The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1880-07-01
ALWAYS AT 1T.


In this latter engagement, when Gen.
Richardson fell, Hancock was sent to
take command of that gallant officers
division. In November, 1862. Hancock
received his commission as major-gcner-
al, and on the 18th Of December was ell
gagged in the desperate and bloody as
sault on Mayre's Heights. His behavior
on this OCCASION was in keeping with the
high reputation he had achieved. lie
was, with his division, in the thickest ol
| the conflict, leading his men as far it was
possible, under the circumstances, for
men to 90, and only falling back when
attempt at further advance was foolhardy
and useless. In this fight, as, in fact, in
almost every ono in which he was en-
gagged, he seemed to wear charm on his
life. He received in the slaughter pen,' y
rs the rank and file were wont to call the
position they occupied in this fight, q
slight flesh wound, coming out other
wise unharmed, though with uniform
| perforated with bullets. In this battle
Hancock lost one half of his command
killed and wounded, and all his aides
were wounded.
At charlottesville, in May, 1868, he
| commanded his division and covered the
roads leading towards Fredericksburg
where, amid surrounding disaster al
though constantly attacked, his troops
formed the rear guard Of the army III
moving off the field. The General had
his horse shot under him in the battle.
EARLY in June he relieved Gen. Couch in
command of the Second Corps, and later
in the same month was assigned by MIR
| Lincoln to be it's permanent commander
In one of his battles Gen. Hancock
placed one of his brigades in a certain
position and said to the commander
"General, whatever happens, want you
to hold this ground" The brigade com.
mander was never very strong on the
battlefield and on that occasion seemed
to be particularly weak and anxious,
and as the General turned to ride away
to another part Of the field he followed
him short distance and called out
General, where are my reserves ?''
Gen. Hancock turned and, riding up tc
where the officer was standing, said
sever ely: General, it is mono Of youl
business where your reinforcements
are; that is my business. 1 have
placed you here to hold this ground
that is all you are required to do, and
want it done, sir" The brigade com.
mander returned to his line with sad
step and sorrowful expression of coun.
| tenance.
AT GETTYSBURG.
It was at Gettysburg Hancock again
loomed up before the country as hero
He was commanding tho rear guard ot
the army in. its advance on Gettysburg,
and had reached Tarrytown, the place
where his grandfather, one hundred
years before, had started to escort one
thousand Hessian prisoners of Bur.
goyne's army to Valley Ford, when Gen
Meade sent him an order to hasten to the
front and assume command of the
troops there. The report had reached
Meade of the fall of Gen. Reynolds, and
the check and repulse of the advance
and his mind at once turned to Gen.
| best qualified to replace Reynolds and re-
Hancock was not the ranking General
but in the critical state Of affairs Meade,
knowing him to be the best man, did moi
hesitate to assign him.
On his way from Tarrytown to the bat
tlefield Gen. Hancock met the ambu-
lance containing the dead body of Gen
Reynolds. When he arrived OH the field he
found the army in confusion, and re.
treat had already begun. Planting some
infantry and batteries on Cemetery HILL
he threw his whole energy into the bat
| tie and. checked tho retreat. Schwerin
and SAKE were said to be worth each a
reinforcement of 10000 men to an army
Torstensin was rated as equal to $4,000
and the Duke of Wellington said the
arrival Of Napoleon on battlefield WAS
better reinforcement to the French
army than the accession of 10000 fresh
troops. What then shall we say of the val
| ue of Gen. Hancock's arrival at the critical
moment on the battlefield of Gettys-
| burg, battle that by common consent
of the Union and fixed the final result oil
| the war?
OfGen. Hancock's individual action at
Gettysburg it would require volume to
tell. His was really the action OF the
army, and Round Top, Culp's Hill and
Cemetery Heights wero his creations.
He sent word to Gen. Meade that was
the place to fight, and seizing the favor
able positions, with the eye OF a consuln-
mate general, hung on to them with the
advance until Meade brought up the whole
army and delivered his battle.
THE INCARNATION OF WAR.
Hancock was grand and magnificent in
the battle of Gettysburg, and seemed the
very incarnation of war. On the second
day he was at Cemetery Heights during
the frightful canonade when Gen. Lee
concentrated the fire of one hundred and
fifty guns on the Union lines. The air
was full Of missiles; streams of shot and
shell screamed and Kissed everywhere {;
it seemed as though nothing could live
under that terrible tire-men and horses
were torn limb from limb; caissons ex-
ploded one after another in rapid sue
oession, blowing the gunners to pieces
The infantry hugged the ground closely,
and sought every slight shelter that the
light earthworks afforded. 1t was lite
rally storm of shot and shell, like the
fall Of rain drops or the beat of hailstones.
Those who had taken part in every battle
of the war never had seen anything like
began to be uneasy for the result. Hun
dreds and thousands were stricken
down; the shrieks of animals and
screams of wounded men were appall-
ing; still the awful rushing sound Of fly
ing missiles went on and apparently
never would cease. 1t was then, when
the irmest hearts begun to quail, the
army witnessed one Of the grandest
sights ever beheld by any army on earth.
Suddenly band began to play "the Star
Spangled Banner" and Gen: Hancock,
with his staff-Alaj. Mitchell, Capt. Bing
ham, Capt. Parker, Capt. Bronson-with
corps flag flying in the hands of Private
Wells, appeared on the right of his line
uncovered and rode down the front Of
his men to the left. The soldiers held
their breath, expecting every moment to
see him fall from his horse pierced by
dozen bullets, but still he rode on, while
the shot roared and crashed around him,
every moment tearing great gaps in the
ranks by his side.
Stormed at by shot and shell,
Boldly he rode, and we'll.
Every Union soldier felt his heart thrill
as he witnessed the magnificent courage
Of his General, and he resolved to do
something that day which would equal
it in daring. Just as Hancock reached
tho left OF his line the Confederate bat
teries ceased to play, and their infantry
were seen emerging from the woods and
advancing up the hill. Hancock knew
the artillery fire had been intended to