Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1880-06-30
OUR CANDIDA TIES.
GEN. WINFIELD SCOTT HANCOCK.

/ General Hancock ~ u natlNe OF Ionn.
sylvania, having been horn in Mont
gomery county, this State, on the l4th
of February, 1924. lie graduated at
West Point in 1874, and served mainly
on frontier duty until 1916, and after.
wards in the war with Mexico being
breveted as First Lieutenant for gal.
liant and meritorious conduct in the
battles of Contreras and Cherubusco.
From lS4S TO 1885 he was again EN-.
ployed in frontier duty, and from 1855
to 1861 was Quartermaster ofthe South.
ern district of California. In August
of the latter year he was recalled to
Washington, and when the army ofthe
Potomac was transferred to the PENN
sula in 1862, he was already Briga-
der General, with the appropriate com.
mand, in the Fourth Corps, His first
opportunity to make mark occurred
at Williamsburg, and he made a bril-.
liant one. He next distinguished him
self in the battle of Fraziers farm, and
subsequently took an active part in the
campaign in Maryland, at the battle of
South Mountain and Antietam. Being
made Major General, he commanded
division at fredericksburg and Chan.
cellorsvillo. At Gettysburg he did
magnificent work. On the first day of
the battle, July lst, 1868, he was sent
by General Meade to decide whether a
decisive battle should be given or wheth-
er the army should fall back. He re-
ported that Gettysburg was the place
to fight, and took immediate command
until the arrival of Meade. In the de.
cisive action of July 3rd he comman.
ded on the left centre, sustaining the
terrible onset Of Longstreets Confed-
crates, and being severely wounded.
The thanks of Congress were formally
rendered him for his conduct in these
engagements. Being disabled by his
wounds he was on sick leave until
March, 1864, being meanwhile en-
gagged in recruiting the Second Army
Corps, which was placed under his
command. AT the opening of the
campaign of that year under General
Grant, he took the active command of
this corps, and bore prominent part
in the battles of the Wilderness, Spott-
sylvania Court House and North Anna,
the second battle of Cold Harbor, and
the operations around Petersburg, until
June 10Th, when, his wound breaking
out afresh, he was for short time on
sick leave. He afterwards resumed
command, and participated in several
actions, until November Goth, when
he was called to Washington to organ.
ize the First Corps of Veterans
The name of every great battle in the
East is inscribed on IIancock's flags.
After the close Of the war he was
placed successively in command of the
Middle Department, the Department OF
Missouri, Of Louisiana and Texas, of
Dakota, and of the Department of the
East. He has his headquarters on
Governors Island. In the Democratic
National Convention of 1868 he receiv.
cd 144l votes for the Presidential nom.
ination. In 1876, in the National Con.
vention of the same party, he received
70 votes for the same nomination.
General Hancock has uniformly main.
tanned the doctrine that the military
power should in time Of peace be sub
ordinate to the civil law. This was
particularly shown in his address TO
the court of inquiry constituted to try
General Babcock, in 1875, in which he
urged that that officer having been for.
mally indicted at st. Louis it was right
and proper that the military inquiry
should be adjourned in order that the
ordinary civil processes might take
their course-which suggestion was
duly adopted. In 1868, while in com.
mand of the Fifth Military District,
General Hancock, in letter to Gov
ernor Pease, said
"On them (the laws OF Texas and
Louisiana), as on foundation of rock,
reposes almost the entire structure Of
social order In these two States. An
nul this code of laws, and there would
be no longer any rights either of per.
sons or property, here. | say, unhesi-
tatingly, ifit were possible that Con
gress should pass an act abolishing the
local codes for Louisiana and Texas,
which do not believe, and it should
fall to my lot to supply their places
with something of my own, do not
see how could do better than follow
the laws in force here prior to the re.
bellion, excepting where they shall re-
late to slavery. Power may destroy
the forms, but not the principles, Of
justice these will live in spite even Of
the sword"
During the past few years General
Hanoock's services has not been event
ful, but he has naturally occupied
prominent position in both military
and social circles. In July, 1877, he
went to Philadelphia to take command
of the troops ordered there to quell the
riots, and the prompt and efficient way
in which he brought order out ofchaos
will long he remembered with graft
tude. He is president of the Military
Order Of the Loyal Legion and of sew.
eral other military organizations, and
is always an honored guest at all as.
sembleges ofthe soldiers ofthe late war
He has had but two children, Rus.
sell Hancock and Ada Elizabeth Han
cock. The latter died in New York,
oftyphoid fever, when IS years of age.
She was young lady Of great prem.
isc. Russell Hancock, the Generals
I
only son, is living and is a planter in
Mississippi.
Hancock, in personal appearance, is
tall, well formed and very handsome.
His height cannot bo less than six feet
two inches, and ho weighs fully two