The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1886-02-16
SORROW AT WINCHESTER
"sUPERB HANCOCK"
A Sketch of the Heroic Soldier and
Prudent Statesman.


Gen. Hancock IL native of Pennsyl
vania, having been born 10 Montgom.
cry county in that State :on the 14th day
Of February. 1924 He graduated al
West Point in l84i, and served mainly
on frontier duty ill 1846 and afterwards
in the war with Mexico, brevetted as
First Lieutenant for gallant and merito
rious conduct in the battles Of Contreras
and Cherrubusco. In 1S4S to 1855 be
was employed in frontier duty, and from
1855 to 1861 was qusr,ermaster of the
Southern District OF California. In Au.
gust of the latter year be was recalled
to Washington and when the Armv OF
the Potomac was transferred to tue PEN
insula in 1862 he was already Brigadier
General with appropriate command in
the Fourth corps. HIS frst opportunity
to make mark occurred at Williams.
burg He next dislino uished himself in
The battle Of Fraz,r's Farm and subse-
quently ,ok an active part 10 the cam
paign IN Maryland and at the battles OF
South Mourt,in and Ante tam. Beng
made Major General he commanded a
division at Fredericksburg and Chan
celloryille. At Getty shurg the first day
f the hate, July 1T, 1853, he was
sent BY General Meade to decide whether
al decisive battle should he given or
VIII, ther the army should fall back, re-
polt:d that Gettysburg was the place to
q ght. and took immediate command un-
Ill the arrival of Meade. In the de
cisive action of July 81 be commanded
ON the left centre, sustaining the terrific
onset Of Longst eel's Confederates and
being severely wounded. Being disabled
ny his wounds, be was on sick leave till
March, being mean while e gaged In re-
cruiting the Second Army Corps, which
was placed under lis command. At the
opening Of the campsign Of that year
under Gen. Grant, be hire prominent
pa in the hst les # the Wilderness.
Spottsylvania Court House and NTH
Anna, the second battle of C,ld Hsrbor,
and the operations around. Petersburg
Till June 10Th, when bis wounds breaking
o, { ST. .esh he was q short time on sick
leave. A tr be had resumed command
and pa ticipstcd IN several actions till
November 2G, when be vas called TO
Washington to organize the First Corps
OF V,tHans.
After the close Of The war he was
placed successivelv in command of the
middle depaitne,t Of the Missouri, OF
L ,uisians, and Texas, OF Dakota, and Of
tue Department OF the East.
While Gen. Hancock was 10 commend
Of the military district OF Louisiana and
T-xas. with headqusit,rs 10 New o :
leans, in November. 1867. he found him
self met by difficulties arising out Of the
results OF the war. With admirable tact
and q keen sense Of justice to the laws
Of the country as we'll as the people oi
Louisiana aud Texas. be reconciled the
differences t,st had previously prevailed
and which had their origin in the abom.
Unable carpethag governments that since
the close of the war had blighted those
States and instead Of an oppressor
louisiana and Texas found in him Q
Governor inspired by the motives OF the
porest patriotism and Of the brightest
fjnttlce On assuming command Nov
90. 1897, he issued his well-known Gen.
eral Order No. &C, in which be laid down
his programme as Governor of the Dis.
let. There Was everything in this order
is produce profound sense OF gratitude
in the hearts OF those to whom it was
addressed. 10 it he expressed his con,
vic,ions that the people of L ,uisisna and
Tex,s and he declared his purpose :, in
sure it by allowing the civil authorities
to carry out the civil laws. Folio sinf
1t name for awhile the blessings of peace
and prosperity, and but for the fact thfi
'It,e adm nist-ation at Washington re
moved Gan. Hancock from his sphere q
.ljustice and benelicient government, ,h'
lperiod OF misrule in Louisiana and Tex
as, would have ceased eighteen YEAR
ago. How honestly, how impaIt'aill
and how prudent'y he conducted the al
falrs Of those two States is shown in IN
case of his coLt .oversy with the carpet
bagger ESQ called) Governor Pease, Q
Texas. This individual had arbitrariI.
removed the Judges and courtY officer
whom he found in Office and had ap
pointed bis own ere; tires to ill thei
places. Gen. Hancock's first act on as
suming command was to redress the in
; Justice that bad been done to the peoDl
OF Texas, aud in his G ,neral Older N +,
40 he repaired the wrong that Peas
had COMMITTEES. He. declared that to
right OF t t.ial by jury, tie habeas corpus
tie liberty Of the press. freedom o
, speech, the natural rights OF persons an
J the rights Of propert' should he respect
, ed-noble sentiment, that have nave
been forgotten by the American people
:. Again in Liter to Pease be said TIA