Daily Los Angeles herald., 1883-12-28
NAIL TO the CHIEF.
General Hancock's Career-How He
Won His Spurs in the Mexican War
His Services in the Civil War.

His Services in the Civil War.
Tomorrow morning on the train
from San Francisco will arrive here Gen,
W. s. Hancock. He has spent some
time here in the early days of this city.
He comes back to us full of years and
each year full Of honors. Readers OF
the HERALD will be interested in the
following story Of the hero's life, taken
from late number of the San Francisco
Eramiaer.
General Winfield Scott Hancock was
born in Montgomery Square, hamlet
of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania,
February ID, 1924, and consequently is
now nearly sixty years OF age. His
father was Benjamin Franklin Hancock,
a lawyer Of no mean repute. AT the
age OF 10, Hancock entered the West
Point Military Academy. Among his
comrades were Generals Grant, McClel-
Ian, Rosecrans, w. +. Smith, Long
street, Lyon, Reynolds, f. X. Smith
and Stonewall Jackson. He graduated
June 30, 1874, and was at once brevet-
ted Second Lieutenant in the Sixth
United States Infantry, then stationed
at Fort lawson ON the banks of the
Bed river, near the borders OF Texas.
Upon the declaration of hostilities
against Mexico, young Hancock was
commissioned Second Lieutenant and
was sent to Cincinnati, where he mate
rally aided in mastering volunteers to
proceed TO Mexico. Not only did he
raise large force, but he proceeded
with it to III Puente Nacional. forth
fed town on the road from Vera Cruz to
Mexico, where he had his
first action. At the head Of company
he stormed the bridge and dislodged a
force of Mexicans who obstructed the
march of the colump. Before the end
of the war he had participated in the
battles of Cherucusco and Contreras and
the storming of the castle of Molino del
Rey, winning name for bravery and
daring second to none. He did not leave
Mexico until the Spring of lS49, when
he was ordered to Fort Smelling. Mime
sofa. In the latter part of the year he
rejoined his regiment at st. Louis and
acted as Aid TO Brigadier-General U. 8.
Clark, then in command of the Depart
ment of the Indian country of the South.
IN FLORIDA AND KANSAS.
He was married January ~. 1850, to
Miss Almira Russell, daughter of Sam
uel Russell of st. Louis. In November,
1855, Hancock was promoted to be Cap
tain and was ordered to Florida. During
the war there he distinguished himself
by supplying the army by means Of a
fiotilla OF some $50 boats. Upon the
outbreak of the Kansas troubles Captain
Hancock was transferred, upon his per-
sonal application, to Fort Leavenworth,
where he served as Qaartermaster until
March 81, 1858. He was then ordered
to accompany General Harney's expe-
dition to Utah. When the hostilities
there wero at an end he received orders
to report at Fort Bridger as Regimen
tai Quartermaster of his old troops, the
Sixth Infantry. He accompanied his
old regiment TO Benicia, California,
where he remained some months. Oh.
tanning furlough, he visited his friends
in the East and returned to California.
This time he was stationed at Los An
geles in charge of a large quantity of
military stores. While stationed in
Southern California the mutterings of
the war of secession became louder and
louder, and the moment for the outbreak
nearer and nearer. On July 4, 1861, he
delivered an Grafton. at Los Angeles.
On September 4th he was ordered to
New York. From there he went to
Washington. He was then 3S years
old. On September 23d he was ap-
pointed Brigadier-G General, and at once
joined the Army of the Potomac. He
made his brigade one of the best in the
army. When it landed at Fortress
Monroe it was assigned to the Fourth
Army Corps. He met the enemy first
at Lees Mill, April l6, 1862. At the
head of two slim brigades he won the
battle of Williamsburg and captured
the first battle flag taken by the Army
of the Potomac. Hancock's next en-
counter was at Garnet's Mill, June 27,
1862 The brigade met heavy loss,
but the cutting OF the Union army in
two was prevented.
ANTIETAM, CHANCELLoRsvILLE, GETTys-
BURG.
AT the battle of Antietam il fell to
Hancock's lot to storm the deadly
Marye's Hights. He led 5,006 men into
action. OF that number 2,0l0 were
killed and wounded. Three of Han
cocks personal staff were killed and
four had their horses shot from under
them. He narrowly missed being hit
himself the ball passing through his
clothes and abrading the skin. At
Chancellorsville Hancock gained one of
his greatest victories. The great battle
terminated his career as division COM
mander. On June 25th he was appoint
ed to the command of the Second Army
Corps and eight days after engaged in
the terrible battle of Gettysburg, re-
ceiving wound from which he still
suffers. General Hancock's bravery
and daring in this terrible conflict
have been told too often to be re-
peated. For his part in the battle
the General received the thanks of Con
gress "for his gallant, meritorious and
conspicuous share in that great and de-
cisive victory" In November, 1864, he
was elected to organize the First Army
Corps OF Veterans, and afterward was
ordered to the command of the Middle
Military Division. In August, 1866, he
wus transferred to the Department of
Missouri and made Major-General. In
March, 1868, he commanded the De-
partment of the Gulf and aas soon after
ASST On ad to the Division of the Atlantic,
which division he is now in command of.
In 1880 he was selected as the Demo-
cratic candidate for President, but was
defeated by Garfield. He passed through
the political campaign unscathes and
stands to-day the example of a pure,
whole-souled polite an, esteemed and
houored by friends ard enemies.
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