The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1886-02-11
DEATH OF GEN. HANCOCK.

of the greatest men in American history
heal led the list for the new year.
Gen. Hancocks life is of interest to the
people of the United States, as he be-
longed to them, and his death will be
read with sorrow by friends and foes
alike. This great man was born February
IA, 1924, in Montgomery county, Pennsyl-
vania,. Being destined for military life
he was sent to West Point, whore he grad
uated in 1874, and was sent to the
frontier, where he remained until the year
1916, giving promise of the ability future
years developed. After this he went to
Mexico, in the struggle between the Unit
ed States and that country, and was bre-
vetted as first lieutenant for gallant and
meritOrius conduct i'll the battles of Con
treras and Churubusco, when he was yet
only twenty-three years of age. From
1S48 to 1858 he was relegated to frontier
duty in various parts of the country, and
from 1859 to 1861 he was quartermaster
OF the southern district of California. At
the breaking out of the late civil war he
was recalled to Washington, and was made
bfigadier general of the volunteers in
years old He was conspicuous
at the battles of Williamsburg
and Frazers farm, and took an active
part in the campaign in Maryland at the
battles of South Mountain and Antietam,
and having been advanced to the position
of major general he commanded divi-
sion Mt Fredericksburg and Chancellors-
vile.
About this time happened the event
that made him famous in history. On
July l, 1868, he was sent by General
Meade to decide whether a decisive battle
should be given at Gettysburg; he report
ed that it would be the best site and took
immediate command until the arrival of
Meade, and in the decisive action of July
3 commanded the left CENTRE which was
the main point assailed by the Confed-
crates, and was severely wounded.
1t was for his gallant services in this
battle that congress in 1866 awarded him
vote of thanks, public expression
that showed the value of his services
that terrible battle. He was so severely
wounded at Gettysburg that he was on
sick leave until March of 1864. He was
however, recruiting the second army
corps at this time, which was placed un-
der his command, and with this corps he
bore prominent part in the battles of
the Wilderness, Spottsylvania Court House,
North Anna, the second battle of Cold
Harbor and the operations around Peters
burg. He took part ia several other en-
gagements until he was called back to
Washington to organize the first corps of
veterans. After the close of the war he
was placed successfully in command of
the middle department, (1865'66), de-
partment of Missouri, (1S66-'67), of |
Louisiana and Texas, (1867'6S), of Da-
kota, (1S70-72), and, on the death of
General Meade, of the department
of the east. 1t was while he
was absolute ruler of two |
southern states, louisiana and Texas so
appointed by President Johnson, that
Hancock, although reared soldier, pro-
mulgated that order, the sense of which
was, "The right of trial by jury, the ha-
beas corpus, the liberty of the press the
freedom of speech, the natural rights of
must be preserved" This sub
ordination of military rule to the consti-
tuition and laws by soldier, and at time
when the feeling against the south was
bitter, was the cause of severe persecu-
ton of Hancock by the party that made
Grant military dictator. His first Off
cial act, on taking command in Louisiana
and Texas, was to issue an order, in which
he proclaimed that the constitution had
survived the war, and that it should be
used as guide in the administration of
he affairs of his district. This order gave
him n civil reputation, coming as it did
from man reared as soldier and train
ID in the art of governing by force of
arms. This pacific measure was not all
hat he did that entitled him to be lauded
rs the friend of the defeated south, for
when Governor Pease asked for strong
military arm to be extended over Texas,
lie answered that he favored free civil
an astonishing rebuke by
oldier to man who had been nourished
n the walks of peace.
General Hancock was candidate for
he presidential nomination of the demo-
ratio party, in 1868, and received 144l2
otes in the convention which nominated
Ioratio Seymour, In 1880 his name
Ias again before the democratic
when he was nomi-
ated, receiving 700 cut of a total of 73S
otes. 1t was thought that he would be
lected, because the soldier element would
npport him, but such was not the case,
Though his defeat was caused by politi- =
al reasons alone. Since that defeat he