Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-02-13

were fortunate, and would not put
repute of being fortunate. You may call
1t superstition. Possibly It was. Possibly
what Is called good fortune means that man
which you cannot formulate. You cannot dis
Germ 1t as a separate thing, and yet that man,
apparently doing his work NO better than
believe in the fortune OF the commander: Han
cock had that singular good fortune. For ex-
that thy
somewhere else than just on Hancock's front
the result might have been very different OF
clarifying Hancock by directing the charge on
that clump of trees to which bee pointed Long
street as the most conspicuous feature OF our
line. but 1t fell right on the front of Hancock's
the high-water mark OF the rebellion. It
the history Of the wal, and Hancock, Of
course, on such an occasion was magnificent.
He inspired the troops. He lifted the subordi-
not man to whom the term magnetic could be
applied. That is the expression that Is often
duence in the sense Of passing from man to man.
It was the influence Of a commander who was
age and heroic bearing extended to his staff and
his subordinate commanders in the line. It
was no mysterious, subtle essence at all. It
there is no other word tor this size and his
superb manly beauty. He was very handsome,
anu his me ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
mounted always, and his dash and daring
gave him great influence.
HIS TIRELEss CAUTION.
This ought to be said about Gen. Hancock
that he owed his success in as high degree as
any man / ever came in contact with In the
army to industry. He was simply indefatiga-
BILE. And after Hancock had taken every pre-
given every order which was necessary appar-
emily to secure success, after he had planned
the whole thing and instructed his subordi-
mates, he still hung over it to that there was
no miscarriage anywhere, and the failure to do
that was the great reason for the failure Of
most of our operations. Commanding officers
plan. given the necessary orders, instructed
everybody, and got receipt, SO to speak, for
commanders, they had then done their duty.
Hancock had then only begun to do it.
He was In the saddle night and day:
the possibility OF an adverse turn of the tide
He was always hanging over the line Of battle,
exposing Sssg himself na In wnat seemed 70 pc most
unnecessarily reckless, perhaps, but after all It
was the essence Of the man, and the essence,
would ride along the line Of battle, With the
corps staff behind him and the corps flag flying,
plain mark for the enemy, who would prac-
tice at him with their batteries as If he were q
target. But he was everywhere, and 1t seemed
as though there could not be q beginning of q
failure but he was there.
When we went over the James river, before
the explosion Of the mine in 1854, our object
was to make feint which would draw the
bulk of Lees army over the north bank OF the
James while the preparations for blowing up
the mine and making great assault on Peters
burg were going on. cannot mention dates,
but toward the last Of July we went over on the
north bank of the James river with the I'd
corps and the 10th corps under Birney and the
cavalry under Sheridan, who at that time was
ton which was remarkable for its effect
heard Gen. Meade say two or three times on
the day Of which l am speaking that Ave out
were on the north bank fronting us; that is, we
had drawn over very largely disproportion-
ate force OF the enemy because our demonstra-
tions had been so active that they really
thought we were making great efforts to get
into Richmond from the north side. AS the
mine the orders were given by the 10th corps to
be sent back and the largest of our divisions to
be in readiness to follow up Burnside's assault,
and to remain ourselves with the cavalry and
hold the enemy there, keeping up the appear
ance OF aggression, but at the same time, of
course, stripping our lines to the very last
point and putting ourselves in rather critical
position, because we had deep river behind
us, and we had the mass of the confederate
thing depended upon care. The cavalry were
to recross 10 the south bank of the river, and
leave their horses, every fourth man holding
four horses, the other three OF the four coming
back with their carbines to help US hold the
lines the next day. OF course If the enemy
had the slightest idea that we were sending
with Irresistible force Al the orders that were
necessary were given, especially instructions
the 6rdses s as as
sible, but could not prevent the noise aud the
Earring. The most explicit orders were given
on those orders and proved that everything was
done that should have been done, and every
order was given that should have been given.
But that was not the sort OF thing to satisfy
Gen. Hancock.
We went to sleep,after having been marching
and fighting for three nights and days without
by hearing my name called. went into Han
cocks tent-I slept next to him-and he said he
crossing TOO late Subject to oSservas
ton, and asked me II would not ride over and
see Gen: Sheridan and say to him that If any
stop on our side, and could not be allowed to
cross l jumped on my orderly's horse and
rode over 60 a clump Of woods where Sherldans
voice 1 heard was Sheridan's own. "Who is
that?" l announced myself, and gave Han
cocks message, and the reply was, II was
he said, turning to his adjutant general, "go
TO the bridge. and, If Gen. Kuntz's division
not cross, but must mass his cavalry behind
the day" Forsythe and myself galloped 70
the bridge and there found the head of the
column Just entering the bridge, stopped it,
turned it back, and had it massed behind the
woods. In 15 or 20 minutes it was light enough
for the enemy to see our movement II they
had seen the rear of that column crossing the
bridge we should have had dve-eights at least
OF Lees army upon us almost instantaneOuSly.
AS 1t was, when the day broke what they saw
was the cavalry coming back with their car
bines over their shoulders, looking for all the
world like honest Infantry. They had heard
this sound all night. They knew troops were
crossing, but could not tell which way. They
had been straining their eyes as the morning
began to break to see what was going on, and
to them simply the rear of q column that had
been crossing all night to reinforce US on the
north bank, and it added immensely to the
effect.
HIS GREAT DAYS.
Hancock's great days were Williamsburg,
where he commanded brigade Of the 4th
corps, and defeated Early opposite the Union
right; Fredericksburg, where he commanded
the LIST division of the I'd corps and made the
great charge upon Maryes Heights, which was
probably the most superb single piece OF soldier
cocks division losing over 100 commissioned
officers and over 2, 600 men In that superb series
OF attacks upon Marye's Heights, Hancock him.
self being all over the field, and every officer OF
his stat, with one exception. wounded. think
that gave him great prestige. His next great
third day, the great day, his division for q
while remained alone ON the plateau after
the Sd corps and the 18th and every other
body of troops had lett the ground, and the en-
e EN- were swafming up Ct least asG degrees o.
side. Half his division formed fronting Cor.
louisville and the other halt fronting Freder
icksburg, back to back, the artillery firing down
between the two lines, and held his place there
until his road was clear. That action war an.
magnificent courage inspired every man. Every
other body Of troops had gone to the rear. and