Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1880-07-06

was with Sheridan, and attacked tn,
enemy at Deep Bottom, taking fou
pieces of artillery, 600 prisoners and
three stand of coIors. He was at Peters
burg, and witnessed the explosion of thu
mine on the morning of July 80. Tht
advance up the James river August ~
1864, was under his command, and hi
handled the Second and Tenth corps OF
the Army of the James and Gregg's di
vision of cavalry with such consummate
skill as to elicit expressions of admira
ton from even General Grant. He
fought the battle of Reams' Station, Au
gust 25, and had his horse shot under
him. He fought the battle of Boy
road, capturing ] 900 prisoners and two
stand of colOrs.
With the battle of Boydton, General
Hancock's active fighting in the wa.
ceased. President Lincoln, who had
learned to place high estimate on Han
cocks abilities, ordered him to Wash
ington and directed him at once to pro
ceed with and organize an army of 80,
600 veterans from discharged volunteers
who had served an enlistment. The use
of this army was alone prevented by the
surrender of Lee and the ending of the
war. AT the close Of the war Hancock
commanded the Army of the. Shenan-
doah, relieving General Sheridan. This
army consisted of 80 900 men ofall arms,
and was destined to move South with
Hancock's $4,000 veterans and join Gen
eral Sherman, but Joe Johnston threw
up the sponge and rendered the mOve-
mept unnecessary.
General Hancock's career since the
war is so we'll known it needs but little
| mention here. For his services during
the war he was appointed o brigadier
and afterwards major general in the
regular army, and assigned to command
in the middle department. In 1866 he
took command of the department of
Missouri and conducted two eompaigEs
against hostile Indians, taking the field
in person at the head of ! 800 men OF all
arms. -
In 1867, he was sent by the President
to New Orleans to command the States
of Texas and Louisiana, 1t was in this
field of labor that he distinguished him
self by setting the example of an officer
of the army with extraordinary powers
strenuously insisting upon the, entire
subordination of military to civil au-
thority in time of peace. AMONG the
military commanders during the recon-
struction period he was conspicuous, in
this regard, and the positions then laid
down in his general orders and CORES
pondence did more perhaps than any
thing else to make him the ideal soldier
in the minds of the constitutional DEM
ocrGtG. -
In 1868 he was relieved at his own re-
quest, and in 1865, re, II, and Y com
manded the department of Dakota.-
| %l>ly 10 l. Iod h i
tary division of the Atlantic, composed
partment of the East, and department OF
Washington, with headquarters at Gov
ernor's island, New York city,
Hancock, In personal appearance, is
tall, well-formed, and very handsome.
His height cannot be less than six feet
two inches, and he weighs fully s240
pounds. He would make the finest look
ing President who ever sat in the Viii e
House, except, possibly, George Wash
ington. His form towers above other
men, and he attracts attention by ibis
mere looks wherever he goes. His eyes
are blue, and havea benignant and mild
expression when in repOse, but inspiring
when is danger. His manner is digni-
fled and knightly, and he is courtesy it
self. He is always magnetic, and draws
men to him by his kindness and gentle
interest in their affairs, His sympathies
are easily aroused, and he becomes in
tensely concerned for the sorrows and
mistOrtunes of others, striving in every
way to relieve them, as though their
troubles were his own. Hancock IS kind
ness to his subOrdinates always won not
only their love, but also their confidence,
and caused them to rely on him as a
friend as well as commander. He gave
a man q good opinion of himself, and
made each one feel he was of more inn
portance than he eyer before suspected.
1t was this which caused him to have
such power over his officers and men in
battle, and made them prefer rather to
die than forfeit the good opinion of their
| leader.
General Hancock had two children,
Russell Hancock and Ada Elizabeth
Hancock. The latter died in New York
of typhoid fever, when eighteen years
of age. She was young lady of great
promise. Russell Hancock, the Cen
erals only son, is living and is planter
in Mississippi.
A volume would not contain an ac-
count of all the heroic deeds of man
like Hancock his is a noble character
and it is a pleasure to write of such a
man. "A glorious soldier, steadfast
friend, a useful citizen, he is all that is
noble, manly and brave.
FOR VICE PRESIDENT, WILLIAM II. ENG
LIsH, OF INDIANA.
William H. English was born in Scott
county, Indiana, August %, 1922; was
educated at Hanover College, studied
law, and was admitted to the bar in
1916, but devoted most of his time tC
politics and agriculture The first office
Mr.. English ever filled was that of clerk
to the House of Representatives of In
diana, in the year 1s43, being at thai
time just twenty-one years of age. In
1914 Mr.. English came to Washington
and accepted a clerkship in the Treasury
Department, which he resigned in 184S
In 1850 Mr.. English was elected secre
tary of the Constitutional Convention O.
Indiana, and discharged the duties Of
that Office to the entire satisfaction OF
his party and to the credit of himself
and to the honor of his State
In the first Legislature which assem-
bled under the present Constitution
viz l85l-he was elected Speaker, thus
establishing his popularity in indiana
| III yoUChs LIZ w as tllCi ouCCCSSlN Ol y
elected to the Thirty third, Thirty
fourth, Thirty fifth. and Thirty sixth
Congresses, in all of which he took 6
prominent and leading part. He wa:
the author of what was known as the
English bill' the Kansas and Ne
braska Compromise bill,) which attract
ed so much attention during the memo
rabIe years of 1854. 1856, 1858, and 1860
Mr.. English espoused the cause of tn,
Democracy in his youth, and has beer
consistent and faithful Democrat al
his life In politics, as in business, hi
is watchful, energetic, persistent, and
successful, never in his life having fail
ed to secure nomination which hi
sought, and never in his life having fail
ed of an election after being nominated
He belongs to the old school of Demo
cracy, and is as firm and intrepid in hi:
faith and devotion to the Democratic
principles as the rocks of Gibralter.
During the few years which he volun
tarily retired from political life (viZ
1861 to 1876 he devoted exclusively tt
business and during this time he amass
ed large fortune.
For several years he was president O
the First National Bauk of Indiana, AM
through bis manage ment it became tn
leading bank of Indiana, and was re
puted as one of the strongest and mos