Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 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. 10.-The whole coun
try was shocked yesterday afternoon b,
the brief Geographic message from AID
jutant-General Whipple, on Governor
Island, announcing the death of Genera
Winfield S. Hancock, senior Major-Gen
eral United States army, and Commando
of the Military Division of the Atlantic
The sad intelligence was immediatel,
conveyed to the remotest corners of tn,
country, and, as if by magic, the flag:
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 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
:llness was considered to be serious. As
late as Saturday last he was in his private
Office attending to his official duties
When he went to Washington two weeks
ago to-day a 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
20, he had it lanccI by DR. O'Reilly,
the attending surgeon in Washington.
The eruption continued to discharge
freely, and the loss of blood was
such as to make a very perceptible differ
ence in his usual robust appearance. I'M
mediately after his return to Governors
Island week ago, the General sent for
DR.. John H. 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-
grew worse, although DR.. Janeway
did not consider the condition of his
illustrious patient past the point of
speedy recovery until Sunday night,
the 9TH inst, when decid edly unfavora-
BILE symptoms set in, 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 judiciousiy administered. Colonel
Charles Sutherland, medical director on
the island, co-operated with DIR. Janeway
in attendance on the patient, and the
General cheerfully assisted his physicians
by complying strictly with their direc-
tions. He recognized their supreme
authority under these circumstances, and
like true soldier to the last, he obeyed
all orders of his superiors. Although his
Of. I,
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-law, 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. M. 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
physicians were unanimous in their dag
nosis of what soon after proved to be a
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 quiet slumber.
General James B. Frye, who had served
ON Hancock's staff as an assistant Adju-
tant-G General, having heard that his old
was ill, 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 colered 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 a
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 in the sitting room below sounded
n it's three sweet-toned strokes. Then
hey fully realized that all was over, and
he sad intelligence was publicly an
A representative of the United Press
vas dispatched Immediately to Governors
sland. He was allowed to look at the
Generals remains within an hour after his
leath. General Hancock lay on the bed
n the easy natural position in which he |
lied in the simple second-story chamber
vitn It's windows facing west and south. |
The Generals head was toward the
lorth, In whose cause of National Integrity |
le had rendered such conspicuous and
important service on those famous battle
eids of the rebellion, with which the |
onor of the Union and his own renoWn |
must be forever linked. His face
yas turned toward the South, whose al
ection he had fairly won after the war
vas over by his wise, beneficent and SUI
remely Just administration OF affairs
turing the reconstruction period, when,
hough acting under martial law and
lothed with all the power which that I'M
lies, he kept his sword within its sheath
nd asserted the supremacy OF civil law.
AS far AZ could be learned no definite
for the funeral had been
greed upon up to a late hour last night.
was stated by one of the staff officers
hat Mrs. Hancock had expressed hers self
3 being opposed to military funeral;
nat it was her desire that the funeral
be as simple and I'M
as possible. The place
f interment has not yet been
xed upon, but it is the general belief
nat Norris town, Pa, where the Generals
arents and only daughter, Ada, are
uried, will be selected. 1t is also said
lat Mrs. Hancock is opposed to having |
he body e1nbaImed and its lying in state.
In conversation with one of the officers
st night that gentleman stated that in all
reliability only the immediate relatives
1d most intimate friends would be in
ted to attend the obseauies, and that