Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1886-03-05

has become SO reduced that it will
amount to comparatively little.
Lieutenant-Ge General Phil Sheridan as.
command of the Division of the At.
Brcvet Major-General Whipple, As.
sistant Adjutant-General and ranking
officer OF the division, is holding temporary
command until the President shall assign
some Major-General to the post.
The Tribune says:
General Hancock's body will be taken to at.
Louis for burial and there placed in the
family mausOleum. He does not leave q large
estate. He owned some property in aud
about abe us; St. LOUIS, but little else. His charities
mately to have been much greater than his
income warranted. For some time General
Hancock has been debating "reminiscences OF
which are said, to be of great historical i'm
portance. In this work he had of late taken
great interest
WASHINGTON, Feb. 10.-A telegram an.
nouncing the dangerous illness OF General
Hancock was received by the President
about one O'Clock yesterday and was read
to the Cabinet. Just after the Cabinet ad.
journed a second telegram was received
conveying the intelligence OF his death
The flag IN the White House was immedi.
ately placed at half-mast, and the Presi.
dent soon after issued the following execu.
tive order:
Tidings of the death of Winfield Scott Han.
cock. the senior Maior-General of the army 81
the United States, have just been received. A
patriotic and valiant defender of his country.
an able and heroic soldier, a spotless ard &C
cOmpliShed gentleman, crowned alike with the
laurels Of military renown and the highest trib
ute OF his fellow-countrymen to his worth as
a citizen, he has gone to his reward. 1t is fit
be paid to his memory. Therefore, it is now
ordered by the President that the National tias
be displayed at hnlf-mast upon all the build
ings OF the executive departments in this city
until after his funeral Shall have taken place
The President also sent the following
telegram to Mrs. Hancock:
Accept my heartfelt sympathy and condo
iience in your terrible bereavement. The
heroism and worth Of your late husband have
Fiction n nation OF mOurncrs.
The flag on the War Department build.
ing was placed at haff-mast by order OF the
Secretary OF War, and arrangements were
made for the PRONUNCIATION OF a general
order formally announcing Hancock's
death to the army, which will be issued to.
day. The Secretary OF War also recalled
the invitations he had issued for a recep.
ton to the officers OF the army, navy and
marine corps for last evening.
General Hancock was very well known
here, and many of his army comrades as
well as his friends in civil life live re, SO
ciit1o Il III ClU Ill UIC country where
his death will be more deeply re.
GREETED han in Washington. His death
will neccssitate Il good many changes in
the higher ranks OF the army. The retire
ment OF General Pope is to occur in a few
days. SO that now two OF the Brigadier-
Generals will get their promotions. The
senior Brigadier-Gencral is o. o. Howard.
There has been some opposition to his pro-
motion to succeed General Pope. and the
friends OF Crook and Miles have been try
ing to secure the advancement for one of
those Generals. The second Brigadier-Gen-
eral on the list is Alfred II. Terry, an
officer of very high repute, who has several
years OF active service before him before he
reaches the age OF compulsory retirement,
but the third is General Augur, who will
be retired before long, SO that three
OF the six %Brigadiers may expect to
months, and three Colonies will be.
come General officers. Military officers here
are OF the opinion hat General Howard
will be the successor OF General Hancock,
and that his appointment will be made
within a few days. The claims which have
been urged in favor OF the appointment OF
General Howard to the junior Major-Gen-
eralcy, if valid, will entitle him to the an
pointment as General Hancock's successor.
General Hancock was born in Montgomery
County, Pa, February "A, 1924: he entered the
me West Point Academy in ls40, graduated in
1s44, and in 1876 received his commission Of
Lieutenant Of Infantry. He served during
his gallantry, and having allied sew.
eral subordinate posts was made Assist.
with the rank OF Captain on the staff, Which
rank he held ut the outbreak of the civil war
IN 1871 he was appointed acknowledgements OF
Potomee. H ena ace eergea in tie Gsn army S ct the
lan's army to the peninsula in 1862, and dis.
%tinguished himself in the battle Of Williams.
Der. lSd2 he commanded u division which sui.
terea severely, and for his mcritorious con.
sion as Major-Gcneral OF volunteers. He took
part in the battle of Chancellorsvillc. Wien
me advance Of the Union and Confederate
1863, and the Union forces were driven
back, Hancock was sent forward BIZ Meade to
decide whether a general battle should be
by toward, who was on the field, was ordered
TO take the until Meade should
f1me up: In the decisive engagement July :
although he himself was severely wounde
early in the engagement. He recovered sutti.
GENTLY to return to duty December u, 1863,
troops until April, 1864, when he was promote
to- the Of the Second Army Corps
anu WIS engaged IN I'LL the battles OF
the Wilderness campaign. from NAV +
TO June ~, 1854. when the brcakinr oui
OF the old wound received at Gettysbura
compelled him to leave for a time. He re.
turned to his in July, and remained
with it until November :6, 1864. being subse.
quently engaged in lighter duties Until tho
close or the war. He was promoted to ho
Brigadier General of the regular army in
august, 1861. Breyet MajorAGeneral March
10, 1855, and Major-General Of the United
states army July rs. 1866.
After the war he was SUCCESSFULLY com.
mander OF the Middle Department ISe5~Ht,.
Of the Missouri, lS66-67: Of the Department Of
Louisiana aud Texas, 1SG7-G9, and of the nr.
partment of the Dakota lS6a-72, Gnon
the death of General Meaue, Novn1n.
Der, le12. the President in acknowIedr
ment OF his great military servicus
appointed General Hancock to the colninund
Oh the Department of the East, with heaS.
quarters at Governors island, New York n
position which he held up to the duy of his
aeath. being one of the three Major-Gcnerais
IN the United States army.
IN 1858 General Hancock was a prominent
candidate for the Democratic nomination To
inc presidency. which. however, was given to
Ex-Governor Seymour. He secured the nom.
nation in 1880, but was defeated in the aIac.
ton by General Garfield. who received n non
ular majority of 1913 and All electoral mainp.
1ty OF 81 over General Hancock. S''