Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1886-03-13

The Secret or the EARLY Frisnashi. -.
teen Grant and Hancock, and Their auh.
sequent Falling Out.
Gen. Badeau, writing to the Philadel-
phia Press, says: Hancock and Chant
were at West Point together. Thev
were good friends there, and Hancock
used to call his future chief by the tamil
lar nickname of ssSam Grant" Lone
afterward, during the Wilderness cam
paign-it was the day after the great At
tack at Spottsylvania, when Hancock 70
ported: II have finished up johnson and
am now going into Early" Grant nom-
mated Hammock for brigadier general IN
the regular army. Hancock remember
ed the old relationship OF the cadet time,
and said to the brother in-law of the gen.
eral-in-chief, who told him the news: II
love Sam Grant"
The regard was mutual. At one mo-
ment in the battle Of the Wilderness
things looked very dark; Warren was
driven back at the center, and rush Of
stragglers came hurrying in toward
Grants headquarters with news that Han
cock was routed. Grant was seated ON
the ground whiting stick; he simply
turned the the stick around and whitfield
the other end; and when it was again re-
ported that Hancock had been driven, he
said grimly; ~ don't believe it." In q
few moments word came directly contrary
to the earlier rumor. Instead of retreat
ing Hancock had pushed the enemy.
Then Grant looked up, and said with az
much enthusiasm as ever knew him to
betray: "Hancock's glorious soldier"
He never changed his opinion. Han
cock was always given the advance or the
exposed position. He bore the brunt Of
the battle of the Wilderness; he made
three terrible assaults at Spottsylvania;
he led the march to the North Anna; he
was in the thickest at Cold Harbor. His
troops were the first Of the army of the
Potomac to come up before Petersburg,
and in the subsequent movements ON
both sides of the James, at Deep Bottom,
and the explosion of Burnside's mine
always, until the pening of the old wound
compelled him to leave the field, Han
cock was given the command which re-
quired the most superb daring, the clear
est head, the most sustained military
ability. More than once I heard Gen.
Grant say that if Meade were removed
he should give the command of the Army
of the Potomac to Hancock.
In the march from Cold Harbor to the
James, Grants headquarters came up
with Hancock at the point where Long
street had once crossed the Chickahom-
my. While the troops were passing the
commanders dismounted, and Grant,
Hancock, and Meade we're sketched on
the grass together with their officers
around. Never we're three great soldiers
more in complete personal accord. There
was no assumption on the part of Grant,
and the feeling of can,araderie was per-
feet. They chaffed each other; they told
stories of West Point and. the frontier;
they discussed the movement in which
they were engaged; and finally Meade
referred to some resolutions of Penn
sylvania convention nominating Hancock
for the presidency. Both Grant and
Meade poked fun at Hancock for this,
and he good naturally received it all.
Indeed, it rather tickled him.
In 1866 the grade of general was cre-
ated for Grant. This made Sherman
lieutenant general and left vacancy
among the major generals, to which
Grant promptly appointed Hancock, who
thus received both of his promotions to
to the rank of general from his old cadet
cOmrade.
During the reconstruction period they
were on different sides. Grant believed
that congress was right in the long strug-
gle with Andrew johnson, but Hancock
espoused the. cause of the president.
Grant at first had no suspicion of the
leaning of Hancock, and when it became
apparent that Mr.. johnson was deter
mined to remove Sheridan from COM
mand at New Orleans and substitute
Hancock, the general-in-chief sent staff
officer to warn him Of the purpose of the
president and of what he considered it's
mischievous tendency. Hancock, how
ever, was ordered by johnson to report at
Washington before he went to New Or
leans, and Grant, who was now convinced
that Johnson's course was full of danger
to the country, went in person to visit
Hancock at his rooms in Wizards hotel to
put him on his guard. But Hancock had
already determined on his conduct, and
was not to be affected by Grants advice
or urging.
From this time their relations were
strained. Hancock proceeded to New Or
leans against the wish of Grant, deter
mined to carry out Mr.. Johnson's policy,
which his general in chief believed to be
almost reasonable, and which he was
directed by congress to thwart. Han
cock constantly issued orders in conform
ity with the views of the president
which Grant as constantly overruled.
Finally Hancock asked to be relieved
and the request was granted.
They never again had any pleasant
intercourse. There were times when
each supposed the other had been dis
courteous. Grant was told that Han
cock came to his headquarters, and wrote
his name without paying his general-in-
chief the courtesy of further visit, and
remarks of each were repeated to the
other not calculated to encourage amia-
bic sentiments But there was no positive
hostility.
When Hancock was nominated for the
presidency Grant, in the privacy Of his
own house at Galena, uttered some caus-