New-York tribune., 1886-02-10
DEATH OF GENERAL HANCOCK
SAD TIDINGs FROM GOVERNORS ISLAND.

leaving the wharf for this city yesterday afternoon
messenger came running down from headquarters
with an announcement of the death Of General
Hancock and an order to put the flags at half-mast.
| AT the same time the post flag on Castle William
came huttering down to haf-mast, and the news
spread over the island that the General was dead
1t was thunderboit out of clear sky to the little
| military community on the island. 1t was known
that the General had been suffering from car
| buncle on his neck, and all the morning
his attending physicians had looked grave.
| But no one except those in immediate attendance
upon the General had any idea that his condition
was serious. When the news of his death was
brought to headquarters one of his aides was busily
whiting letters for General Hancock TO sign. The
| news soon reached the city and everywhere flags
were displayed at half-mast
General Hancock died at ten minutes before 3
O'clock, of malignant carbunce complicated with
acute diabetes. AbOut two years ago he had an
abscess on his leg which threatened at time to
prove serious. Since his recovery from that he has
been IN better health than before. Last week he
seemed to be in perfect health aud was cOntem-
plating trip to Florida. On Wednesday he went
to Washington, accompanied by Lieutenant j. A.
Da Pray. He made formal calls the President
the Secretary of War, and General Sheridan. Sew
eral of the Generals old classmates at West Point
were in Washington, and they all called on him to
talk over old times at the Academy and the stirring
| events which had happened since their graduation.
On Thursday he sat all the evening with Lieuten-
ant Da Pray and General Franklin, of Hartford,
who was at the Point with him, recalling incidents
of his career as cadet. OF no other subject did he
think talk that night. " Ii was" said Lieuten-
ant Da Pray yesterday. " as if his memory all at
once had eaped back into the past and he was
living his cadet life over again. The most minute
incidents of his life on the Hudson, incidents for
gotten for years, came back to him freshly and
wildly" 1t was like the setting sun which some-
times after stormy day breaks through the clouds
before it sinks from sight, tor in the morning the
General returned to Governors Island to die.
The day that General Hancock went to
Washington he complained of O boil which had
made It's appearance on the back of his neck. On
Friday morning 1t had so increased in size that it
gave him considerable pain and he went to the
SUI geon-Genera's Office and had 1t lanced 1t was
pronounced small carDunce, but neither he nor
any one at the Surgeon Generals Office attached
any serious importance toit. He took the train
for this city at IL O'Clock in the forenoon. After
he had got on board the train he remarked that he
wished he had known sooner that the President
held a reception that evening, intImatIng that If
he had known 1t he would have STAYED and at
tended 1t. He reached his home on Governors Is
land Friday night and retired early.
On Saturday the swelling the back of his
neck began t. give him pain. and DR.. Janeway at
tending surgeon at headquarters, aud Dr.. Suther-
land assistant surgeon. were called in. They pro-
nounced it malignant carbuncle and APP
pet the usual treatment. The General went
about the island on Saturday and attended
to all the duties of his position. Tho
had accumulated while he IN WASH
lngton were placed before HIM, and after hard
days work he retired, but TO sieepless night. The
carbuncle. which was situated at the base of the
brain. caused him great pain aud seemed to affect
his whole nervous system. On sunday the General
Did feel well enough to leave the house, and
Monday he could not leave his room. His attend
ing pt ysicians suspected that some other trouble
than the caTbnncle was sapplng their patients
strength. Ihelr suspicious proved 10 be correct,
aud they found that ne suffering from acute
diabetes. messenger was sent 10 this city for DIR.
ID. NJ. S'imson, a specialist i'll such diseases he
went over and a consultation was held. The Cen
eral began TO improve and il was thought that
there was II tie danger
There was a ma ked Improvement IN his con-
ditlon up to | o'clock yesterday morning, when he
suddenly began to fall. hen for the first time
his family and the friends who were with him re-
allied that there was danger of his death In spite
of all that medical skill could do he sank rapidly,
and at $50 p. m breathed his last. For some time
before his death he was unconscious. standing by
ills bedside were Mrs. Hancock, her brother, Oliver
Russell, General Fry. for some years General Han
married Miss Allie Hancock, the Generals niece,
and the attending physicians, Drs. Janeway.
sutherland and Stinson, Mrs. Hancock was com
petely pIostrated by the sudden blow. She has
been III delicate health for some years aud tho
shock of the Generals sudden death was great as
TO renderth constant attendance of the physicians
necessary kilograms were sent Out soon after the
Generals death announcing the fact TO his rela-
lives and to the Department at Washington Wnile
the news was being telegraphed dispatch was re-
ceved from General Sheridan. saying:
/ am informed that General Hancock is seriously ILL.,
Telegraph me continually
In reply Adjutant- General WhIpple sent
sage announcing the Generals death.
In1S73 General Hancocks only danchter Ada
died. HIS only son, Russell Hancock. died at his
r.. % fla
wear ago. A short time previously Mrs HancOcRs
mother Mrs. Russell. died there and III thai house,
too, died Russell Hancocks oldest boy Russell
Hancock left two girls, now with their mother on
her plantation IN Mississippi and a boy, Gwln. ten
years DID, who is al the house on Governors Island
As one by one those whom General Hancock loved
were removed by death, his affection seemed to
cling more aud more 70 his grandson Gwin, and
when few. weeks ago his daughter-ln-law left
her to leave Gwin with him. General Hancock
leaves two brothers. Colonel John Hancock. for
Fla, and Hilary Hancock, who lives in Minue-
apOlls.
camp yesterday WAS pile of letters written by his
order and awai ing signature they csuld never
receive. They We're answers to letters from widows
of soldiers asking for good word from the General
in behalf of increase in Their pensions. from poor
people out Of work asking for and. and from all
sorts and condition of people who wanted help. TO
ali of these the General had dictated answers Of the
mo I kindly and generous description For some
time General Hancock has been debating remi.
nscences OF the War OF the Rebellion To one of his
aides which are said 10 be of great historical lm-
porance. In this work he has of late taken great
interest.
General Hancock was senior Major-General and
MajOr-Genera commanding the Department OF
the East and tho Military Division Of
the Atlantic BY his death Maior-General
Schoheld now com handing tne Division of tho
Missouri will become senior Malor'General and
will ultimately take command OF the Department
of the East and the Division of TIE Atlantic.
There will be a vacancy in the Major-(icnerals to
be ii led o. .. Howard commanding the Depart.
mcnt of the Platte, is senior rgadier-Genera but
il does not follow that he will receive the place
the promotion is by selection on the part of the
President.
General Hancock's body will be taken to st.
Louis for burial and there placed in the family
mausoleum. He does not leave large estate He
owned some property of value in aud asout ST.