The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1880-09-26
hancock AT GErrYsBuRG.

usually wei informed, makes tne hstohlsh-
ing announcement that General Han
cock was not present and in com
mand when Longstreot was driven back |
in a storm Of shot and she'll, and when
the field of Gcttysburg was saved. The |
most violent of the radical party papers has
not riskcd its reputation upon such state
mcnt as that. According to the Telegraph all |
the credit of saving Philadelphia and Penn
sylvania is due TO Generals Meade and Rey-
nolds. We would not pluck leaf from the
laurel on the brows OF these distinguished
officers. They did their duties faithfully
aud we'll, but no moro faithfully and no
better than General Hancock did his. II
will not do for General Gar1eld's friends, in
their blind zeal for their candidate, to at
tempt to depreciato General llancocks
services, as the Telegraph has done. Is that
the sort of warfare they are going to inaugu
rate now in their desperation over the loss
of Maine, and the almost absolute certainty
of losing Indiana and Ohio as well But II
won't do. The American people are not 10
be deceived with such stuff in the face Of
| recent history. The Telegraph, referring TO
the decisive action which settled the fortunes
of that bloody field of Gettysburg, Ivy the
humiliation of Picketts division of Lees
army, says:
The whole oi the Rebel artillery poured murerous
fire for several hours into the Union lines. Then the
nre ceased aud Longstrccts rebel corps marched
steadily up, In the face of awful fire from the
whole artillery Of Mcade's army and, despite their
rihlc LOSSES succeeded In reaching tho breastworks
aud even OF getting upon thcm when they
Slaughtered In thousands by the Infantry fire from the
| linton uCors, mostly composed, at that point, of
| men frcm the Middle States This the crisis ot
the battle Had that charge succeeded the fate of the
| Union Army would have been sealed. for nothing
then hut unforeseen accident could have prevented
Lee from achieving great Victory. But II did not
succeed because the MASTER mind of Meade was there
actively engaged In directing the battle AMI rendering
1t impossible for anything TO avert the defeat Of the
| robclarmy,
| Not one word of Hancock. According to
the Germantown editor he was not there at
| all. He goes on to say that
| No one man more than another can he called tie
| hero of Gettysburg. unless that man lie General
| Meade.
And then, after arguing that Philadelphia
is not indebted to General Hancock "for
:" her escape from capture by Lees army
the editor adds:
| Her noble SON George e. Meade. was the man
who did that, Hancock scarcely taking secondary
rart In it, and assurediy not equal to that of Howard
How will 1iancock's veterans relish that
statement that their great commander took
scarcely "a secondary part " i'll this battle
which decided the fate of the Union, and
that the part he took was "not equal to that
"of Howard ~ What can paper in Mr.,
Garield's interest hope to gain by such reck.
less statements as the above2 Why did not
the Telegraph ask Congressman Harry Bing-
ham, who was then on Hancock's stall
whether he was there or mott
Major General st. Clair A. Mulholland de
scribes the terrible scenes on that field. and
alluding to the destructive fire from the
rebel artillery, says
Men and horses were torn limb from limb caiscn
exploded one after another in rapid succession, blow
| ing the gunners to pieces. No spot within line
was free from this frightful iron rain The nantr,
Il huggcd close the earth, and sought every Sigh
shelter that our light earthworks afforded. 1t liter
ally storm of shot and shell that the oldest warrior
therethose who had taken part in almost every bat
. tie of the war-had not yet witnessed. That awfi
- rushing sound of the flying missiles, which tn
rmest hearts 10 quail Is everywhere. At this tumul
i tuous moment witnessed deed of herosin such a
We are apt to attribute only to knights of the olc
l. | time. Hancock, mounted and accompanied by hi
| stan, Major Mitchell, Captain Harry Bingham. Cap
tain Isaac Parker, and Captain u. L. Bronson wilt
the corpss lag flying I'm the hands Of brave irish
II man. Private James Wells OF the Sixth New York Cav
airy, started at the right Of his line where It Joins tn
rancytown. road. and slowly rode along the terribI
crest TO the extreme left of his position, while su
and shell roared and crashed around him. and ever
moment tore great gaps In the ranks at his side.
e was gallant deed, and, withal, not reckless
Is Of life, for the presence and calm demeanor
the commander as he passed through the lines of hi
men set them an example which an hour later bor
= good fruit, and nerved their stout hearts win Il,
l. greatest and decisive battle ever fought on t
continent.
And yet, according to the Telegraph, Han
cock was not there. This gallant ride wa
Il preliminary to the utter annihilation
e Picketts troops of Longstreet's Corps.
re- the most critical moment Hancock fell anon
rs his men, but he continued to direct the igl
N until victory was assured, and then he ser
e. his stalf officer, Major Mitchell, to announc
III the tdings to General Meade. Said he
b. "Tell General Meade that the troops und,
e. "my command have repused the assault
Id the enemy, who are now flying in all d
rs " rections in my front" Say to Gcneri
SIS Hancock" )" said Meade in reply, al regr'
-y exceedingly he is wounded, and than
at 'him for the country and myself for the SCI
mt "vice he has rendered this day"
~ This completely disposes of the reckles
is statements in the Telegraphs article, stat
lis ments which an intelligent paper shou
n, have been ashamed to make.
II, But the editorial writer of the Tsiegra
he does not seem to be well versed in tho hi
10, tory of our public men. Immediately f
rs lowing the article about Hancock is ol
nd laudatory of its candidate, General CARTEL
he in which the remarkable discovery is ma,
Id that
lis James A. Garfield had risen To high distinction
member of Congress before he Joined the Army a
volunteer soldier
gh Now, every school boy ought to knt
p- better than that. General Garfield left u
ne Army to enter Congress. lie turned his ba
re, upon the foe to take soft seat in the IIou
ut of Representatives.
N. The Telegraph had better brush up a litt
zee II is an authority on cabbages and gard
Ir. truck generally, and on household recip,
nd ETC., bat it is evidently not a success as
fS' ii'S'o''"' an" Poi''''"' 'ea'"''' u
on better conine itself to the garden Sass
ne
PC, ITE FUSION IN MAINE.
We When GENERAL Hancock telegraphed J
in congratulations to Governor Plaisted over t
els result in Maine the Republican papers h
he good deal to say about what they call
ch his indorscment and congratulation OF
ION Greenback victory. II was asserted that t
the DE nocrats had not much lot or part in
ch But the country knew better, and Genel
Ne. Hancock knew exactly what he was abol
60 1t was necessary to defeat the Republic
es. party in Maine. That was the primary
no ject and General Hancock simply congra
ON lated the instrument through which that
suit was accomplished. In other wor'