The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1880-07-31

the unanimous thanks of that body
for his "gatlant, meritorious and con
spicuous share in that great and de-
cisiye victory" at Gettysburg. The
resolution passed by Congress was as
follows:
For the skill and heroic valor, which
| at Gettysburg, fepulsed, defeated and
drove back, broken aud dispirited, the
veteran army of the rebellion, the graf
itude of tue American people and the
thanks of their representatives in Con
gress are likewise due, and are hereby
I rendered, to Mai. Gen. Winfield S. Han
cock for his gallant, meritorious and
conspicuous share in that great and
| decisive victory.
After the battle he was borne to the
| field hospital aud thence to his fathers
home iii Norristown, Pa. where lie
lay for n'airy weeks and suffered great
agony from his wotlnd. The bullet
was finally extracted, but he was un-
fit fol duty until the following Decem-
Der. : In December, although his
wound was still unhealed, he reported
again at Washington for active duty
in the field. At this time, after the
battle of Mine Run, he was promi
nently talked of in cabinet councils
for the command of the Army of the
Potomac, and was retained in Wash
ington with that view, but with char
acteristic nobility and magnanimity
he lisclaimfa all desire for the posi-
ton AND urged the retention of Gen.
Meade. Resuming command of the
Second Corps, which was in winter
quarters, he was ordered by the an-
thorities at Washington to proceed
North to recruit the decimated ranks
of that celebrated corps preparatory
to tie ensuing operations Accord
ingly he established his head quarters
at Harrisburg, and visited other
States in enlisting volunteers. His
high reputation and great popularity
made him eminently successful in this
service. While discl'arging this duty,
the City Council Of Philadelphia ten
dered him reception in Indepen-
dence Hall, and he also received the
huspitalities of New York, Albany,
Boston and other cities.
In March, 1864, he returned to the
field and assumed command of his
corps, whose numbers had been aug
meuted to 10000 by consolidation
with the gallant old Third Corps. He
was prominent figure in the battle
of the Wilderness. On the 10th of
May lie commanded the Second and
Fifth Corps at the battle of the PO.
On the 18th the Second Corps
pounced upon the enemy's position,
near Spottsylvania, C. H., in a dense
fog, at daybreak. Hancock comman-
ded his corps il, this assault, hy
which he captured tie enemy's works,
nearly 5000 prisoners. twenty pieces
Of artillery, more than thirty colors,
several thousand stands of small arms
and other paraphe inalia Of war.
He again assaulted the enemy'sepo-
sition iu front of spottsylvania, May
l8, and on the 18th repu.sed an at
tack made upon one Of his divisions
by Ewell's Corps. He was an active
participant in the engagement of
North Anna, Tolopotomy ard Cold
Harbor, and in the earlier and later
operations of the army near Peters
burg that year. During all this time
he was suffering severely from the
wound received at Gettysburg, which,
had never fully closed, compelling
him to often leave bis horse and ride
in an ambulance until contact with
the enemy again summoned him to
the saddle. On the 9th Of July, 1864,
IL