The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1886-02-18

bullets few from the muzzles of the
Union rifles to the breasts of the Confed-
crates. 1t was an awful day, and Long
streets "Old Guard of the South" melted
away like wax under that terrible fire.
Thirty stand of colors and an immense
number of small arms were taken.
Hancock was everywhere, riding the
storm of battle as if he bore charmed
life. at last, just in the moment of vic
tory, he was seen to reel in his saddle
and would have fallen to The ground had
lie not been helped from his horse. A
ball had pierced his thigh, and for a
time it was thought the wound was NOR.
tai.
"Tell Gen. Meade" said Hancock
addressing his aide, Col. Mitchell, chat
the troops under my command have
repulsed the enemy are now flying in all
directions in my 'front.'"
When the aide delivered this message
to Gen. Meade and added his General
was dangerously wounded, Meade said :.
"Say to Gen. Hancock that am sorry he
is wounded and that thank him for
myself and for the country for the seryi.
ces he has rendered to-day"
Gen. Meade afterwards, in comment.
ing on the battle of Gettysburg, said to
Gen. r. G. Drum: "No commanding
general ever had better lieutenant than
Hancock. He was always faithful and
reliable"
Hancock did not recover from his
wound until December, 1868, when,
although still quite lame, he reported for
duty, and was sent North to recruit his
corps. He was rendered a reception at
Independence Hall by the citizens of
Philadelphia, and received the hospitali.
ties of the cities of Boston, Albany and
New York. In March, 1864, he rejoined
his corps and participated in the battles
of the Wilderness with Grant. He COM
manded the I'd and parts of the 5th and
9th corps, amounting in all to $4,000
men. He fought at Alesop's House and
at Spottsylvania Courthouse. He was at
North Anna, and did most of his fighting
there. He commanded at the bloody
assaults on Cold Harbor, and did his best
to execute Grants orders. The fighting
was desperate, and Hancock's loss could
not have fallen far short of 10000. he.
was on the South side of the James
River, and made the assaults on Peters.
burg. He was with Sheridan, and at
tackled the Confederatcs at Deep Bottom,
taking four pieces of artillery, GOO pris-
oners and three stand of colors. he was
at Petersburg and witnessed the explosion
of the mine on the morning of July 80.
The advance up the James River, August
12, 1864, was under his command, and
he handled the I'd and 10th corps of the
Army of the James and Gregg's division
of cavalry with such consummate skill
as to elicit expressions Of admiration
from even Gen. Grant. He fought the
battle of Reams's Station, August 25,
and had his horse shot under him. He
fought the battle Of Boydton Road, cap.
turing 1000 prisoners and two stand of
colors.
With the battle of Boydton Gen.
Hancock's active fighting in the war
ceased. President Lincoln, who had
learned to place high estimate on Han
cocks abilities, ordered him to Washing
ton and directed him at once to organize
an army of $4,000 veterans from dis.
charged volunteers who had served an
enlistment. The use of this army was
alone prevented by the surrender of Lee
and the ending of the war; At the close
of the war Hancock commanded the
army of the Shenandoah, relieving Gen.
Sheridan. This army consisted Of $4,000
men of all arms, and was destined to
to move South with Hancock's $4,000
veterans and join Gen. Sherman, but Joe
Johnston threw up the sponge and rem
dered the movement unnecessary.
Gen. Hancock's career since the war is
so we'll known it needs but little mention
here. For his services during the war he
was appointed a brigadier, and afterwards
major general in the regular army, and
assigned to the command of the middle
department. In 1866 he took command
of the department of Missouri, and con-
Quoted two campaigns against hostile
Indians, taking the field in person, at
the head of 1900 men of all arms.
In 1867 he was sent by the President
to New Orleans to command the States
of Texas and Louisiana. 1t was in this
field of labor that he distinguished him.
self by setting the example of an officer
of the army, with extraordinary powers,
strenously insisting upon the entire SUBJ
ordination of military to civil authority
in time of peace. Among the military
commanders during the Reconstruction
period he was conspicuous in this regard,
and the positions then laid down in his
general orders and correspondence did
more, perhaps, than anything else to
make him the. ideal soldier in the minds
of Constitutional Democrats. In 1868
he was relieved at his own request, and
in 1869, 10, III and ~ commanded the
department at Dakota. Since then he
commanded the military division of the
Atlantic, composed of the department of
the Lakes, the department. of Washing
ton, with headquarters at Governors
Island, New York City.
In June, 1880, he was nominated by
the National Democratic Convention at
Cincinnati for President Of the United
States, but was defeated by Gen. Garfield.
At the last Democratic Convention he
was spoken of as the nominee of the