The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1886-02-18
The Gallant Soldier, Patriotic Citizen and
Perfect Man Receives and Answers the
Final Summons--How the News
Was Received.

NEW YORK, Feb. l0.-The whole CONN.,
try was shocked yesterday afternoon by
the brief telegraphic message from Adj
jutant-General Whipple, on Governors
Island, announcing the death of General
| Winfield S. Hancock, senior Maior-Gen-
eral United States army, and Commander
of the Military Division of the Atlantic.
The sad intelligence was Immediately
conveyed to the remotcst corners of the
country, and, as if by magic, the flags
appeared at half-mast on the various pub
lie buildings in the city.
Within an hour the telegraph wire lead
ing into the headquarters was burdened
with messages of coincidence and tender
sympathy with the bereaved widow,
whose grief is overwhelming, and of
tributes to the Generals private and pub
lie virtues as a citizen, as well as to his
greatness as commander.
The news of his death was all the more
startling from the fact that few of his in
innate friends had any knowledge that his
illness was considered to be serious. As
late as Saturday last he was in his private
When he went to Washington two weeks
ago to-day slight eruption on his neck
near the base of the brain gave him some
uneasiness, and the Inflammation in
creased so rapidly that on Friday, January
%, he had it lanced by DR.. O'Rcilly,
the attending surgeon in Washington.
The eruption continued to discharge
freely, and the loss of blood was
such as to make very perceptible differ
ence in his usual robust appearance. I'M
mediately after his return to Governors
Island week ago, the General sent for
DIR. John II. JaneWay, attending surgeon
of the department, who soon perceived
signs of carbuncle. To his experienced
eye the evidence of this was unmistaka-
BILE. The next day the carbun-
Gle appeared, and it gradually
grew worse, although DR.. Janeway
did not consider the condition of his
illustrious patient past the point of
speedy recovery until Sunday night,
the 18th inst, when decid edly unfavora-
BILE symptoms set i'll, accompanied by de-
lirum. The malady had then touched
the brain and there appeared to be good
ground for the opinion that his days
were numbered.
Proper nourishment, consisting of con-
centrated beef tea, milk and stimulants
were judiciouSy administered. Colonel
Charles Sutherland, medical director on
the island, co-operatcd with DR.. Jancway
in attendance on the patient, and the
General checrfully assisted his physicians
by complying strictly with their direc-
tionS. lie recognized their supreme
authority under these circumstances, and
like n true soldier to the last, he Obeyed
all orders of his supcriOrs. Although his
condition was alarming, his pulse was
regular and he rested easily up to Mon
day evening and during the greater part
OF the night, so that the hope of ultimate
recovery was by no means abandoned.
Oliver Russell, the Generals brother
in-aw, watched by his bedside, and did
not notice any decided change until at an
early hour this morning. Between four
and five o'clock the General became rest
less, and was unable to take either medi-
cine or nouriShment. The physicians
were called Immediately, and they sent to
this city for DR.. d. NJ. StimsOn, of No.
West Seventeenth street, an old friend
of the Generals, who arrived at ten
O'Clock.
In the consultation which was held the
were unanimOuS in their dag
nosis of what soon after proved to be
fatal illness. This was to the effect that
the General was rapidly sinking from
caused by the loss of vitality
incident to the powerful drain upon his |
made by the carbuncle, COM
plicated and aggravated by chronic dia- |
betes. The General soon fell into what |
to be a quiet slumber.
General James B. Frye, who had served |
on Hancock's staff as all assistant Adiu- |
tant- General, having heard that his old !
was i'll, arrived during the |
and, together with Drs. Jane |
way and Sutherland, Mr.. Oliver Russell, |
hospital steward Robinson, Ward, the |
Generals faithful private messenger, and |
Daniel, his young colored servant, were |
in the room watching and waiting, when, |
1t seven minutes before three O'Clock, the /
final summons came, and the great COM
nander passed away to join the noble
army of his departed comrades without
The sorrowIng spectators of this peace
ul and impressive scene were still
standing there as though transfixed,
when the cathedral clock on the mantel-
piece i'll the sitting room below sounded
IN its three sweet-toned strokes. Then
hey fully realized that I'LL was over. and
he sad intelligence was publicly an
A representative of the United Press
vas dispatched Immediately to Governors
Island. He was allowed to look at the
Generals remains within an hour after his |
leath. General Hancock lay Oh the bed
n the easy natural position in which he
lied in the simple second-St0ry chamber
vito its windows facing west aid south.
The Generals head was toward the
forth, in whose cause of National integrity
lie had rendered such conspicuous and
Important service on those famous battle
ields of the rebellion, with which the
lonTor of the Union and his own renown
must be forever linked. His face
vas turned toward the South, whose at
ection he had fairly won after the war
vas over by his wise, benefcent and SUI
,remely Just administration of affairs
Turing the reconstruction period, when,
hough acting under martial law and
all the power which that i'm
lies, he kept his sword within its sheath
nd asserted the supremacy of civil law.
As far IS could be learned 20 definite
arrangements for the funerai had been
greed upon uD to late hour last night.
t was stated by one OF the staff officers
hat Mrs. Hancock had expressed herself
S being opposed to a military funeral;
hat it was her desire that the funeral
arrangements be as simple and I'M
as possible. The place
f interment has not yet been
xed upon, but it is the general belief
hat NorristOwn, Pa, where the Generals
arents and only daughter, Ada, are
uried, will be selected. 1t is also said
hat Mrs Hancock is opposed TO having
he body embalmed and its lying in state.
In conversation with one OF the officers
lst night that gentleman stated that in all