. Dewitt entered Company B In the Eighth
Ohio Volunteer Infantry as a private in August,
1sS TITS 9 q the
which Hancock had been made commander. Its
term Of service expired In the fall OF 1854, when
ment, which had been literally dectmated, re-
enlisted again, and it was consolidated with the
Fourth Ohio, and 1.-The two regiments together
Infantry, Col. Dewitt commanding, who had
risen from the file 10 this rank through bravery
ia the field and excellent behavior. The bat
TALON remained in the game corps until the close
of the War. Nobody at all acquainted with Mr.
Dewitt will attempt to gainsay anything he re-
i9ted OF bis experiences and observations in the
:" It was late in the fall OF 1853. Our corps was
then down in tho Shenandoah Valley. 1t was
of be
and plantations It was on cold, wet, nr1d
rainy aay. We had been marching ali day
to the skin, and tired and hungry. As night
came & on our brigade, composed Of the Foursh
and Eightih Ohio Ssssnth e West West virgtata -Four
pretty close 70 the large dwelling house in which
Ten or fifteen rods from the house were the
large barns, and close by stood a big straw stack
with enough straw in it to have made good bed
ding for half dozen regiments, OF course. as
soon rs r.nks were broken, the boys made for
the Straw pile and the rail fences. Tou see, II
they couldn't get something warm to eat, they
would have somethiug warm and dry to bunk in.
just as the boys were making away with the |
gt1aw, busy IKE htif Of ants, laughing aud |
and a happg ao I'll 5s soaa
something dry to rest on through the uight, out |
came an order, with bugle blast from Han
back a1id tho rail- fence, on which we had
top Fai'; l. 4 strong 9, guard ,o. xas ~ PLACED
fence By orders from headquarters Well, we |
boys had to lay. on our wet blankets on the
God sRg M da haS
wet rug over us, and we were shivcring like
half drowned cats, the air was made slightly
euiphurous By the i:apreeatons and curses By
ai1d snoring, probably tAif drunk in warm
inside the house. don't know why
order emanated from his regular military
or whether he had given way to the |
persuasions Of the Rebel planter, who was bis
haps it Was only his 'cussed discipiinng of
the regulars that made him issue the order
sn1 ne one e heve b
the army.-swaggertn9: curstng. swearing; he
treated Us WORSE than dogs. He could discount
zee the style that he put on over US! Bit sup
pose he had a perfect right to do so. Often
have We had to opeu ranks on our march and
let the large covered carriage. drawn BY six
white horses and a n.gHer coachman on top,
With the superb Hancock lolling inside fast
he
"nut then be was a good fighter" piped in
tlemen, am not going to crit'clse als General a.
,hip. l must say he was good fighter, If be
I'D not haze neh reEsr for u - Is my haaR q;ok oe
he fight atn only talking to you US he aP- |
5eared to me, as man IN bis actions to man.
rhsre fs no doubt Of it, he was cruel. and brutal
nd overbearing in the highest degree to bis 1
men and his Rubordluates- Every one OF the
>oys IA our regiment will corroborate what has
atcly. Our regiment, with others, had to wade
he streams Ta}st-deep, as has already peen :
old by some Of the 6oys Of & ap tndana Sss
lry on pouteon bridge, with the enemy fifteen {
niles away. We hnd to give up our cnnteens OF :
gater rs did the.Wisconsfn regiment, and then |
fter1ard were ordered to Ill up out OF pool /
t soap suds. in which thousands Of Inen had T
vashcd. We also were witness to the battalion
rIll through which be put the Fifth Wisconsin !
or some OF the men callinp for water III, his 4
resence. Ne thought at first that It was 9
unishment meted by the regtmental !
~ our imprccations upon him: but '
re- found out afterward TINT Hancock | a
ad done it because one OF the officers OF the J +
cciment could not or would not give him the | {
nmes Of the men who had called for water in ] b
is august and lordly presence This Is some OF | i
hat have personally known and seen OF Hau~ | n
ock and IL there Is auy one that does NOT De- | q
eve it, bring him to me- c
Even II it was not for other, and thfuk 1ar q
reater and wetghtier. reasons, and aside from 4
1e great ideas and principles at stake 10 me n
resent contest between the two parties IN tnfs D
ountry, do not think Hancock the right man
, be President Of q Republic. By what nave =
zen OF the man think he is tho worst type OF O
10 military autocrat in this country, anu ne
1lbolies more in him OF the despotac ana T.
idea. which, paradoxtcat as 1t may 2
rem is one of the buRaboos that is frightening
,e unterrif1ed Bourbops OF the country" =
THIS is the sort OF sentiment and talk in which Z
,e soldiers speak who have served under tne y
His Hoynl Staggering Blankness and from Z
lts It Is plainly evident that Hancocks cofpS
, q mnn,--as the Democratic papers say,-wM z
1t vote for him, and that the soldiers OF the y
,untry have their minds in the right place, ana D