The Brookhaven leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1883-1891, 1888-04-12
GENERAL HANCOCK.
A Loyal, KnightlJ Soldier, Considerations
Patriot and Magnetic Leader.


A Loyal, KnightIJ Soldier, p Conscientious
Patriot and Magnetic Leader
The extraordinary character of The
mputation of Senator John j. ingalls,
tlpoii the memory of General Hancock,
rs "an ally Of the C0nfederacy,' may
he better appreciated by fcnding some
other Gtinions upon that gallant and
patriotic soldier. Winfield Scott Han
cock was one of the comparatively few
officers commissioned for specifically
mentioned services, his commission as
Brigader-Gcncral in the regular army
being awarded 'for gallant and distih'
guished services in the battles Of the
Wilderness, Spottsylvania and Cold
Hatbor, and in all the operations Of
the army in Virginia under Lieutenant
General Grant" He was one of the
.till fewer officers who by name Te4
ceivcd the thanks of Congress, joint
resolution of that body declaring that
'thc gratitude Of the Americas people
and their representatives IN Congress
arc due and are hereby rendered, to
| Maior-Heneral w :. Hancock for his
rnllant, mcritorious and c0n-p cnnus
share in thn great and decisive VIC
tory of Gettysburg.
$50 long as l live wrote t"nhral
Sherman, after Hancock's death. II
viii be only too happy to bear tcsti-
m6ny to his generous and magnificent
| qualities as soldier, gentleman and
patriot" General Sheridan wished u
"ioin in the whole Nation in admira-
ton of his manly bearing and integ-
rity in the performance Of all his dti-
ties" General Scholicld declared that
by his death the country had lost
lone of its purcst patriots. General
! Sickies dwclt on "that trait of I'M
swcrving loyalty :" his chief and to
| the cause to which he wac devoted.
| No commander ever doubted for j
single instant the absolute loyalty of
| Hancock, and no soldier ever received
frcm him n command that he was not
eager and proud to obey General
! Hartranft noted that "his loyalty was
absolute. | do not mean loyalty 10
the cause only, but loyalty as a soldier
to his chief To subordinate himself
to duty had become second nature 20
! him. General Wilcox testified to
"his perfect loyalty to every Com
hiandcr .in-Chicf of the Army of the
Potomac. Hancock may go down to
history as the Marshal Ney of our
war. But he was a greater man than
Ney, for he was incapable Of infdelity
to man, woman or child.
General Cullum, W ho is we'll kncwn
to have made a special study of the
careers of all the graduates of the
Military Academy, mentioned as the
first and crowning impression derived
from Hancork's record "his Unhesi-
tating obedience to supcriors. his un-
swerving fidelity in the performance of
every duty, and his stcadfast loyalty
to the flag under which he was cdu-
Gated" Noting that Hancock. after
graduation at West Point, was ordered
to the South, land continued in slave
holding territory for thirteen years "
except while in Mexico during the war
with that country. General Cullum
adds that lin these thirteen years he
never for moment was swayed from
his true allegiance Ey the blandish.
mcnts of those around him" The war
found him in Southern California,
where on its outbreak he delivered a
patriotic speech to the assembled
troops. Prof. Coppee declared that
the marked virtue of Hancoek's life
was "constancy. General Miles,
who served 50 long under him,
said that he "never heard him
murmur or complain. The great
cause in whci he was engaged
seemed to absorb his whole soul A
loyal, knightly soldier, a conscientious
patriot, magnetic leader and most
skillful General. Referring o.Gcttys-
burg, General Miles wrote that "in
that critical hour of our National exist
ence he displayed the elements of 4
great commander, and, together with
thousands of wounded and slain, Ham
cock fell, moistening the sacred soil OF
his native State with his patriotic
blood. Refusing to leave the field. anC
reclining upon that memorable crest
he still commanded, and in that con.
dition gave the final orders to complete
the victory" General Tower spoke o.
him as "truc to every duty"
These are only few of many trib
utcs chosen from those that turn main
ly upon Hancock's fidelity to his coun
try's cause. which were gathered in ;
memorial volume by the Military Serv
ice Institution, of which. as also of the
Military Order of the Loyal Legion
General Hancock was president at the
time of his death. Mr.. Ingalls, is in ;
most inglorious minority in attackin!
with his reckless partisan malice tn,
fame of such mann y Time
(IndJ J.
What Mrs. Hendricks Wants.