St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-02-11
GEN. SHERMAN SPEAKS.
A Feeling Testimonial by n Conn
paniOn in Arms.

CINCINNATI, Feb. 10.-In his speech be-
fore the Loyal Legion tonight Gen. Sher-
man said:
Ladies and Companions in the Glorious
Cause: Gen Grant records on the front fly
leaf of his book that ''Man proposes and God
disposes" We feel that here tonight. Yes
terday we hoped TO have jolly good time, and
vet the telegraph waited over the wires the
sad intelligence that that glorious
man, your former commander-in-chief,
one who probably has done more
10 sustain the Loyal Legion than
any other man on earth, lies in his shroud,
and within but few hours he will be buried
ut his old home in Pennsylvania. 1t is right
and fit, ladies and gentlemen, that we should
pause and do this glorious subject martis
honor, without record and without notes.
must speak and will be as brief as possible.
know Hancock well, for my memory goes
back to the time when he came 10 West
Point, tall, slender boy with fair hair
and blue eyes and cheeks with
the down of the freshly-ripened
peach. / have seen him from that
time until a few months ago. He made a
good name in the Mexican war. When got
to ST, Louis, captain in the commissary
department. found Hancock there, devel-
bped in manly beauty, strengthened in char
acter, regimental quartermaster still, with
the rank of first lieutenant, young groom of
BEAUTIFUL BRIDE,
and here permit me, ladies, 70 speak of that
good woman who now is widow. for know
her well. She was the child, herself, of an
Ohio lady. Her parents came from Zanes-
vile, o., Russell by name. Russell and Ben
nett two young men living in GAINESVILLE as
boys, clerks III store, found in two beautiful
Creole girls, descendants from the old French
stock which came over here by reason of the
Revolution of 1859, settled at Marietta or
Galipolis, or Belpre-found in them their
wives. These two young men took their
young girl brides to ST. Louis, and by
labor, industry and thrift rose to great
eminence as merchants. When / went there
the houses of Russell and Bennett, of which
Mrs. Hancock was the ornament, the pride
and Hancock the handsomest the most ele-
giant gentleman-those two were all the envy
and that house was the very abode of happi-
ness and of hospitality, such as L have never
seen surpassed even if equalled. From that
time on Gen. Hancock rose steadily in the
estimation of his fellows, and when the war
broke out there was no hesitation there. not
q bit He WAS a Union man. Applause
He was soldier There was not one culver
Of the eyelid, not one tremble of the hand.
Hancock was Il soldier. man, and very
splendid man too, as you who have seen him
can bear testimony. He went into the war
with his whole
HEART AND SOUL,
and carried with ii experience and the teach
ings of West Point, the teachings of the
army. the teachings of the field. He knew q
soldier from the heel up to the top of the head,
and he sympathiZed with a soldier and was
himself a soldier in every walk of life. Now,
when the time came for battles TO be fought
here We had Il man who was qualified and
capable, sustained by friends at home en-
couraged 10y admiring companies, and when
the battle of Gettysburg came Hancock was
the impersonation of the defense / have
stood upon that very spot, behind the
very stone wall, not during the battle
but afterwards and there was pointed out to
me the place where Picket's division came I'D
and where Hancock stood and fell, and if
there ever should be monument erected on
earth to man, there is the spot for Han
cocks monument. But / will go further and
say that and others who were with me went
zap through Virginia after the war was over
and we went out of our way and we saw the
spot rwhere HancocK's corps had charged
across those parapets. and saw the trees
through which these men charged with Han
cock at their head and compelled Meade to
retreat back These were the two points
probably most historic which marked him as
a man in whom confidence could be had. He
had the
CONFIDENCE OF GEN. GRANT,
of every man who ever had Hancock on his
command, myself included. He was the most
obedlent, the most completely satisfactory
never questioning an order, loyal to the
execute any order whether he approved it or
not. / will go further and say that knew
Hancock on the plains, where there was no
chance for glory, no hope of fame, no desire
to attract notice. nothing but abuse
and hardships, the same conscientious
man, anxious to do right, anxious to fulfill
the orders OF his government, anxious
complete job on which he had been dis
patched and generally successful. Now Gen.
Hancock is dead. The big. strong, nervous
man lies dead in his house on Governors
island, and we, his companions, may well shed
a tear here tonight. 1t was a sad piece of
news which came to us yesterday. OH my
friends, when that woman sat at the gates of
Paradise disconsOlate and appealed to the
heavens what she should bring to admit
her to the gates, she went back
and forth and finally returned with the
expired spirit of soldier patriot and the
gates of heaven were opened to her. If the
gates of heaven were opened for the poor
girl, how much more will it be for the manly
soldier2
THE GATES OF HEAVEN
will remain ajar until he enters it, and you
and /, and each and every one of
us, are the better for the life
which this man has led. Our country
is the better for it. Our boys in school are
the better for it. You, yourself can point to
to this man, born of humble parents. reared
in common schools, who went into life with
little help, and rose by being a true honest
and brave man and soldier, beloved by every
body, mourned by everybody. And
/ say. Hancock, you are rewarded
] would not recall his life if could. He has
filled his life with full measure, He will be
honored by all mankind, beloved by all man
kind and beloved by all womankind, too.
Before the speaking began the ladies
were admitted and were seated among the
companions throughout the hall, fact to
which Gen. Sherman twice referred in the
course of his remarks. Following
Gen. Sherman Gen. Lew Wallace
spoke of the teachings and
results of the war. Gen. Fairchild of Wis
consin, William Z. Strong of Chicago, Gen.
King of New York. Gen. Charles H. Gros-
yenor and Lieut.. Gov. Kennedy of Ohio
also spoke. 1t was very late before the
very pleasant and successful meeting closed.
The Hancock Burying Ground.
NnDD1cro1t-,r Lal va