St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-03-30
Generals Who Fought in the -Four
Years. War;"

s:Can I see General Hancock to-day?n was
the query addressed by the writer to the non
commissioned officer who has charge of the
Governors Island ferry house at the foot of
Whitehall street.
''The general is not in good health, and he
is not receiving many visitors nowadays -
was the reply; ''but perhaps he will see you
if you go to his house."
''Can I not find him in the office at head
| quarters
81 think you will be more likely to catch
him at home. He is not able to spend much
of his time in his office, and his family will
not permit him to leave his house any more
than is absolutely necessary"
Stepping aboard the little ferry boat, the
visitor was soon conveyed to Governors Is
land. Walking up the path that leads to the
generals residence, he noticed that there
were few changes in the landscape since
the days of the last presidential campaign,
when the island was the favorite resort of
multitudes of the friends and admirers of the
Democratic candidate. Old Turk, the gene
RAILS favorite dog, was nowhere to be seen.
Turk is dead and the remains of the gigantic
specimen of the St. Bernard breed are en-
tombed under the shade of the walls of Fort
| Columbus.
General Hancocks house is a comfortable
but not luxurious abode. Everything in and
about the house is plain-more of the useful
than Ornamental pattern.
The visitor was ushered into the generals
presence. The general was sitting in large
| easy chair. He did not look as much of an
invalid as some recent statements in the
newspapers have led the public to believe
him TO be- As a matter of fact he has near
ly recovered from his physical trouble, and
all he needs is rest and time to recover his
full strength again. AS one of his friends
remarked: '"There are many years of service
for his country still remaining for General
Hancock The general is no egotist. 1t is
seldom that he talks of his own military
achievements, and he never utters criticisms
on the conduct of the men who were associa-
ted with him in suppressing the great rebel
lion. ''Twenty years ago we were in the
midst of the war;" he remarked. Sat that
time the rebellion had been in progress
two years, and two years of hard fighting yet
remained to be done. How quicklythe time has
passed since the close of the war 1t seems
but Yesterday that General Lee surrendered
to General Grant. And through what
changes we have passed! The country has
recuperated from the immense drain upon
her resources, and to-day we are happy and
| prosperous nation"
There was tremor in the generals voice
| as he recalled the names of the old war gen
erals who have passed from this life. Gen.
eral Thomas sleeps beneath splendid mon
ument in the beautiful lakewood cemetery at
Troy, N. Y. When he was removed to Oak
wood, in 1865, his remains were accompanied
to the place of burial by an immense con-
course of citizens, and there were present a
large number of military men from all parts
of the country. The roll Of the dead gen
erals includes Meade, Hooker, Garfield, Kill
| patrick, Burnside and Halleck. General
Grant, who was the central military figure
during the latter portion of the war, is now
| "a years of age.
He is frequently seen in Wall and Broad
streets. The same sphinx-like expression
for which he was noted twenty years ago is
still upon his face, and he takes the same
consolation from the smoking of good
cigar as he did of yore. His business office
is upon the sixth floor of the tall building
which stands on the northeast corner of Wall
street and Broadway. He is, as is well
known, deeply interested in the develop
ment OF railroad enterprises in Mexico and
the southwestern portion of the United
States. The prevailing impression among
downtown business men is that General
! Grant is immensely wealthy; but one OF his