The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1880-07-08
GEN. HANCOCK.
Biography of the Dehiocratic GaIdi-
date for President-His Exploits In
War-His Record in Peace.

0nbC IOI Il AIOSluCIlI-lIIS LADIUllS
War-His Record in Peace.
Winfield Scott Hancock is a soldier by
Inheritance as well as by experience.
One of his grandfathers was captured at
sea during the Revolution, and suffered
the miseries of the infamous Dartmoor
prison. His mothers father and grand
father served as soldiers in the Revolu-
ton, the former enlisting at the age Of
Is, the latter dying froth tile exposure
and hafdships Of the eaiflpaign Soon after
the cl6se of the war. His father, a native
of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania,
was soldier in the war of 1872, and sub
sequently became a prominent lawyer.
It was in this county, February Is, 1924,
that young Hancock was born and named
for the distinguished soldier Of Lundy's
Lane. He is, therefore, little more
than 56 years of age. ua rzs-I
HIS EARLY LIFE
Was passed at Norristown, Pennsylvania,
and he was educated at the academy in
that place. He was studious, thought-
full boy, whose selection to read the Dec
1afation of fndependence one Fourth of
July, when he was 15 years Of age, was
one of his first honors, With that
ancestry it was alIfiost impossible that
the youth should look forward to any
but a military career, and the next year he
was appointed to the Military Academy
OF West Point. ,it 6, 7=,fe, 40 3E...s
HIS CLAss-MATEs-MExICA WAR.
He took his high rank as a scholar,
graduating number eighteen in his class.
Among his fellow cadets were y. s.
Grant, Geo. B. Mcclellan, John F. Rey-
nolds (killed at Gettysburg), j. Z. Reno
Qzilled at South Mountainl, Burnside,
VIM. b. Franklin, q BaldyY Smith, both
of whom have been present at Cincinnati,
and Longstreet, 'tStonewall" jackson,
and the two Hills. In the Mexican War
he was conspicuous for gallantry at San
Antonia, Contreras, Cherubusco, Molino
del Rey and the assault and capture oi
the City Of Mexico. His first bfevetw
given him August 20, 1s47, for "gal.
lantry and meritorious conduct at Con.
treras and Cherubusco." ~
THE oUTBREAK7oF THE REBELLION.
For the next ten years he served, as
quartermaster and adiutant in the West
in the Indian war in Florida, the Utal
Expedition and at the outbreak of the
Rebellion wns stationed at Los Angeles.
When Sumter was fired upon, Southern
California was infused. with Southern
sympathies, but in spite of the tlnpopt.
larity, Hancock, by public speeches and
example, applied himself to sustaining
and spreading Union sentiments. His
services were of great valte in preserving
California to the Union. In the mean
time heapphed to the Governor of Penn.
ssylyania for command of some of the
troops that were to be raised in his
native State, but no ready compliance
being made to his request, he asked
General Scott to order him to the East
Scott, well acquainted with his brillan
record in Mexico, was glad to command
his services, and his soldierly aspect ani
bearing a5 Washington at once com
mended him to the notice of Presiden
Lincoln. On the express request of Nc
Clellan he was commissioned Brigadier
General and assigned to the division O
the Army of the Potomac under com
mand of " Badly" Smith and took up hi,
headquarters at Chain Bridge.
HIS FIRST CAMPAIGNS.
His command consisted of four regi
ments from New York, and one each from
Pennsylvania, Maine and Wisconsin
He at once set to work disciplining anC
drilling them for effective service. The
brigade became conspicuous it the ad
vance upon Yorktown along the Jame
River road from the middle of April t,
the Sd of May, being constantly on duty
in the trenches or diminishing with tn
enemy. On the 9TH of May, after hold
ing strong position before Fort Magru
der and vainly calling for reinforcements
he was, attacked by two brigades O
Earlys troops. As they came up Han
cock watched his opportunity and DASHED
forward on his horse, with head barred
he swung his hat, shouting !" Forward
Forward For Gods sake forward 7
His men, thus encouraged, marched Oh
as if in parade, the enemy's line faltered
retreated-and the field was won. Thi
gallant act introduced him to the Amer
ican public. In . telegraphing tn
success tothe President, Mcclellan said
: Hancock was superb.
During the campaign of the Peninsula
at Antietam, after which he received hi
commission as Major General; at Fred
ricksburg and Charlottesville, he wa
always distinguished for his. bravery, hi
coolness and the effective disposition @
his troops. ts' % :i.tTE
3. Z ole 10 GETTYSBURG.
Both on the first and second days a
| Gettysburg he successfully repelled tn
assaults made upon his position Indee,
it was he who, beng in, the advance, AM
surveying the situation, sent back wor
| to Gen Meade that Gettysburg was til
| place for the fight and Meade at one
acted on his information. ,,.s-..-
! On the third day, Hancock's lines sus
tanned cannonade of two hours from IL
guns, under cover of which Longstreet'
corps of eighteen thousand men wer
massed. like Napoleon's Old Guard. 8
Waterloo, for q final assault on tn
Union position. During this cannonade
and during the infantry attack ths
followed it, Hancock rode up and dow
his line, from Cemetery Hill towar
Roundtop, encouraging his men by hi
voice to stand firm and repulse this con
ing attack, and when Longstreet at las
launched his force, the flower of tn
rebel army, on Hancock's position, b
met with resistance more stubborn an
bloody than any other in modern history
AS is well known, this last assault of LIE
failed. Of that attacking force 800
men surrendered to Hancock's troop
and thirty stand of colors were take1
Exposing himself without the sightes
scruple, or thought for his own safety {
life, as was his custom, just as tn
enemy's force was turning back, an
with broken lines began his retrea
Hancock fell desperately wounded
While lying on the ground, jul
in rear of his line of battle, b
dispatch his aide to General Meade, wit
the following message: 'EIhe troop
under my command have repulsed th
enemy's assault, and we have gained
great victory. The enemy is now fyin
in all directions in my front. The aid
In delivering this message added the IL
formation of which General Meade wa