Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1880-07-03
HANCOCK AND ENGLISH.
From the Chicago Times.l


WINFIELD SCOTT HANCOCK.
The guns which the gratitie,l dem
scrats on Yesterday afternoon saluted
the nomination OF Gen. winfield Scott
Hancock were fired in honor of one
certainly familiar with gunpow-
der welcome. Almost from his early
youth up, it may he said. has this
man devoted himself to the life of a
soldier, and, whether i'll the field,
gallantly bearing his part in the
thickest of the fight, or, as of late
years administering with prudence
the important military department
of which he has been the executive
head, his friends have the pleasure
of claiming for him career as blame
less rs it is noteworthy.
| At present between 56 and 81 years
of age, he having been born in Penn
sylvania in 1924, Gen. Hancock is in
the very prime of his mental and
physical faculties. He is said to be
noticeably quiet aud unassumIng,
aud particularly free from the slight
est disposition to dwell upon the
events of his own military career, and
equally indisposed to indulge in
harsh or adverse criticism upon the
judgment or actions OF others.
He WAS BORN
on the 14th of Febru.:gge, 1924, in
Montgomery county, Pennsylvania,
and, after All academic education,
was destined for the military service
of his country. lie was named in
honor of Gen. Winfield Scott, with
| whom he was alwaysa great favOrite,
that celebrate ed veteran having taken
| personal interest in the career of
his young namesake from the lime of
his entrance upon asoldier's life until
the hOnors of Il distinguished general
had made his name prominent among
| the defenders of his country.
Scott followed the career of young
Hancock in the war of the rebellion
with intense interest, and had the
qualification Notwithstanding the
quiet manner of his movements
during the many battles in which the
army of the Potomac participated,
of seeing him rise steadily from a
brigade command to that of chief of
Of a corps d'a,mee.
When Winfield Scott heard of Gen.
Hancock's brilliant charge upon the
confederates at Williamsburg, he is
said to have remarked that he had
always felt confident that Hancock
would make for himself Il great name.
| Gen. Hancock was appointed a
West Point cadet during the year
1910, and graduated at that military
institution, in the same class with
| Gen. Pleasantom, Oh the 3Oth OF
June, 1874.
HE ENTERED THE UNITED STATES
| ARMY
on the 1st of July, 1914, with the
rank of brevet second lieutenant ol
| infantry. He was attached to The
4th regiment, and did not receive
his commission as second lieutenant
until the 10th Of June, 1916. lie
then went to Mexico, and served gal
lantlv during the war III that country
He was brevcted OH August 20, 1917
first lieutenant for gallant and meri
torious conduct during the battles ol
| Contreras and Cherubusco.
| On his return to the United States
he was appointed regimental adjutan,
of the 7th United States infantry
During January, 1858, he received hi:
commission as first lieutenant of his
regiment, and on the 7th of Novem
Der, 1855. was appointed assistant
quartermaster general, with the rank
Of captain. THIS position he held u,
the outbreak of the rebellion.
On the 3d OF September, 1871, he
was
| APPOINTED A BRIGADIER GENERAL
of volunteers and attached to the
army of the Potomac. On the 9th .
October, 1861, his brigade formed 8
part of the force which occupied
Lewisville, Va. During the winter
of 1862 he was engaged in many
important reconnOissances, and was
generally successful. When the army
of the Potomac, under General Nc
Clellan, occupied the peninsula il
1862, an important command in i
WAS entrusted to Gen. Hancock. Fo
merit0rious services before York
town, on May 4, 1862, he was brevet
ted major general. Al the battl,
of Williamsburg occurred his tirsl
opportunity for making gallant an,
important action and he improved il
by making
ONE OF THE MOST BRILLIANT EN-
GAGEMENTS
Of the war. Gen. Mcclellan in hi
"RepOrts and Campaigns" thu
lspeaks of it:
AS heavy firing was heard i'll thu
direction. of Gen. HancOck's com
mand, | Immediately ordered Gen
Smith to proceed with his two re
manning briSades to support tha
part of the line. Gen. Negley, will
his brigade, received similar orders
Before these generals could reach th
fed of Gen. uancock's operations
although they moved with grea
rapidity, he had been confronted witt
a superior force. Feigulng to retrea
slowly, he awaited their onset an,
then turned upon them. After som
terrific volleys of muskct-y he charg
ell them with the bayonet. routin,
and dispensing their whole force
killing, wounding, and dispersin!
their whole force killing, wouudins
and capturing from five hundred t.
six hundred men, he himself losin:
only thirty-One men.
This was one Of the most brillian
engagements of the war. McClclla
i'll conclusion adds:
Gen. Hancock merits the highes
praise for the soldierly qualities dis
played and his perfect appreiciatio
of the vital forces of his position.
He next distinguished himself III
THE BATTLE OF FRAZER's FARM,
and subsequently took IN active par
i'll the campaign i'll Maryland, All
was conspicuous commander at tn
battles OF South Mountain and An
tietam. AT the battle OF Anlietal
in September, 1862, Hancock wa
placed i'll command of Gen. Richard
sons division of the second corp:
after the fail of that brave and IL
trepid leader. The requirements q
the extended line OF battle had :
engaged the artillery that the appl
cation Of Gen. Hancock for artillery
for his division could not be comp!i
ed with Immediately by the chicl q
artillery, or the corps commander
in his vicinity. Knowing the ;rie
courage of the troops, Gen. llancoc
!elt confident that he could hold hi
position, although suffering from tn
aunmv,S irti llpry hut br ,,,,s .,