The weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1878-1881, 1880-06-29
WINFIELD SCOTT HANCOCK.

tracing their lineage back to Colonial times.
This record is Illuminated here and there by
faithful service or heroic achievement by one
or another of those from whom has descended
our democratic presidential nominee OF to-
day. General Haucock's great-grandtather
and grandfather on the mothers side, fought
! under Washington in the War OF Independ-
ence. His grandfather, on his fathers siue'
was taken prisoner at sea in the same war
and conveyed to a military prison in England,
and his father was a volunteer in the war OF
| 1872. This is surely all honorable military
record, but it does not comprise all the mill
tary traditions cherished by the family of our
nominee. His mothers people hav" resided
in PENNSYLVANIA since the days OF Penn, and
the family annallsts are fond of relating how
the women of the household made a heroic
and victorious defense against an attack OF
savages dul: ing the French and Indian war,
when the me- OF the family were absent in
the ranks Of the militia.
1t was of such ancestry that Winfield Scott
Hancock was born on the 18th Of February,
1924. Destined from his early years for a
military career. he entered West Point III
1870, and graduated in 1914. While at West
Point, he had for fellow cadets, Grant, Nc
Clellan, Stcnrwall jackson, LonsstIeet, Burn
side and others, who achieved either a world
wide or else Il national reputation In the
struggle of our evil war. Immediately after
graduating lie saw active service in the Next
..> ,u,, -, I,r, Jo pay,o,I with t1istinrtinn- |
receiving a brevct for bravery on tie field at
Corteras and Cherubusco. In 'Gl, at the out
break Of the rebellion, Hancock, holding Il
captains commission, was stationed at Los
Angeles, California, At the first intelligence
of active hostilities he dispatched a request
to the governor Of Pennsylvania, his native
state, asking for ali assignment to active duty
in the field. While awaiting a reply he de-
voted his best energies to cultivating the ur-
certain, wavering national spirit of tie people
of Southern California, and to him, more
than any other one man, credit is due for
having saved the Golden State to the Union.
During those critical days, before popular
sentiment had crvstaliZel, and before the
great mass Of southern born Calitorniahs
knew exactly where they stood with regard
to the rival claims of their country and of
| their native State, the clarion tones of Han
cocks voice gave no uncertain sound when
| raised to remind all within hearing of their
| paramount allegiance to the Union. Called
at length to active duty he was commissioned
a brigadiergereral of volunteers and assigned
| to a command under Mcclellan in the Army
of the Potomac. AT Williamsburg he fought
under the eye of the commanding general
whose generous need Of praise, Hancock
was superb was the acknowledgment made
by one gallant soldier of the sallantry of an
other. During the dark days that followed,
Hancork was emphatically a fighting general,
his career being as far as possible the reverse
of that of a carpet knight. For his merito-
rious services on the Seven Days Battle he
was promoted to the Iank of colonel in the
regular army, and major-general of Iolun
teers. At Friedrich burg lie led his division
in an attack in which lie lost 200O men and
1856 officers out of a total of G00o. From this
engagement he escaped with one slight wound,
:: coming out from the gates of hell almost
untouched,' in the words Of the Compte de
Paris, historian eff the war. At Gettysburg
Hancock had command Of the corps that lie
pulsed LongstIect's tremendous attack. UpCn
that battle the fate Of the nation depended ;
with the victory at Gettysburg the tide of war
turned in favor Of the Union forces, and that
victory was won from superior numbers by
the lirmncss of the truops hcldI /" uuty by tie
nerve of ..their iron comnlander, Hancock
But in tile hour Of triumph the victor was
Frustrated by d we'll nigh mortal wuuEd,
Living o.. the ground, he dispatched 20 Meade.
lie general in command, Il message in these
words: The troops under lily command
have repulsed the %enelny's assault and we
have gained a great victory. The enemy Il
Meade replied, "Say to General Hancock
that | am sorry he is wounded, and that
thank him for the country and for myself TO
the service he has rendered" Congress, b,
Joint resolution, expressed the nations graft
tude to Hancock for his "gallant, meritoriott
and conspicuous share III the great and decl
sive victory Recovering from his wound
Hancock continued in the most active Of az
| tive service until the close OF the war. a
:. Spottsylvania he wOn a brilliant victory, tax
ing 5000 prisoners, 20 s'ris, and thirty colors
For his services i'll this engagement he va
t made major-gencral i'll the regular army
f Mea,e's Judgment upon his subordinate wa
, expressed in these fatterins terms: IN
commanding general ever had i better liet
S tenant than Hancock lie is always faithtt
f and reliable" To know how to obey is ii
: first requirement in those called to comlnah'
n in 1867 Hancock was assigned, under III
Reconstruction Act, 10 the command Of Il
Fifth Military District, embracing the STATE