Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1886-02-12

In the sudden death of Major-Gen-
eral Winfield Scott Hancock, one of the
finest living soldiers passes from earth,
and the nation loses one of its braveSt and
best defenders. He was born February
II, 1924, in Montgomery county, Penn-yl-
Vania, the son of a well-to-dO farmer. who
gave him a good school EDUCATION and
proposed to put him, at IL years in dry
goods house in Philadelphia The
boy, however, had other tastes and
sought ana secured an appointment
to the United States Military academy.
He graduated from West Point in 1SH
and received Il brevet as second lieutenant
of the 9Th Infantry, and had two years
service on the western frontier before the
war with Mexico. I'm this he served with
his regiment and was breVetted as first
lieutenant for Gallant service in the bat
ties Of ConueraS and Cherubu-co. He
then had ten years Of service in Florida,
ON the western frontier and ia Utah. be
coming reGmcntul quartcrma~ter in lN4N,
adiutaut in 1919 and captain and assistant
quartcrmastcr ia 1873. In l>5J he WAS
stationed ia California, and did much 10y
patriotic and efficient service to keep that
citur time preceding the outbreal, OF
the civil war. In August 1861. he wa
summoned 10 WASHINGTON, and appointed
a bril-. general of Vuluutecrs,H NG I'm ;he
organization of the army under Ian
lac Ma, assigned to the command of Il
brigade, under Gen. VIM. r. Smith, then
in command OF the Union forces stationed
az Chain Bridge. The LIST Vermont
brigade was part of the same command
and some of the Vermont regiment. were
under him in various "Reminiscences
and thus early many Vermont soldiers
learned to know and admire him, He dis
lingUished himself at the battle of VIII
liamsburg in May, 1852, and if Gen. sum
ner had permitted the Vermont brigade to
reinforce him, as he and they desired,
would probably have wiped out the rear
guard of Joe Johnston's army. At Cold
ing's Farm, in front of Richmond, in June,
1862, the Nermonters again fought under
him. At Antietam he commanded di-
vision. In Burnside's mad attempt 10
storm the Heights of Fredericksburg in
December, lSG3, Hancock commanded II
division and showed conspicuous gallant
ry. Under Hooker he was promoted to
the command of the 2d corps Perhaps the
most distinguished service of his brilliant
military career was rendered ut Gettys-
burg He there commanded the left wing
of the Army of the Potomac under Gen
eral Meade. During the grand rebel as
sault OF the third day ne rode down To tlr
front line on the left entire then held by the
I'd Vermont brigade. 1t was Il spot where
the bullets flew thckly and where no
mounted men had appeared for hours.
While speaking to General Stannard, who
had just ordered the famous flank attack
ON l'ckett's division General Hancock
was shot from his horse and fell into the
arms Of lieutenants Hooker and Bene-
dict of Stannard's staff. The bleeding
from his wound, which was very severe
one, was stopped by General Stannard and
his aids, and by the latter, after the re
pulse of Pickett's charge, he was placed in
wound disabled him for nearly year, but
in May 1864, he again took the field rs
commander of the 2d corps in Grant :
overland campaign, In the bloody battle
of the Wilderness, the Old Vermont
brigade again fought and twelve hundred
of them fell under Hancock, on the Or
ange Plank and Brock roads. At Spottsyl-
yania ten days later, Hancock stormed and
carried the famous Salient and took 1000
rebel prisoners. At Cold lIarbor he again